Make a Portable Raspberry Pi Wi-Fi Router (with Ad Blocking)

Introduction: A Maker-Friendly Networking Upgrade

WiFi networks are everywhere — but they’re often unreliable, insecure, full of ads, or missing the tweaks makers love to experiment with. What if you could carry your own secure, customizable WiFi router in your backpack?

In this project, you’ll transform a Raspberry Pi WiFi router using RaspAP — a lightweight, open-source dashboard that turns the Pi into a feature-rich wireless access point. Whether you're setting up a workshop network, building an ad-blocking gateway, or carrying a travel router for hotel WiFi, this build delivers reliability, privacy, and DIY satisfaction.

What You’ll Build: Features & Use Cases

• WiFi hotspot / router: Use the Pi (e.g. Pi 3, 4, or 5) with built-in WiFi (or an external USB dongle) + Ethernet or mobile data to broadcast a reliable WiFi network.
• Network-wide ad blocking: With RaspAP’s DNS-based blocklists, every connected device (phones, laptops, smart TVs) enjoys cleaner browsing — no need for per-device ad blockers.
• VPN / secure browsing: Optionally route all traffic through a VPN (e.g. via OpenVPN / WireGuard) — perfect for public WiFi use, travel, or privacy-conscious households.
• Traffic monitoring & control: See bandwidth usage, manage connected devices, set firewall rules or port forwarding — giving you router-level control on a budget board.
• Portable / travel-friendly router: Because a Raspberry Pi is compact and can run from a power bank, this project doubles as a travel router — handy for hotels, guest houses, or temporary setups.

Step 1: Prepare RaspAP on Your SD Card

The easiest path is to download the RaspAP pre-built image. Flash it using Raspberry Pi Imager or BalenaEtcher the same way you would install Raspberry Pi OS.

Once flashed:

1. Insert the SD card into the Pi.
2. Boot it up.
3. After a few moments, you’ll see a WiFi network called “raspap-webgui”.

Join this network and open your browser to:

http://10.3.141.1

Use the default credentials:

• Username: admin
• Password: secret

You’re now inside the RaspAP dashboard — simple, clean, powerful.

Step 2: Configure Your WiFi Hotspot

Inside the dashboard:

1. Go to Hotspot → Basic
2. Set your own:

• SSID (your network name)
• WPA2 Password
• WiFi Channel (1, 6, or 11 recommended)

1. Click Save Settings and Restart Hotspot

Your Raspberry Pi is officially broadcasting a custom WiFi network.

Step 3: Enable Network-Wide Ad Blocking

Ad blocking is one of the most compelling features of this project. Instead of installing per-device ad blockers, you can block ads for all connected devices at the network level.

To enable it:

1. Navigate to AdBlock in the RaspAP menu.
2. Toggle Enable AdBlock
3. Choose a blocklist (e.g., EasyList or StevenBlack’s hosts file)
4. Apply changes and restart DNS

Every connected device — phones, laptops, tablets, smart TVs — now receives cleaner, faster browsing by default.

This is an instant quality-of-life upgrade.

Step 4: Add Optional VPN Support (Highly Recommended)

If you travel, use public WiFi, or value privacy, enabling VPN routing is a huge win.

RaspAP supports:

• WireGuard
• OpenVPN
• Custom configs

Just import your .ovpn or WireGuard config and toggle “Route all client traffic through VPN”.

Your tiny Pi is now a secure privacy appliance.

Step 5: Connect Your Pi to an Internet Source

You can choose any of the following upstream connections:

A) Ethernet → WiFi Router (most stable)

Pi gets internet through Ethernet and broadcasts WiFi.

B) WiFi Repeater Mode (requires USB dongle)

Pi connects to hotel WiFi using dongle → rebroadcasts WiFi

Perfect for travelers.

C) USB Tethering

Plug your phone into the Pi and use mobile data as the upstream.

D) Pi as an Offline IoT Network

Perfect for robotics labs, local servers, workshops.

Flexible, maker-friendly, and reliable.

Step 6: Add Advanced Features (Optional But Fantastic)

🔧 Bandwidth Monitoring

Check bandwidth per device right in the dashboard.

🔧 Firewall & Port Forwarding

Route traffic exactly how you want — great for servers and IoT devices.

🔧 DNS Customization

Support for Cloudflare, Google, Quad9, or custom DNS.

🔧 Bridged Mode

Allows the Pi to merge with existing networks.

🔧 Captive Portal

Turn the Pi into a mini public WiFi hotspot with a login page.

This project scales with your curiosity — the more you explore, the more you can do.

Real-World Uses for Your Pi Router

1. Travel Router

Hotels often limit devices or offer weak routers.

Bring your Pi, plug it in, and create your own secure WiFi bubble.

2. Workshop / Maker Lab Router

Maintain a network isolated from your home WiFi.

Great for:

• robots
• ESP32 projects
• smart home dev
• server experiments

3. Ad-Blocking Home Gateway

Instant, house-wide ad blocking without installing browser plugins.

4. Classroom or STEM Kit

Stable router for teaching programming or IoT in group settings.

5. Emergency Router

Use mobile tethering during outages.

Tips, Pitfalls & Troubleshooting

Use a reliable power source

Underpowered Pis cause WiFi drops — a 5V 3A supply is ideal.

Place the Pi in an open space

WiFi antennas don’t like enclosed cases or metal surroundings.

Use channels 1, 6, or 11

These minimize interference on 2.4GHz.

Back up your SD card

Once your router works well, clone your setup as a backup.

Know the limits

A Pi won’t outperform a $300 gaming router — but it will provide flexibility you can’t buy.

Conclusion: A High-Value Maker Project with Practical Payoff

Turning a Raspberry Pi into a WiFi router is a rare combination of:

• useful
• educational
• easy to build
• customizable

Whether you want privacy, portability, ad blocking, or just a fun networking project, this build delivers. With RaspAP, even beginners can configure a feature-rich router, while advanced makers can tweak endlessly under the hood.