AdGuard Home DNS for Newbies - Part 3

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🧩 Part 3: Connecting Your Network to AdGuard Home

Configure Your Router or Devices to Use AdGuard Home

Why This Step Matters

Now that AdGuard Home is installed and running, it’s time to make your network actually use it.
Right now, your devices are probably still asking Google’s (8.8.8.8), Cloudflare’s (1.1.1.1), or your ISP’s DNS servers for website lookups — which means no ad-blocking, no caching, and no privacy benefits yet.

Connecting your network to AdGuard Home means rerouting those DNS lookups through your own local resolver — one you control. This unlocks:

  • Ad-blocking and tracking protection for every device on your network.

  • Faster lookups thanks to local caching.

  • Full visibility into what domains your devices are contacting.

And don’t worry — you can test all of this safely, one step at a time.

Method 1: Set DNS via Your Router (Whole-Network Filtering)

This is the recommended setup because it’s set-and-forget. Every device that joins your network automatically uses AdGuard Home for DNS, with no need for per-device tweaks.

🧭 Step-by-Step

  1. Find AdGuard Home’s IP Address

    • On your AdGuard Home dashboard, note the local IP of the machine it’s running on — for example:

      192.168.1.10

    • You’ll need this in your router’s DNS settings.

  2. Log Into Your Router’s Admin Page

    • Usually at 192.168.0.1 or 192.168.1.1.

    • Look for sections called LAN, DHCP, or Internet Settings — that’s where DNS entries live.

  3. Replace Existing DNS Servers

    • You might see something like:

      Primary DNS: 8.8.8.8
Secondary DNS: 1.1.1.1

    • Replace those with:

      Primary DNS: 192.168.1.10  (your AdGuard Home IP)
Secondary DNS: (optional) 1.1.1.1  (as backup)

  4. Save and Reboot

    • Apply changes and reboot your router.

    • New DHCP leases will hand out AdGuard Home as the DNS resolver to all connected devices.

🧰 Tips by Router Type

  • Asus: WAN → Internet Connection → DNS Server

  • TP-Link: Network → DHCP Server → Primary DNS

  • UniFi: Settings → Networks → LAN → DHCP Name Server

  • ISP Routers: If DNS changes are locked, skip ahead to Manual Per-Device Setup.

Once you’ve done this, give your devices a few minutes to renew their DHCP leases. Then open AdGuard Home’s dashboard — you should start seeing DNS queries appear in real time.

Method 2: Manual Per-Device DNS Setup (If Router Can’t Be Changed)

If your router doesn’t allow DNS changes — or you just want to test AdGuard Home on a single device first — you can manually set it up per device.

Below are quick, beginner-friendly steps for common platforms.

💻 Windows

  1. Open Control Panel → Network and Internet → Network Connections.

  2. Right-click your active network → Properties.

  3. Select Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) → Properties.

  4. Choose “Use the following DNS server addresses”:

    Preferred DNS server: 192.168.1.10
Alternate DNS server: 1.1.1.1

  5. Save and close.

🍎 macOS

  1. Go to System Settings → Network.

  2. Select your active network → Details → DNS tab.

  3. Click the + button and add 192.168.1.10.

  4. Apply and exit.

📱 iOS (iPhone / iPad)

  1. Go to Settings → Wi-Fi.

  2. Tap your connected network (ⓘ icon).

  3. Scroll to Configure DNS → Manual.

  4. Add 192.168.1.10 as the DNS server and remove others.

  5. Save.

🤖 Android

  1. Open Settings → Network & Internet → Internet.

  2. Tap your Wi-Fi network → Advanced → Private DNS (or “IP settings: Static”).

  3. Enter your AdGuard Home IP manually.

  4. Save and reconnect.

Testing Your Setup

Now, let’s make sure your devices are actually using AdGuard Home.

✅ Method 1: Command-Line Test

Run this on any connected device:

nslookup example.com

You should see AdGuard Home’s IP (192.168.1.10) listed as the DNS server.

✅ Method 2: AdGuard Home Dashboard

Open your dashboard → Query Log.
You’ll see entries for the domains your devices are visiting — proof it’s working.

✅ Method 3: External Test Sites

What If Something Doesn’t Work?

If devices can’t connect:

  • Check that AdGuard Home is running.

  • Ensure port 53 (DNS) isn’t blocked by a firewall.

  • Try flushing DNS cache on your device:

    • Windows: ipconfig /flushdns

    • macOS: sudo dscacheutil -flushcache

  • Reboot router and reconnect clients.

If still no luck, revert DNS to your old provider temporarily — then retrace steps calmly.

Sample in my Homelab























Adguard as my primary and secondary dns resolver







And both of them as my Primary and Secondary Dns

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