Features

AdGuard Home
Block banners, pop-ups and video advertisements network-wide

WireGuard
A VPN server accessible from public networks (IPv4 & IPv6)

Unbound
A validating, recursive, caching DNS resolver (DoT)
with
Stubby (simple)
DNS queries are sent to resolvers over an encrypted TLS connection providing increased privacy
or
DNScrypt (advanced)
Modern encrypted DNS protocols such as DNSCrypt v2, DNS-over-HTTPS, Anonymized DNSCrypt and oDoH (Oblivious DoH)

Cloudflare
Better performance & security for websites, APIs, and Internet applications

All software are free, open-source and self-hosted
ABOUT | FAQ | WIKI

DNS query speed 🧪

BIND'S dig tool results from google.com servers:

AdGuard default DNS resolvers - 60-70 msec
Public Cloudflare/Quad9/Google DNS Resolvers - 50-70 msec
This setup/configuration - 5-10 msec

🎥 Preview

AdGuard default vs setup/configuration:

vid.mp4

Public Cloudflare/Quad9/Google:
(same results if addresses are added manually on systems)

vid2.mp4

Project Status

Last tested: 17 April 2022

Projects	Status
AdGuard Home	✅
Unbound	✅
Cloudflared	✅
DNScrypt	✅
Stubby	✅
WireGuard	✅

Requirements
Install Raspberry Pi OS
- Access Pi OS with SSH
Install AdGuard Home
Install Unbound
Install Cloudflare
Install WireGuard
Repository Resources

Requirements

This tutorial is installed with Raspberry Pi. Other Linux operating system(𝟹𝟸/𝟼𝟺bit), hardware or cloud service can be used.
(Raspberry Pi OS is most simple and recommended for Pi. For more experience users, DietPi OS is also recommended)

A Raspberry Pi 3 or 4 version
A router that supports port forwarding(most can)
MicroSD USB card reader
MicroSD card (8GB or bigger, at least Class 4)
Ethernet cable
(Optional if using monitor) MicroHDMI-(RPi 4) or HDMI-(RPi 3)

Install Raspberry Pi OS

Raspberry Pi OS comes in desktop and lite versions(use lite for headless mode). It can be accessed with a monitor/keyboard/mouse or connect via ssh from a terminal.
Raspberry Pi OS cannot be setup through the wizard anymore, the Imager utility is needed to preconfigure an image user account.

Install Raspberry Pi Imager: https://www.raspberrypi.com/software/
Download Raspberry Pi OS image: https://www.raspberrypi.org/software/operating-systems/

Open Pi Imager tool and configure settings in advanced options. Choose image, select microSD card and click Write.

Place SD card into the Raspberry Pi, plug in Ethernet cable and boot up

Access Pi OS with SSH

Wait for a minute for Pi's first boot up
Open browser and login router's admin panel(default gateway address)
Find list of all devices connected to network and copy the IP address of the Raspberry Pi. It will most likely have the hostname raspberrypi
Open terminal on host machine (Windows powershell or raspcontroller for Android can be used).

Type the following command:

ssh pi@pi's IP address

Use right mouse button to paste text in Windows powerShell.

Type “yes” for fingerprint question, and enter password.

Run in terminal:

sudo apt update -y && sudo apt upgrade -y

Reboot when finished

sudo reboot

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Install AdGuard Home

This installation script is from AdGuard Home main project. Follow to keep updated.

Run the following command in terminal:

Stable :

curl -s -S -L https://raw.githubusercontent.com/AdguardTeam/AdGuardHome/master/scripts/install.sh | sh -s -- -v

Beta - testing version of AdGuard Home. More or less stable versions(recommended for Raspberry Pi) :

curl -s -S -L https://raw.githubusercontent.com/AdguardTeam/AdGuardHome/master/scripts/install.sh | sh -s -- -c beta

Edge - newest version of AdGuard Home. New updates are pushed to this channel daily and might not be stable :

curl -s -S -L https://raw.githubusercontent.com/AdguardTeam/AdGuardHome/master/scripts/install.sh | sh -s -- -c edge

When installation is finished, it will show the links to your AdGuard home page(Get Started) in terminal
IMPORTANT: In Listen Interfaces option choose Eth0 and select next

Set up username&password and then login admin panel
IMPORTANT: In general settings, set "Query logs retention" to 24 hours. (I read that for some people logs fill up which slows down Pi and needing a reboot)

Setup devices to work with AdGuard

For Android/Apple, go to WiFi advanced settings and select static option. In DNS 1 field enter "Pi's IP" address

For PC/Windows
- IPv4
Go to network settings / change adapter options, right click in properties and select "Internet Protocol Version 4(TCP/IPv4)". Enter Pi's IP address in Preferred DNS server.
- IPv6 (needed for DoH/DoT/oDoH to detect if using it)
Go to "Internet Protocol Version 6(TCP/IPv6)" Enter ::1

OPTIONAL: Add a backup DNS in the alternative fields

BE AWARE: In Android, adding a public DNS in second field breaks AdGuard ad blocking🤷

Updating AdGuard

AdGuard Home can be updated from its user interface or manually from command line which I recommend for now.
Use script constructed with update commands[click here].

Setting up AdGuard blocklist

In AdGuard homepage under filters, select DNS blocklist section for adding URLs.

Ultimate blocklists sources :

black-mirror - Automatically maintained malicious host blacklists and false-positive whitelists
👊BIG THANKS👊 to T145

IMPORTANT: Some lists can block important web content. To unblock, go to "Query Log" section, hover cursor over that specific query(look for client IP & time) to show unblock option. The links is automatically created in "Custom filtering rules" example: @@||bitly.com^$important(can add the websites manually as well).

Add/Remove multiple URLs

Only one URL can be added at a time in DNS blocklist with AdGuard for now, but there is a python script to add multiple URLs at once.

Create a new python file(bulkurls.py):

nano bulkurls.py

Then copy and paste script text[click here]. Set your AdGuard credentials and save (control+x then y then enter).

If using DietPi install sudo apt-get install python3-pip -y && pip install requests for it is not installed by default.

To run : sudo python3 bulkurls.py
Reboot when finished

To remove change add in second of last line to remove in bulkurls.py file.

Go to https://d3ward.github.io/toolz/adblock.html to test if ads are blocking
Or just visit some ad infested sites.

Install SSL certificate

If using AdGuard Home on a VPS(Virtual private server), get a SSL certificate to make connection secure and data safe[click here]. In this case your DNS resolver(AdGuard Home) resides outside your network, and your DNS requests have better protection from the third parties.

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Install Unbound

RECOMMENDED:Before installing other DNS resolvers, it is a good idea to turn off systemd-resolved DNSStubListener(issue#27).

Run the following command in terminal:

sudo apt install unbound -y

For recursively querying a host that is not cached as an address, the resolver needs to start at the top of the server tree and query the root servers, to know where to go for the top level domain for the address being queried. Unbound comes with default built-in hints.

wget -O root.hints https://www.internic.net/domain/named.root && sudo mv root.hints /var/lib/unbound/

IMPORTANT: This needs to update every 6 months using cron job.

Enter in command line crontab -e, it will ask select an editor(choose 1), paste these lines at the bottom of crontab and save (control+x then y then enter):

1 0 1 */6 * wget -O root.hints https://www.internic.net/domain/named.root
2 0 1 */6 * sudo mv root.hints /var/lib/unbound/

If using DietPi, install resolvconf and restart unbound-resolvconf.service to set default nameserver(127.0.0.1) :

sudo apt-get install resolvconf -y && sudo systemctl restart unbound-resolvconf.service

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Install Cloudflare

Setup Cloudflare with `(DoH/oDoH)`

Option 1 (Simple)
Cloudflare Tunnel[click here]:
(DNS over HTTPS only)

Option 2 (Advanced)

DNScrypt proxy[click here]:

- DNS over HTTPS
- Oblivious DNS Over HTTPS (experimental)
- Anonymized DNS

Oblivious DNS Over HTTPS (oDoH) is a newly proposed open-source DNS standard built by engineers from Cloudflare, Apple, and Fastly which is supposed to increase the privacy of already existing DNS Over HTTPS.

Anonymized DNS client encrypts the query for the final server instead of directly reaching a server that is one of the public resolvers, but sends it to a relay.

Configure Cloudflare `(DoT)` on Unbound

Create a unbound configuration file with DNS over TLS settings. Enter in terminal:

sudo nano /etc/unbound/unbound.conf.d/unbound.conf

And copy and paste all the text from this unbound.conf file[click here] and save (control+x then y then enter).

Configure Stubby and Unbound

Use Unbound for caching and Stubby as a TLS forwarder(if NOT using DNScrypt).
Install Stubby:

sudo apt install stubby -y

Remove and re-create stubby.yaml file:

cd /etc/stubby/ && sudo rm stubby.yml && sudo nano stubby.yml

And copy and paste all the text from this stubby config file[click here] and save. (cd to return to home folder when finish).

IMPORTANT:Forward Stubby address in Unbound upstreams. Open nano /etc/unbound/unbound.conf.d/unbound.conf and uncomment Stubby address(remove # infront of line):

# forward-addr: 127.0.0.1@8053
# forward-addr: ::1@8053
forward-addr: 127.0.0.1@8053
forward-addr: ::1@8053

IMPORTANT:Stubby and DNScrypt cannot be used together when both are set to run as a forwarder, else redundant caching will occur.

Restart unbound & stubby and check status:

sudo systemctl restart unbound stubby ; systemctl status unbound stubby -l

Configure AdGuard with `(DoH/DoT/oDoH)`

In AdGuard homepage under settings, select "DNS settings"
Delete everything from both Upstream and Bootstrap DNS server options and add the following for:
- DNS over TLS(unbound) : 127.0.0.1:53
- DNS over HTTPS/Oblivious DNS over HTTPS :
  - 127.0.0.1:5053(cloudflared tunnel)
  - 127.0.0.1:5353(dnscrypt proxy)
- TLS forwarder(stubby) : 127.0.0.1:8053
IMPORTANT: Check "Parallel Request" option for DNS resolvers to work simultaneously.

Then in DNS setting look for DNS cache configuration section and set cache size to 0 (caching is already handled by Unbound) and click apply.

Click apply and test upstreams

Stable DNS resolving

IMPORTANT:Help resolve multiple DNS servers on Windows system and Android browsers. Linux works fine(tested on ubuntu)

Windows

Install Acrylic DNS Proxy: https://mayakron.altervista.org/support/acrylic/Home.htm
Go to C:\Program Files (x86)\Acrylic DNS Proxy and open AcrylicConfiguration.ini file. Delete everything and copy these settings[click here], only change PrimaryServerAddres to your Pi's address.
In same folder run RestartAcrylicService.bat & PurgeAcrylicCacheData.bat

TIP: Troubleshoot IP/DNS Commands

ipconfig /release
ipconfig /renew
ipconfig /flushdns

Android

In whatever browser is used, turn off Use Secure DNS option if available.
Be aware conflicts can occur with custom rooted roms&kernels with build.prop DNS tweaks or apps/magisk module.

Now go to https://1.1.1.1/help in browser and these options should output 'Yes'.

Connected to 1.1.1.1
DNS over HTTPS(DoH)
DNS over TLS(DoT)
DNS over WARP

Other sites to check security

https://browserleaks.com/dns - should show all connected to "Cloudflare"

https://www.cloudflare.com/ssl/encrypted-sni/ - "Secure DNS / DNSSEC / TLS 1.3" should all be a green tick

https://dnssec.vs.uni-due.de/ - should say "Yes, your DNS resolver validates DNSSEC signatures"

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Install WireGuard

Before installing WireGuard, if you do not have a static IP it will change dynamically from your internet service provider or from a router reboot. You will need to setup a dynamic DNS service with a hostname to keep automatically up-to-date with a dynamic IP[click here]. Or else skip this.

You also need to set up port forwarding on your router so you can access WireGuard network anywhere like a coffee shop hotspot and even from mobile data tethering.

TYPE	VALUE
Device	Raspberry Pi's hostname or IP
Protocol	UDP
Port range	51820-51820
Outgoing port	51820
Permit Internet access(if have)	yes

My router port setting:

Other router brands will have a different interface look. Google search it for help. If you cannot connect from a outside network that means your ISP has blocked outcoming connections, call them and ask nicely to unblock.

👊BIG THANKS👊 for this installation script from Nyr. Follow to keep updated.
(PiVPN script can also be used)

Run the following command in terminal:

wget https://git.io/wireguard -O wireguard-install.sh && sudo bash wireguard-install.sh

The script is going to ask for a Public IPv4/hostname for the VPN. If you have static IP then continue or else type the dynamic DNS hostname that you created from the instructions. For example:trinibvpn.freeddns.org
For port option press enter for default 51820, set client name and for DNS use option 3 (1.1.1.1) for now.

Wait until the installation is finished and QR code to show, don't close. But if do, to regenerate qrcode, enter in terminal but replacing just the name yourclientname.conf file to yours:

sudo cp /root/yourclientname.conf /home/pi && sudo qrencode -t ansiutf8 < yourclientname.conf

IMPORTANT: You will need to add a new client/user for each device used with the VPN(cannot share 1 client to multiple devices). To add, re-run the script and create another user with different client name.

Install OpenVPN as an alternative[click here]

Connecting VPN To Android/IOS Phone

Install the WireGuard app from Google Play or App Store:

WireGuard (Google Play): https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.wireguard.android

WireGuard (App Store): https://apps.apple.com/us/app/wireguard/id1441195209

Scan the QR code shown in the terminal with WireGuard app, select the + button and use the option Scan from QR code to install configuration.

IMPORTANT: Enable kernel module backend in settings

Connecting VPN to Windows

WireGuard for windows: https://download.wireguard.com/windows-client/wireguard-installer.exe

Create a new text document with any name on PC to copy over the text from WireGuard client configuration file.
To see text in client config file, type in terminal:

sudo cat /root/yourclientname.conf

Highlight all the text, copy and paste it in the txt file on PC and save. Then rename the extension from txt to conf. Now you have config file for that specific WireGuard client/user.
Import the config file to WireGuard (import from file option).

Configure WireGuard with adblocking & DNS security

ADVICE:I think it might not make much of a difference to use DoT/DoH/oDoH with WireGuard security protocols. Though from my experience and in forums, it does not seem to cause any issues using them together. Mainly this is to achieve adblocking with a VPN on public networks.

In WireGuard app, select your tunnel name and select edit (pencil on top right)
Under DNS servers enter Pi's IP(IPv4 & IPv6) and save

Limit traffic

WireGuard will lose a fair percentage of internet speed from the process of tunneling through Linux system, to router and to devices. You need send traffic through your local network only for better speeds[click here].

Disable all IPv6

Disable IPv6 if you don't have it or don't want it[click here]. In result if you have weak internet, disabling IPv6 can speed up dns records and request but have less security.

Test VPN

How to know if WireGuard VPN is really working?

For windows download Wireshark: https://www.wireshark.org/#download

Once downloaded, use the application to inspect data packets where the protocol is set to the one used by WireGuard VPN. When a packet traffic is encrypted, it can be read like this for example:

For android use PCAPdroid: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.emanuelef.remote_capture&hl=en&gl=US

You should see all connections closed and status showing all DNS port 53 and not any TLS port 443 connections from all apps. (open and use apps for PCAPdroid to scan)

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ANY ISSUES, FIXES OR TIPS TO MAKE THESE PROJECTS BETTER PLEASE CONTRIBUTE🤖