To use AdGuard Home across your home network, give the device running it a stable local IP address, then configure the Airtel router to advertise that address as DNS through its LAN DHCP settings. If your router cannot do that, AdGuard Home can provide DHCP instead—but turn off the router’s DHCP server first. Airtel router menus and capabilities vary by model, so there is no reliable universal click path.
Choose which device will manage DHCP
Network-wide DNS works when clients learn the AdGuard Home address from the DHCP server that assigns their network settings. The usual arrangement is to leave the Airtel router in charge of DHCP and set the DNS address it gives clients to the stable LAN IP of the AdGuard Home host. This avoids configuring DNS separately on each device.
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| Arrangement | Configure | Best fit | Key consideration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Airtel router provides DHCP | Set its LAN DHCP DNS field to the AdGuard Home host’s stable IP. | The router lets you specify the DNS server advertised to clients. | Usually the simpler arrangement; available controls vary by router model. |
| AdGuard Home provides DHCP | Set the correct LAN subnet, gateway, and available address range in AdGuard Home, then disable router DHCP. | The router cannot advertise a custom DNS address. | Only one DHCP server should be active on the LAN, and AdGuard Home needs a stable IP. |
Do not assume changing only the router’s WAN or Internet DNS setting makes every client use AdGuard Home. AdGuard’s setup guidance points to router DHCP/DNS settings for configuring clients: AdGuard Home Getting Started.
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Identify the Airtel router and find its settings
Before changing anything, note the router or ONT make, model, firmware if shown, and whether you have administrator access. Airtel’s guidance covers LAN, DHCP, and DNS settings but says the interface differs by router brand and model; it does not establish one menu path or guarantee that custom LAN DNS is available: Airtel’s router settings guide.
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Use the device label, manual, or administrator-provided details to find the gateway address and sign-in information. Airtel describes general ways to reach router settings, but any example address or credentials should be treated as examples, not universal defaults: Airtel’s router login guide.
Install AdGuard Home on an always-on host
Run AdGuard Home on a device that will stay powered on and connected to the LAN. Its official installation guidance supports Linux ARM among other platforms, so a Raspberry Pi-class computer is one possible host, not a requirement. The project also documents installation from official releases, a Docker image, and a Snap package: AdGuard Home installation guidance.
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Give the host a stable LAN address
AdGuard Home’s DHCP documentation lists a static IP address for the server as a prerequisite: AdGuard Home DHCP documentation. Use a router-side reservation or configure a static address on the host, taking care that it does not conflict with addresses handed out automatically. The precise method depends on your router and local network.
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During setup, make sure the host firewall and network allow the required services from your LAN. AdGuard Home’s getting-started guidance identifies TCP 3000 for initial configuration, TCP 80 for the web interface, and UDP 53 for DNS. Only allow additional ports when enabling the service that needs them, such as DNS-over-HTTPS.
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- Open the initial setup page on the host using its LAN IP and TCP port 3000.
- Complete the setup and use the web interface on TCP port 80.
- Check that clients on the LAN can reach the host over UDP port 53 for DNS.
Configure the Airtel router to advertise AdGuard Home
If the router has a LAN DHCP DNS field
- Sign in to the router’s administrator interface using its documented gateway address and credentials.
- Open the LAN or DHCP settings and look for a field that controls the DNS server handed to clients. Labels and locations depend on the model and firmware.
- Enter the AdGuard Home host’s stable LAN IP as the DNS server and save the change.
- Renew client DHCP leases or reconnect devices so they receive the updated DNS setting.
Airtel’s general guidance does not verify the exact menu labels or whether this option exists on a particular router. If you cannot find an editable DNS advertisement field, do not substitute an assumed path; use the alternative below if appropriate.
If the router cannot advertise a custom DNS address
- In AdGuard Home’s DHCP settings, enter the correct LAN subnet, gateway, and a suitable available address range.
- Disable the Airtel router’s DHCP server before enabling DHCP in AdGuard Home.
- Enable AdGuard Home DHCP and renew client leases so devices receive their network settings from it.
Never leave both DHCP servers active on the same LAN. AdGuard Home’s DHCP documentation says its DHCP clients receive AdGuard Home itself as DNS by default and that the default lease is 24 hours.
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Verify DNS and prepare a recovery path
- Renew a client’s lease or reconnect it to the network.
- Check the client’s network details and confirm its DNS server is the AdGuard Home host’s LAN IP.
- Visit a domain and look for the request in AdGuard Home’s query log.
- If clients lose name resolution, restore the DNS and DHCP arrangement you recorded before making changes.
Keep a record of the original settings before editing them. Avoid using a factory reset as routine troubleshooting: Airtel says it erases custom settings, including custom DNS: Airtel’s router reset guidance.
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