How to Install AdGuard Home on Windows
Install and use AdGuard Home to protect your home network and bypass DNS-based censorship
If you’re like me, you know the internet is a vast ocean of information, entertainment, and endless possibilities.
However, it’s not without its annoyances, like ads and trackers that can infringe on your privacy and slow down your browsing experience.
Even worse, if you live in certain countries, there is also a chance that the ISP is actively blocking your favorite websites.
That’s where AdGuard Home comes in - it’s a network-wide software to block ads, trackers, and other unwanted content directly from your home network.
It’s also will bypass your ISP DNS lookup so you can visit your favorite websites.
Enough intro, let’s get started.
AdGuard Home Installation Steps
Let’s start by opening the Terminal application from the Start Menu.
Install AdGuard Home by using winget package manager. Copy the following command, paste it to the Terminal and press ENTER.
winget install AdGuard.AdGuardHomeClose the Terminal. Then go back to the Start Menu, search for Terminal, right-click on it, and select “Run as administrator”.
With your Terminal now running with admin privileges, enter the following command:
AdGuardHome.exeOpen a web browser and go to http://127.0.0.1:3000/. You’ll be greeted by the AdGuard Home setup wizard.
Follow the installation instructions to finish the installation.
To ensure AdGuard Home runs seamlessly in the background, let’s register it as a Windows service. Go back to your admin Terminal and type:
AdGuardHome.exe -s installNext, we need to tell your computer to use AdGuard Home as its DNS server. This means all your internet requests will go through AdGuard Home first, blocking any unwanted content.
Change your computer’s DNS settings to use your machine’s IP address.
For the best experience, you’ll also want to update your Wi-Fi router’s DHCP settings to use AdGuard Home. This way, all devices connected to your Wi-Fi will benefit from AdGuard Home without needing individual configuration.
It can vary for each home, but usually, you can find the DHCP Server on the router web admin at http://192.168.1.1. If you don’t know how to access it, you can ask your ISP.
Video
I also made a video to visualize what I wrote here. Hopefully, anyone can follow along.
Conclusion
Congratulations! You’ve successfully installed AdGuard Home on your Windows machine. Surf the web with fewer ads, enhanced privacy, and a smoother browsing experience. It’s like having a VIP pass to the internet without the annoyances.
Thanks for reading and see you around!
References
- AdGuard Home | Network-wide software for any OS: Windows, macOS, Linux
