<strong>Network-wide ad blocking via your own Linux hardware</strong>
</p>
The Pi-hole[®](https://pi-hole.net/trademark-rules-and-brand-guidelines/) is a [DNS sinkhole](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DNS_Sinkhole) that protects your devices from unwanted content, without installing any client-side software.
@ -17,27 +20,34 @@ The Pi-hole[®](https://pi-hole.net/trademark-rules-and-brand-guidelines/) is a
- **Free**: open source software which helps ensure _you_ are the sole person in control of your privacy
[Piping to `bash` is controversial](https://pi-hole.net/2016/07/25/curling-and-piping-to-bash), as it prevents you from [reading code that is about to run](https://github.com/pi-hole/pi-hole/blob/master/automated%20install/basic-install.sh) on your system. Therefore, we provide these alternative installation methods which allow code review before installation:
@ -53,18 +63,22 @@ As a last resort, you can always manually set each device to use Pi-hole as thei
-----
## Pi-hole is free, but powered by your support
There are many reoccurring costs involved with maintaining free, open source, and privacy-respecting software; expenses which [our volunteer developers](https://github.com/orgs/pi-hole/people) pitch in to cover out-of-pocket. This is just one example of how strongly we feel about our software, as well as the importance of keeping it maintained.
Make no mistake: **your support is absolutely vital to help keep us innovating!**
### Donations
Sending a donation using our links below is **extremely helpful** in offsetting a portion of our monthly expenses:
- <imgsrc="https://pi-hole.github.io/graphics/Badges/paypal-badge-black.svg"width="24"height="24"alt="PP"/><ahref="https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=3J2L3Z4DHW9UY">Donate via PayPal</a><br/>
- <imgsrc="https://pi-hole.github.io/graphics/Badges/paypal-badge-black.svg"width="24"height="24"alt="PP"> [Donate via PayPal](https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=3J2L3Z4DHW9UY)
- [Stickermule](https://www.stickermule.com/unlock?ref_id=9127301701&utm_medium=link&utm_source=invite) _earn a $10 credit after your first purchase_
@ -73,6 +87,7 @@ If you'd rather not [donate](https://pi-hole.net/donate/) (_which is okay!_), th
- Spreading the word about our software, and how you have benefited from it
### Contributing via GitHub
We welcome _everyone_ to contribute to issue reports, suggest new features, and create pull requests.
If you have something to add - anything from a typo through to a whole new feature, we're happy to check it out! Just make sure to fill out our template when submitting your request; the questions that it asks will help the volunteers quickly understand what you're aiming to achieve.
@ -80,6 +95,7 @@ If you have something to add - anything from a typo through to a whole new featu
You'll find that the [install script](https://github.com/pi-hole/pi-hole/blob/master/automated%20install/basic-install.sh) and the [debug script](https://github.com/pi-hole/pi-hole/blob/master/advanced/Scripts/piholeDebug.sh) have an abundance of comments, which will help you better understand how Pi-hole works. They're also a valuable resource to those who want to learn how to write scripts or code a program! We encourage anyone who likes to tinker to read through it and submit a pull request for us to review.
### Presentations about Pi-hole
Word-of-mouth continues to help our project grow immensely, and so we are helping make this easier for people.
If you are going to be presenting Pi-hole at a conference, meetup or even a school project, [get in touch with us](https://pi-hole.net/2017/05/17/giving-a-presentation-on-pi-hole-contact-us-first-for-some-goodies-and-support/) so we can hook you up with free swag to hand out to your audience!
@ -87,53 +103,57 @@ If you are going to be presenting Pi-hole at a conference, meetup or even a scho
-----
## Getting in touch with us
While we are primarily reachable on our <ahref="https://discourse.pi-hole.net/">Discourse User Forum</a>, we can also be found on a variety of social media outlets. **Please be sure to check the FAQ's** before starting a new discussion, as we do not have the spare time to reply to every request for assistance.
While we are primarily reachable on our [Discourse User Forum](https://discourse.pi-hole.net/), we can also be found on a variety of social media outlets. **Please be sure to check the FAQ's** before starting a new discussion, as we do not have the spare time to reply to every request for assistance.
The `pihole` command has all the functionality necessary to be able to fully administer the Pi-hole, without the need of the Web Interface. It's fast, user-friendly, and auditable by anyone with an understanding of `bash`.
* [Viewing the live log file](https://github.com/pi-hole/pi-hole/wiki/Core-Function-Breakdown#tail)
* [Real-time Statistics via `ssh`](https://github.com/pi-hole/pi-hole/wiki/Core-Function-Breakdown#chronometer) or [your TFT LCD screen](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00ID39LM4/pihole09-20)
* [Updating Ad Lists](https://github.com/pi-hole/pi-hole/wiki/Core-Function-Breakdown#gravity)
* [Querying Ad Lists for blocked domains](https://github.com/pi-hole/pi-hole/wiki/Core-Function-Breakdown#query)
* [Enabling and Disabling Pi-hole](https://github.com/pi-hole/pi-hole/wiki/Core-Function-Breakdown#enable--disable)
* ... and *many* more!
- [Whitelisting, Blacklisting and Wildcards](https://github.com/pi-hole/pi-hole/wiki/Core-Function-Breakdown#whitelisting-blacklisting-and-wildcards)
- [Viewing the live log file](https://github.com/pi-hole/pi-hole/wiki/Core-Function-Breakdown#tail)
- [Real-time Statistics via `ssh`](https://github.com/pi-hole/pi-hole/wiki/Core-Function-Breakdown#chronometer) or [your TFT LCD screen](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00ID39LM4/pihole09-20)
- [Updating Ad Lists](https://github.com/pi-hole/pi-hole/wiki/Core-Function-Breakdown#gravity)
- [Querying Ad Lists for blocked domains](https://github.com/pi-hole/pi-hole/wiki/Core-Function-Breakdown#query)
- [Enabling and Disabling Pi-hole](https://github.com/pi-hole/pi-hole/wiki/Core-Function-Breakdown#enable--disable)
- ... and *many* more!
You can read our [Core Feature Breakdown](https://github.com/pi-hole/pi-hole/wiki/Core-Function-Breakdown), as well as read up on [example usage](https://discourse.pi-hole.net/t/the-pihole-command-with-examples/738) for more information.
### The Web Interface Dashboard
This [optional dashboard](https://github.com/pi-hole/AdminLTE) allows you to view stats, change settings, and configure your Pi-hole. It's the power of the Command Line Interface, with none of the learning curve!
* Long Term Statistics to view data over user-defined time ranges
* The ability to easily manage and configure Pi-hole features
* ... and all the main features of the Command Line Interface!
- Mobile friendly interface
- Password protection
- Detailed graphs and doughnut charts
- Top lists of domains and clients
- A filterable and sortable query log
- Long Term Statistics to view data over user-defined time ranges
- The ability to easily manage and configure Pi-hole features
- ... and all the main features of the Command Line Interface!
There are several ways to [access the dashboard](https://discourse.pi-hole.net/t/how-do-i-access-pi-holes-dashboard-admin-interface/3168):
@ -142,30 +162,33 @@ There are several ways to [access the dashboard](https://discourse.pi-hole.net/t
3. `http://pi.hole/` (when using Pi-hole as your DNS server)
## Faster-than-light Engine
FTLDNS is a lightweight, purpose-built daemon used to provide statistics needed for the Web Interface, and its API can be easily integrated into your own projects. As the name implies, FTLDNS does this all *very quickly*!
Some of the statistics you can integrate include:
* Total number of domains being blocked
* Total number of DNS queries today
* Total number of ads blocked today
* Percentage of ads blocked
* Unique domains
* Queries forwarded (to your chosen upstream DNS server)
* Queries cached
* Unique clients
- Total number of domains being blocked
- Total number of DNS queries today
- Total number of ads blocked today
- Percentage of ads blocked
- Unique domains
- Queries forwarded (to your chosen upstream DNS server)
- Queries cached
- Unique clients
The API can be accessed via [`telnet`](https://github.com/pi-hole/FTL), the Web (`admin/api.php`) and Command Line (`pihole -c -j`). You can out find [more details over here](https://discourse.pi-hole.net/t/pi-hole-api/1863).
-----
## The Origin Of Pi-hole
Pi-hole being an **advertising-aware DNS/Web server**, makes use of the following technologies:
* [`dnsmasq`](http://www.thekelleys.org.uk/dnsmasq/doc.html) - a lightweight DNS and DHCP server
* [`curl`](https://curl.haxx.se/) - A command line tool for transferring data with URL syntax
* [`lighttpd`](https://www.lighttpd.net/) - web server designed and optimized for high performance
* [`php`](https://www.php.net/) - a popular general-purpose web scripting language
* [AdminLTE Dashboard](https://github.com/ColorlibHQ/AdminLTE) - premium admin control panel based on Bootstrap 3.x
- [`dnsmasq`](http://www.thekelleys.org.uk/dnsmasq/doc.html) - a lightweight DNS and DHCP server
- [`curl`](https://curl.haxx.se/) - A command line tool for transferring data with URL syntax
- [`lighttpd`](https://www.lighttpd.net/) - web server designed and optimized for high performance
- [`php`](https://www.php.net/) - a popular general-purpose web scripting language
- [AdminLTE Dashboard](https://github.com/ColorlibHQ/AdminLTE) - premium admin control panel based on Bootstrap 3.x
While quite outdated at this point, [this original blog post about Pi-hole](https://jacobsalmela.com/2015/06/16/block-millions-ads-network-wide-with-a-raspberry-pi-hole-2-0/) goes into **great detail** about how Pi-hole was originally set up and how it works. Syntactically, it's no longer accurate, but the same basic principles and logic still apply to Pi-hole's current state.