E. Glossary of Terms

Pi-hole Components

• Pi-hole is a powerful network-wide ad-blocking solution that operates from a local server, providing comprehensive protection against unwanted content across your entire network.

• Gravity List serves as Pi-hole's master blocklist, consolidating multiple domain lists into a single, efficient filtering database that determines which domains should be blocked.

• FTL (Faster Than Light) functions as Pi-hole's specialized DNS daemon, optimizing performance through enhanced caching and query processing capabilities to deliver faster response times.

• Dashboard provides a comprehensive web interface where users can monitor statistics, review logs, and manage Pi-hole's configuration settings through an intuitive control panel.

DNS Fundamentals

• DNS (Domain Name System) acts as the internet's directory service, translating human-readable domain names (like example.com) into machine-readable IP addresses that computers use to communicate.

• Upstream DNS Server operates as an external DNS resolver that Pi-hole consults when it needs to look up domains that aren't in its local cache or blocklists.

Access Control

• Whitelist contains explicitly permitted domains that bypass Pi-hole's blocking rules, ensuring important services remain accessible even if they appear on blocklists.

• Blacklist maintains a custom collection of domains that users specifically want to block, supplementing the Gravity List with personally curated restrictions.

Network Configuration

• DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) automates network setup by dynamically assigning IP addresses and related network parameters to devices as they join the network.

• IPv4 represents the fourth version of the Internet Protocol, using 32-bit addresses formatted as four numbers separated by periods (e.g., 192.168.1.1).

• IPv6 introduces an expanded addressing scheme using 128-bit addresses, dramatically increasing the number of available unique addresses compared to IPv4.

DNS Record Types

• A Record establishes a direct link between a domain name and its corresponding IPv4 address, enabling basic domain resolution.

• AAAA Record functions similarly to an A record but maps domain names to IPv6 addresses, supporting next-generation internet addressing.

• CNAME Record creates an alias pointing one domain name to another, allowing multiple domains to reference the same destination.

• MX Record identifies the mail servers responsible for handling email delivery for a specific domain, enabling proper email routing.

• TXT Record stores text-based information for various purposes, commonly used for domain ownership verification and security policy documentation.