White-listing and black-listing domains
DNS Management
The heart of Pi-hole's granular control lies in its ability to maintain two special domain lists: the whitelist and blacklist. These complementary features allow network administrators to fine-tune their blocking behavior with surgical precision.
Whitelisting serves as a protection mechanism for domains that should never be blocked, even if they appear in blocklists. This proves particularly valuable when certain blocked domains interfere with legitimate services—common examples include authentication servers, streaming platforms, or corporate applications. When a domain resides on the whitelist, Pi-hole will always allow traffic to pass, overriding any blocklist entries.
Conversely, blacklisting provides a method to block specific domains regardless of whether they appear in any blocklist. Network administrators often use this feature to block newly discovered advertising servers, malicious domains, or specific sites they wish to restrict access to. A blacklisted domain will always be blocked, taking precedence over general blocking rules.
Pi-hole offers two methods for managing these lists. Through the web interface, administrators can navigate to the Group Management section, where separate Whitelist and Blacklist pages provide intuitive forms for adding and removing domains. Each entry can include an optional comment to document the reason for its inclusion.
For those who prefer command-line operations, Pi-hole provides straightforward commands:
The Query Log serves as an invaluable tool in this process, offering visibility into blocked and allowed domains. By monitoring this log, administrators can identify candidates for whitelisting when legitimate services fail, or spot unwanted domains that deserve blacklisting.
Remember that these lists should be managed thoughtfully. Each whitelist entry creates a potential gap in your blocking shield, while blacklist entries might inadvertently break desired functionality. Regular review of both lists ensures they remain relevant and effective.
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