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There is an important qualification: the available account does not identify the Zero revision, the full service list, configuration, or measured performance. So this is a first-person project framing, not a claim that every Zero can run every network service or deliver a particular speed.
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What “the entire network stack” means in this build
The phrase sounds like a tiny board taking over every job a home network performs. That is not what the services discussed here establish. The useful distinction is between the infrastructure that connects devices and the services that run on top of it.
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- Router and access point: connect local devices and provide the path to the internet. A Pi-hole installation does not replace them.
- DNS filtering: Pi-hole answers DNS requests and can block domains for clients configured to use it.
- Remote access: WireGuard can provide a VPN connection back to Pi-hole DNS; reaching other devices on the home LAN requires additional routing and forwarding configuration.
Pi-hole describes itself as “a DNS sinkhole that protects your devices from unwanted content, without installing any client-side software.” That describes DNS-based filtering, not a general-purpose firewall or a guarantee that every kind of unwanted content will be blocked. See the Pi-hole documentation overview.
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Why the exact Raspberry Pi Zero model matters
“Raspberry Pi Zero” covers different boards. Raspberry Pi documentation lists the Zero W and Zero 2 W with 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi and no built-in Ethernet. If you want a wired network connection, a USB-to-Ethernet adapter is one option; it adds hardware and uses the board’s USB OTG connection. The sources do not establish which revision this project used, so the title should not be read as confirmation of a particular model or interface.
Check the specifications for the exact board before choosing a network layout. Raspberry Pi’s getting-started documentation covers Zero-family setup and peripherals; the Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W product information portal provides model-specific information.
How Pi-hole fits into a home network
Pi-hole is a DNS service that can apply blocklists to DNS requests. For network-wide filtering, clients must send their DNS queries to Pi-hole. A common way to do that is to set the DNS server in the router’s DHCP configuration so that clients receive Pi-hole’s address automatically. The precise setting and label depend on the router.
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One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchDNS filtering is not the same as inspecting all network traffic. A device that uses a different DNS server, or an application that handles name resolution another way, may not follow the network’s Pi-hole setting. Treat Pi-hole as one layer of control rather than a universal content filter. Its project site describes the network-wide blocking role at pi-hole.net.
Check port 53 before installing
Pi-hole needs DNS on port 53 over TCP and UDP. If another service on the same machine is already using that port, Pi-hole cannot answer DNS queries until you disable or otherwise resolve the conflict. The project lists this and other requirements in its prerequisites.
What WireGuard adds—and what it does not
WireGuard can let a remote device connect to Pi-hole for DNS while away from home. That is distinct from making the rest of the home network reachable. Access to other LAN devices involves additional routing and forwarding configuration, as described in Pi-hole’s guides to WireGuard and making local devices accessible.
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VPN access also changes the security boundary: a service reachable from the internet deserves deliberate firewall configuration. Pi-hole’s WireGuard server guide and its internal-network guide recommend a properly configured firewall for an internet-facing device. Do not treat VPN setup as simply switching on remote access; decide which devices and routes should be reachable.
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Small-board setup still has practical requirements
- Power: Raspberry Pi documentation recommends a 5 V, 2.5 A supply for Zero models. Use a suitable supply rather than assuming any spare USB charger is adequate.
- Boot storage: Prepare boot media for the operating system; microSD is typical for this class of setup. Follow the current Raspberry Pi setup documentation for the chosen board and software.
- USB peripherals: USB OTG is relevant when attaching peripherals such as an Ethernet adapter. Confirm the adapter and cabling suit the Zero’s USB connection.
- Network plan: Decide whether Wi-Fi is sufficient or whether you need wired connectivity, and account for the adapter if so.
These are setup considerations, not evidence of a particular installation’s uptime, throughput, power draw, or reliability.
What this project can—and cannot—show
Putting DNS filtering and VPN access on a small board is a useful exercise in separating core network services from services that need to stay on another machine. It can make the home setup simpler to understand: the router handles local connectivity, Pi-hole handles DNS filtering, and WireGuard provides a configured path in from outside.
But no cited measurement establishes how quickly this specific build handles DNS queries, how much traffic it can route, how often it stays online, or how much power it consumes. Those results depend on the exact board, network connection, configuration, and workload. Without those details and test conditions, there is no defensible performance comparison with another host.
Also, Pi-hole does not require a Raspberry Pi. Its documentation lists a Raspberry Pi, old PC, virtual machine, or NAS as possible deployment choices. The Zero is a compact host option, not a prerequisite for network-wide DNS filtering.
Can a Raspberry Pi Zero run Pi-hole and WireGuard?
The documented service roles make the combination a plausible project: Pi-hole provides DNS filtering, and Pi-hole’s WireGuard guide explains remote DNS access and optional access to the internal network. The sources do not establish a benchmark or certify every Zero revision and configuration for a particular workload. Confirm the board’s connectivity, resolve any port 53 conflict, and configure remote routes and firewall rules deliberately.
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