Pi-hole

Pi-hole is a network-wide ad blocking and protection solution designed to enhance browsing experience and improve network performance. It is suitable for businesses of various sizes, from small enterprises to large corporations. According to the vendor, Pi-hole is widely used by IT professionals, network administrators, small business owners, home users, and education institutions to effectively block advertisements and protect their networks.

Key Features

Network-wide Ad Blocking: According to the vendor, Pi-hole provides network-wide ad blocking, allowing users to block ads across their entire network. It can be installed on a supported operating system or run in a container, with an automated installer to simplify the setup process. Users can configure their router's DHCP options to force clients to use Pi-hole as their DNS server.

Block in-app advertisements: The vendor states that Pi-hole's network-level blocking extends ad blocking to non-traditional places like mobile apps and smart TVs. It effectively blocks ads regardless of the hardware or operating system being used, enhancing the overall ad-blocking experience for users.

Improve network performance: According to the vendor, Pi-hole significantly improves network performance by blocking advertisements before they are downloaded. Users will experience faster browsing speeds and reduced bandwidth usage, benefiting both home users and businesses with limited bandwidth.

Monitor statistics: Pi-hole's web interface provides users with control over their Pi-hole and a central place to view statistics, according to the vendor. Users can access an API for extending the statistics feature, allowing them to monitor and analyze the domains being queried on their network.

Built-in DHCP Server: The vendor states that Pi-hole can work with an existing DHCP server, but it also has a built-in DHCP server for managing network settings in one place. This feature simplifies network management for users.

Manage White and Black Lists: Pi-hole allows users to fine-tune their ad-blocking experience by blacklisting or whitelisting specific domains, according to the vendor. Users can extend this capability with powerful regex statements, giving them control over the domains they want to block or allow.

Query Log: According to the vendor, Pi-hole's query log provides a comprehensive view of all the domains being queried on the network. Users can see where these queries originated and gather insights about network activity.

Long Term Statistics: Pi-hole stores queries in a database, allowing users to query and analyze network activity over time, according to the vendor. This feature provides historical data and trends about network usage.

Audit Log: According to the vendor, Pi-hole's audit log keeps track of the most queried domains, enabling users to add them to a white or blacklist from a central page. This feature enhances the management of blocked and allowed domains.

Privacy Modes: According to the vendor, Pi-hole offers four different privacy modes that users can choose from based on their environment and privacy preferences. These modes provide flexibility in balancing ad blocking and privacy.