jamielab@console :: /_notes/pihole-blocklist-trims.md
online 2026-02-03 05:32
Pi-hole Blocklist Trims

Pi-hole Blocklist Trims

Date: 2024-10-18
Type: Quick Note

Overview

Quick reference for trimming and optimizing Pi-hole blocklists to reduce false positives while maintaining effective ad blocking.

Current Blocklists

# Core lists (keep these)
https://raw.githubusercontent.com/StevenBlack/hosts/master/hosts
https://v.firebog.net/hosts/AdguardDNS.txt
https://v.firebog.net/hosts/Easylist.txt

Optional Lists (Review periodically)

# Can cause false positives:
https://v.firebog.net/hosts/Easyprivacy.txt
https://v.firebog.net/hosts/Prigent-Ads.txt

Common Whitelist Additions

Microsoft Services

# Add to whitelist if using Windows/Office/Xbox
msftconnecttest.com
www.msftconnecttest.com

Smart Home Devices

# Amazon Alexa
device-metrics-us-2.amazon.com

Streaming Services

# Hulu
ads-fa-darwin.hulustream.com  # (whitelist if ads break playback)

Quick Commands

Update Gravity

pihole -g

Check Query Log

pihole -t
# Or via web: http://pi.hole/admin

Whitelist Domain

pihole -w example.com

Blacklist Domain

pihole -b example.com

View Stats

pihole -c

Maintenance Schedule

  • Weekly: Review query log for false positives
  • Monthly: Update blocklists (pihole -g)
  • Quarterly: Audit whitelist/blacklist entries

Performance Notes

  • Current blocklist count: ~1.2M domains
  • Query response time: <50ms
  • Memory usage: ~200MB

Troubleshooting

Site Not Loading

  1. Check Pi-hole query log
  2. Look for blocked domains
  3. Whitelist if legitimate
  4. Clear browser cache

Too Many Ads Getting Through

  1. Add more blocklists (cautiously)
  2. Check if DNS is properly configured
  3. Verify Pi-hole is set as DNS server

Recent Changes

  • 2024-10-18: Removed overly aggressive crypto mining list (too many false positives)
  • 2024-10-18: Whitelisted *.microsoft.com for Windows Update issues