7 Things I Wish I Knew Before Setting Up Pi-hole

Thinking about running Pi-hole on your home network? It's a powerful tool for blocking ads and tracking domains, but it’s not all smooth sailing especially if you’re just starting out. After using it for a while and troubleshooting several issues, I’ve learned a few things the hard way. Here are seven lessons I wish I had known before deploying Pi-hole.

1. Your Entire Network Depends on Pi-hole Literally

When Pi-hole is set as the only DNS server for your network, everything relies on it to resolve domain names. If Pi-hole goes offline even briefly your internet connection can grind to a halt. This happened to me early on when I had just one instance running. During updates or maintenance, my devices simply couldn't resolve any domains.

Pro tip: Run two Pi-hole instances. Configure both DNS entries on your router, pointing each to a separate Pi-hole. 

That way, if one goes offline, the other keeps your network running. 

2. YouTube Watch History Might Break

Pi-hole is excellent at blocking ads, but sometimes it’s too aggressive. I discovered that my YouTube watch history stopped updating. The culprit? Blocked domains used by YouTube to track activity.

To fix this, whitelist the following:

• s.youtube.com
• video-stats.l.google.com
•  www.googleapis.com
• youtubei.googleapis.com
• oauthaccountmanager.googleapis.com

3. Google Chrome Updates on Ubuntu Could Fail

If you use Google Chrome on Ubuntu, Pi-hole might block its update service. The domain dl.google.com is required for downloading updates. I learned this when my Chrome stopped updating and Pi-hole logs revealed the issue.

Fix: Whitelist dl.google.com to ensure Chrome can fetch updates normally.

4. Gmail App on iOS Might Not Work

After setting up Pi-hole, I noticed the Gmail app on my iPhone couldn’t load properly. The issue was again a blocked domain: googleapis.l.google.com.

Solution: Whitelist this domain and the Gmail app should start functioning correctly.

5. Sponsored Links in Google Search Disappear

If you're used to clicking on sponsored links in Google search results, Pi-hole might interfere. These links are often routed through advertising domains that Pi-hole blocks.

To restore functionality:

• www.googleadservices.com
• clients0.google.com through clients9.google.com
• www.googletagmanager.com
• ad.doubleclick.net
• clickserve.dartsearch.net

6. Some Mobile Games May Not Load or Work Properly

Many mobile games are ad supported and depend on third party servers for full functionality. Pi-hole’s blocklists can interfere with those connections, sometimes breaking the game entirely.The tricky part is that there’s no universal domain to unblock. You’ll need to monitor Pi-hole’s logs while launching the app and identify which requests are being blocked then allow them selectively.

7. Smart Devices Are Chatty Really Chatty

The biggest surprise? Just how much traffic comes from smart devices. Once Pi-hole was in place, I saw constant outgoing requests from my plugs, bulbs, and other connected gadgets. One app I thought I had uninstalled years ago was still silently phoning home Pi-hole exposed it. Not every blocked domain is bad. But it was eye-opening to learn how often devices call home, and in some cases, stopping those calls can affect their functionality. Use Pi-hole’s logs to understand your devices better and decide which connections are necessary.

Final Thoughts

Pi-hole is a fantastic tool for privacy and network control, but it's not plug-and-play. It takes some tuning and awareness of what services rely on external domains. Understanding these seven key lessons early on would’ve saved me a lot of frustration. With the right setup, Pi-hole can significantly improve your network experience just be prepared for a little trial and error.