Block Ads for Every Device with Pi-hole
Run your own DNS ad blocker on Vultr and see how many trackers it stops.
+60
POINTS
Submissions
0
Deadline
Open
What you will build
A private DNS server that filters ads and trackers before they ever load.
Starting point: you only need a Vultr account. This challenge is self-contained, so you can do it without having done any other.
The plan
- Deploy an Ubuntu 24.04 instance and connect over SSH
- Install Pi-hole with the official installer
- Set the dashboard password and open the admin page
- Point your phone or laptop DNS at the server
- Browse for a few minutes and watch the query log
- Screenshot the dashboard showing blocked queries
BASH
An open DNS server on the internet gets abused. Use a Vultr Firewall group to allow DNS (port 53) only from your own IP.
Stretch goals
- Add a second blocklist
- Whitelist a site that breaks
- Compare page load times with and without Pi-hole
Requirements
Pi-hole running on a Vultr instance
At least one device using it for DNS
Port 53 limited to your own IP
Dashboard screenshot with blocked queries
Resources
Submit Your Build
Sign up to submit your build
Create a free account to submit and earn+60 pointson approval.
Challenge Questions
No questions about this Challenge yet
Ask anything about this Challenge prep, agenda or joining.