<strong>Network-wide ad blocking via your own Linux hardware</strong>
</p>
<!-- markdownlint-enable MD033 -->
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.
#
The Pi-hole® is a [DNS sinkhole](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DNS_Sinkhole) that protects your devices from unwanted content, without installing any client-side software.
- **Easy-to-install**: our versatile installer walks you through the process, and [takes less than ten minutes](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vKWjx1AQYgs)
- **Resolute**: content is blocked in _non-browser locations_, such as ad-laden mobile apps and smart TVs
- **Responsive**: seamlessly speeds up the feel of everyday browsing by caching DNS queries
- **Lightweight**: runs smoothly with [minimal hardware and software requirements](https://discourse.pi-hole.net/t/hardware-software-requirements/273)
- **Lightweight**: runs smoothly with [minimal hardware and software requirements](https://docs.pi-hole.net/main/prerequisites/)
- **Robust**: a command line interface that is quality assured for interoperability
- **Insightful**: a beautiful responsive Web Interface dashboard to view and control your Pi-hole
- **Versatile**: can optionally function as a [DHCP server](https://discourse.pi-hole.net/t/how-do-i-use-pi-holes-built-in-dhcp-server-and-why-would-i-want-to/3026), ensuring *all* your devices are protected automatically
@ -21,21 +26,17 @@ The Pi-hole[®](https://pi-hole.net/trademark-rules-and-brand-guidelines/) is a
[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:
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:
## Post-install: Make your network take advantage of Pi-hole
## [Post-install: Make your network take advantage of Pi-hole](https://docs.pi-hole.net/main/post-install/)
Once the installer has been run, you will need to [configure your router to have **DHCP clients use Pi-hole as their DNS server**](https://discourse.pi-hole.net/t/how-do-i-configure-my-devices-to-use-pi-hole-as-their-dns-server/245) which ensures that all devices connecting to your network will have content blocked without any further intervention.
@ -68,22 +69,18 @@ There are many reoccurring costs involved with maintaining free, open source, an
Make no mistake: **your support is absolutely vital to help keep us innovating!**
### Donations
### [Donations](https://pi-hole.net/donate)
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"> [Donate via PayPal](https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=3J2L3Z4DHW9UY)
- Spreading the word about our software, and how you have benefited from it
### Contributing via GitHub
@ -94,12 +91,6 @@ 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!
-----
## Getting in touch with us
@ -107,13 +98,9 @@ If you are going to be presenting Pi-hole at a conference, meetup or even a scho
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.
@ -121,22 +108,21 @@ While we are primarily reachable on our [Discourse User Forum](https://discourse
### The Command Line Interface
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`.
The [pihole](https://docs.pi-hole.net/core/pihole-command/) 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)
- [Whitelisting, Blacklisting and Regex](https://docs.pi-hole.net/core/pihole-command/#whitelisting-blacklisting-and-regex)
- [Viewing the live log file](https://docs.pi-hole.net/core/pihole-command/#tail)
- [Updating Ad Lists](https://docs.pi-hole.net/core/pihole-command/#gravity)
- [Querying Ad Lists for blocked domains](https://docs.pi-hole.net/core/pihole-command/#query)
- [Enabling and Disabling Pi-hole](https://docs.pi-hole.net/core/pihole-command/#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.
You can read our [Core Feature Breakdown](https://docs.pi-hole.net/core/pihole-command/#pi-hole-core) for more information.
### The Web Interface Dashboard
@ -157,8 +143,8 @@ Some notable features include:
There are several ways to [access the dashboard](https://discourse.pi-hole.net/t/how-do-i-access-pi-holes-dashboard-admin-interface/3168):
1. `http://<IP_ADDPRESS_OF_YOUR_PI_HOLE>/admin/`
2. `http://pi.hole/admin/` (when using Pi-hole as your DNS server)
1. `http://pi.hole/admin/` (when using Pi-hole as your DNS server)
2. `http://<IP_ADDPRESS_OF_YOUR_PI_HOLE>/admin/`
3. `http://pi.hole/` (when using Pi-hole as your DNS server)
## Faster-than-light Engine
@ -177,31 +163,3 @@ Some of the statistics you can integrate include:
- 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
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.
Dan Schaper
4 years ago