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To use AdGuard Home across an Airtel home network, install it on an always-on device with a stable local IP address, then configure the network to give that address to clients as their DNS server. First try leaving the Airtel router in charge of DHCP and setting AdGuard Home as the DNS server in its LAN DHCP settings. If the router does not offer that option, AdGuard Home can provide DHCP instead—but disable the router’s DHCP server before enabling it.
Choose which device will assign network addresses
DHCP assigns devices their local network settings, including an IP address and gateway. DNS translates domain names into addresses. AdGuard Home can handle DNS in either arrangement below; the important choice is which device provides DHCP leases.
| Arrangement | What to configure | When it fits | Main consideration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Airtel router provides DHCP | Set the router’s LAN DHCP DNS field to AdGuard Home’s stable IP address. | The router lets you specify the DNS server advertised to clients. | This is the simpler arrangement, but Airtel router features vary by model. AdGuard Home setup guide; Airtel router settings guidance. |
| AdGuard Home provides DHCP | Configure DHCP in AdGuard Home and turn off DHCP on the Airtel router. | The router cannot advertise a custom DNS server to clients. | Use the correct subnet, gateway, and address range, and keep only one DHCP server active on the LAN. AdGuard Home requires a static server IP. AdGuard Home DHCP documentation. |
Do not assume that changing only the router’s WAN or Internet DNS setting makes every client use AdGuard Home. AdGuard’s setup guidance points to router DHCP/DNS settings for configuring clients across the network. If the AdGuard Home host is offline, clients relying on it for DNS may lose name resolution; consider that availability risk before choosing the setup.
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Airtel’s router guidance covers LAN, DHCP, and DNS settings, but says the interface differs by router brand and model. The exact menu path—and whether custom LAN DNS is available—cannot be determined without your equipment’s make, model, firmware, and administrator access.
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- Record the router or ONT make and model, and firmware version if shown.
- Find the gateway address and login details on the device label, in its manual, or in the administrator configuration. Airtel describes general ways to find the gateway and access settings, but example addresses and credentials are not universal: Airtel router login guidance.
- Locate the LAN or DHCP settings and check whether they let you specify the DNS server handed to clients. Do not confuse this with a WAN/Internet DNS setting.
Prepare an always-on AdGuard Home host
Install AdGuard Home
Run AdGuard Home on a device that stays powered on. The official setup guide supports Linux ARM as well as other listed platforms, so a Raspberry Pi-class computer is one option, not a requirement. The guide describes installation from official releases and also provides an official Docker image and Snap package for users who prefer those methods: AdGuard Home getting-started guide.
Give the host a stable LAN address
AdGuard Home’s DHCP documentation lists a static IP address for the server as a prerequisite. Use a router-side address reservation or configure a static address on the host, making sure the address stays reachable and does not conflict with another device. If you use AdGuard Home DHCP, keep the server address outside the range it will assign to clients. The exact reservation controls and address ranges depend on your router and LAN.
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Allow the required LAN traffic
Check the host firewall and allow the relevant services from your local network. AdGuard Home’s guide lists TCP 3000 for initial setup, TCP 80 for the web interface, and UDP 53 for DNS. Additional ports may be needed for features such as DNS-over-HTTPS; only allow further ports when enabling the corresponding service.
Set up router-managed DHCP first
- Sign in to the Airtel router’s administrator interface using the gateway and credentials identified for your specific equipment.
- Open the LAN DHCP settings and look for a field that specifies the DNS server advertised to clients. Exact labels and locations depend on the model and firmware.
- If the field is available, enter the stable LAN IP address of the AdGuard Home host, save the change, and leave the router’s DHCP server enabled.
- Renew client DHCP leases or reconnect devices so they receive the updated DNS setting. Then verify the DNS address each client received.
When AdGuard Home provides DHCP, its documentation says clients receive AdGuard Home itself as their DNS server by default, and the default lease duration is 24 hours. These defaults apply to AdGuard Home DHCP, not necessarily to the Airtel router’s DHCP service.
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Use AdGuard Home for DHCP only if needed
If the Airtel router cannot advertise a custom DNS address to clients, AdGuard Home’s DHCP feature is an alternative. You will need the correct LAN subnet, gateway address, and available client address range. Those values belong to your network; do not copy a guessed subnet or range.
- Record the current router DHCP settings, including its address range and gateway, before changing them.
- Configure AdGuard Home DHCP with values appropriate to the LAN and a stable server address.
- Disable the Airtel router’s DHCP server, then enable AdGuard Home DHCP. Do not leave both servers assigning leases on the same LAN.
- Renew a client lease and check that it receives the expected IP configuration and uses AdGuard Home for DNS.
Verify that clients use AdGuard Home
- On a connected client, inspect its network details and confirm that the DNS server address is the AdGuard Home host’s stable LAN IP.
- Query a domain from the client and check whether the request appears in AdGuard Home’s query log.
- If name resolution stops after a change, restore the previous DNS and DHCP arrangement using the settings you recorded, then reconnect or renew the client lease.
Recover without losing router settings
A factory reset should not be a routine troubleshooting step. Airtel warns that resetting a router erases custom settings, including custom DNS. Keep a record of the original configuration and the changes you make so you can revert them without wiping unrelated settings: Airtel router reset guidance.
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