Hardware options (Raspberry Pi, virtual machine, cloud server)
Preparing for Installation
Pi-hole runs efficiently on any Raspberry Pi model, requiring minimal resources: 512MB RAM, 700MHz CPU, and 2GB storage. This makes even the older Raspberry Pi models suitable platforms. The operating system should be Raspberry Pi OS (formerly Raspbian) based on Debian Bullseye or newer.
Any of the following Raspberry Pi models will work perfectly:
- Raspberry Pi 5
- Raspberry Pi 4 Model B
- Raspberry Pi 3B and 3B+
- Raspberry Pi Zero (V1 and V2)
You can identify the model of your Raspberry Pi with the following command:
cat /proc/cpuinfo | grep -i model
The device needs a static IP address and open ports for DNS (53) and web interface (80). While ethernet connection is recommended for reliability, Wi-Fi can be used. Notably, these modest requirements make Pi-hole an ideal network-level ad blocker even on entry-level Raspberry Pi hardware like the Pi Zero.
Something here not working for you? Ask in the community — other makers and the Little Bird team read it.
