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Written 4 Sep 2026. This is a how-to, not a product card.

Point a phone or laptop at Pi-hole when the router won't

When Nest, Google Wifi, or an ISP gateway will not take custom DNS, set DNS on one phone or laptop so it asks Pi-hole. You don't need a new router for this device.

Haven't installed Pi-hole yet? Start with the first useful thing. Need the computer's number first? Find it on the house network. Prefer router-wide DNS when the router offers it: point common home routers at Pi-hole. Short generic router pass: point the house at the ad block.

Skip until you know the address and the router path is blocked

Write down Pi-hole's address — the computer's reserved or stable number on the house network. Confirm the router will not take LAN custom DNS, or that Nest / Google Wifi / the ISP gateway hides it. If LAN DHCP DNS already works house-wide, skip this page and leave the phones alone.

What you are changing

You are setting DNS on one phone or laptop for that Wi-Fi (or Ethernet) profile only. Other devices keep using whatever the router hands out. This is not a VPN. It is not Private DNS to a public hostname on Android — that path wants a name like dns.example.com, not your house Pi-hole IP, and it is often the opposite of this job. For house Pi-hole, put the IP in the Wi-Fi network's DNS fields and leave Private DNS Off for this device.

1. Write down Pi-hole's address

Example: 192.168.1.50. Swap in yours. Need the number? Find it on the house network. Want it sticky after a reboot? Keep it on the same number, or brand menus in keep the computer on the same address on common routers Give the computer a fixed address when the router won'tNest or an ISP gateway won't reserve DHCP. Set one stable number on Ubuntu Server so SSH and Pi-hole keep the same address after a reboot. You don't need a new router. .

2. iPhone / iPad

Settings → Wi-Fi → tap the (i) next to the house network → Configure DNS → Manual. Remove the ISP entries. Add the Pi-hole IP. For a first pass, leave a second DNS empty — a public failover can bypass blocking when Pi-hole is up. Save. Toggle Wi-Fi off and on once.

This sticks for that Wi-Fi network only. Cellular still uses the carrier. Undo later with Automatic on the same screen.

3. Android

Settings → Network & internet → the house Wi-Fi → pencil / Advanced (wording moves). Prefer editing that network's DNS fields to the Pi-hole IP when the menu offers DNS 1 / DNS 2. Some skins need IP settings → Static so DNS fields appear; keep the IP/gateway/prefix the phone already had if you go Static, and only change DNS.

Private DNS is not this job. Private DNS wants a DNS-over-TLS hostname. You cannot type 192.168.1.50 there and expect house Pi-hole. For this how-to: set DNS on the Wi-Fi network, and set Private DNS to Off so the phone actually asks Pi-hole. If one stubborn phone still shows ads after house DNS works, that is when one phone still shows ads.

4. Windows

Settings → Network & internet → Wi-Fi or Ethernet → the connection → DNS server assignment → Edit → Manual → IPv4 On → Preferred DNS = the Pi-hole IP. Leave Alternate blank on the first pass. Save. Skip DNS over HTTPS templates for a house Pi-hole IP on day one.

5. Mac

System Settings → Network → Wi-Fi or Ethernet → Details → DNS. Click +, add the Pi-hole IP, remove the old servers for a first pass. Apply / OK.

Check

On that device, open a browser and visit a site that used to show ads. Banners should drop. Open the Pi-hole Query Log on the computer (admin from the first useful thing). Lookups from this phone or laptop should show as their own client. If the admin page or a site breaks oddly, see when a site won't load after Pi-hole or when ads come back, check the ad block.

What this is not

This is not a replacement for router LAN DNS when the router can do it. It is not opening Pi-hole to the internet. It is not buying mesh. It is not a VPN. It is one device asking the computer you already have.

What next

If you get a better router later, set the house once: point common home routers at Pi-hole. Stubborn phone after house DNS works: when one phone still shows ads. Stubborn laptop or browser: when one laptop still shows ads. Guest network still dirty: when guest Wi-Fi still shows ads. Ads back after a power blip: when ads come back. Keep the computer's number sticky: keep the computer on the same address on common routers.

Skip

Sources

Pi-hole docs. Android: advanced network settings (Private DNS). Microsoft: essential network settings (DNS). Apple: change DNS settings on Mac. Official pages only. Menus move by OS version. For router-wide DNS, see point common home routers at Pi-hole. For install, see the first useful thing.

Also on this topic

Point common home routers at Pi-holeWhere to set DNS on TP-Link, ASUS, eero, Netgear, Nest, and ISP gateways so the house asks Pi-hole. Prefer LAN DHCP DNS. You don't need a new router. Keep the computer on the same address on common routersWhere to reserve DHCP on TP-Link, ASUS, eero, Netgear, Nest, and ISP gateways so SSH and Pi-hole keep the same number after a reboot. You don't need a new router. Flush old DNS on phones and laptopsAfter you point the router at Pi-hole, phones and laptops may still use the old DNS. Renew the Wi-Fi lease or flush the cache so ads drop. You don't need a new router. When one phone still shows adsEveryone else's ads dropped. One phone still shows banners. Check Private DNS, Private Relay, a VPN, then the Wi-Fi lease. You don't need a new router. When one laptop still shows adsEveryone else's ads dropped. One laptop (or one browser) still shows banners. Check Chrome, Edge, or Firefox Secure DNS, Windows encrypted DNS, Mac Private Relay, then a VPN. You don't need a new router. When guest Wi-Fi still shows adsGuest Wi-Fi is a separate network on purpose. Leave guests on ISP DNS, put a visitor on the main house Wi-Fi, or point guest DNS at Pi-hole only if they can reach the computer. You don't need a new router. Point the house at the ad blockAfter Pi-hole is installed, point the house router at the computer for DNS. Phones and laptops need no app. Sites still load. A lot of ads don't. The first useful thingPut a house-wide ad block on the old PC. The rest of the house keeps using the internet as usual. You don't need a Raspberry Pi. When ads come backAds are back, sites won't load, or a phone still shows banners. Check the computer, Pi-hole, router DNS, then the phone. When ads sneak past on IPv6Pi-hole looks fine on IPv4, but phones still show banners. Check IPv6 DNS on the router, or turn that path off for now. You don't need a new router. Find it on the house networkThe computer has a number on your house network. You need that number to SSH from the couch. You don't need a new router.