Raspberry Pi 5 Projects for 2026: From AdGuard to NAS

The Raspberry Pi 5 represents a significant leap forward from previous models. With a faster CPU, more RAM options, and—most importantly—PCIe support, the Pi 5 can now handle projects that were previously impractical or impossible. Whether you're building a network-wide ad blocker, a fast NAS, or a comprehensive homelab, the Pi 5 has the power to make it happen.

This guide explores practical, real-world projects that take full advantage of the Raspberry Pi 5's capabilities, from simple network services to more advanced storage solutions.

What Makes Pi 5 Special?

Key Improvements Over Pi 4

Performance:

• CPU: 2.4GHz quad-core Cortex-A76 (vs 1.8GHz A72 in Pi 4)
• Performance: ~2-3x faster in real-world tasks
• RAM: Up to 8GB LPDDR4X (faster than Pi 4)
• GPU: VideoCore VII with improved video acceleration

New Features:

• PCIe 2.0: Single lane PCIe interface (game changer!)
• Dual 4K displays: Can drive two 4K monitors simultaneously
• Faster USB: USB 3.0 with better bandwidth
• Power button: Built-in power management
• RTC: Real-time clock (with battery backup)

PCIe Support: The PCIe interface opens up possibilities:

• NVMe SSDs (much faster than microSD)
• Network cards (2.5GbE, 10GbE)
• SATA expansion cards
• Custom PCIe devices

Project 1: AdGuard Home - Network-Wide Ad Blocking

AdGuard Home is a powerful, self-hosted network-wide ad and tracker blocker. It's more feature-rich than Pi-hole and runs excellently on the Raspberry Pi 5.

Why AdGuard Home Over Pi-hole?

Advantages:

• Modern, actively developed
• Better web interface
• More filtering options
• Built-in DoH/DoT support
• Query log with better search
• Statistics and analytics

Performance:

• Handles thousands of queries per second
• Lower resource usage than Pi-hole
• Faster response times

Installation

Step 1: Install Raspberry Pi OS

Use Raspberry Pi Imager to flash Raspberry Pi OS (64-bit) to a microSD card. Enable SSH and configure WiFi during imaging.

Step 2: Update System

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y
sudo reboot

Step 3: Install AdGuard Home

# Download AdGuard Home
curl -s -S -L https://raw.githubusercontent.com/AdguardTeam/AdGuardHome/master/scripts/install.sh | sh -s -- -v

# Or install manually
wget https://static.adguard.com/adguardhome/release/AdGuardHome_linux_arm64.tar.gz
tar xvf AdGuardHome_linux_arm64.tar.gz
cd AdGuardHome
sudo ./AdGuardHome -s install

Step 4: Configure

1. Access AdGuard Home at http://raspberry-pi-ip:3000
2. Complete the setup wizard
3. Set admin interface port (3000) and DNS port (53)
4. Create admin account

Step 5: Configure Your Router

Point your router's DNS settings to your Raspberry Pi's IP address. This makes AdGuard Home the DNS server for your entire network.

Advanced Configuration

Custom Filter Lists:

Add additional blocklists in Settings → DNS settings → DNS blocklists:

https://raw.githubusercontent.com/StevenBlack/hosts/master/hosts
https://someonewhocares.org/hosts/zero/hosts
https://pgl.yoyo.org/adservers/serverlist.php?hostformat=hosts

DNS-over-HTTPS (DoH):

Enable encrypted DNS in Settings → DNS settings:

• Use Cloudflare, Google, or Quad9 DoH servers
• Protects DNS queries from ISP snooping
• Improves privacy

Client Management:

• Assign static IPs to devices
• Create custom rules per device
• Block specific domains for kids' devices
• Whitelist domains that break with ad blocking

Performance on Pi 5

Resource Usage:

• CPU: <5% average, spikes to 10-15% during heavy filtering
• RAM: ~100-200MB
• Network: Handles 1000+ queries/second easily

Real-World Performance:

• Response time: <10ms typically
• No noticeable lag in browsing
• Handles entire household simultaneously

Project 2: NAS with PCIe NVMe SSD

The Pi 5's PCIe interface makes it possible to build a fast NAS using NVMe SSDs instead of slow USB drives or microSD cards.

Hardware Requirements

Essential:

• Raspberry Pi 5 (8GB recommended)
• PCIe to NVMe adapter (M.2 HAT)
• NVMe SSD (500GB-2TB recommended)
• External drive enclosure or case
• Power supply (27W official or compatible)
• microSD card (for boot, can boot from NVMe later)

Optional:

• Additional USB drives for backup
• Cooling solution (Pi 5 can get warm)
• Network switch (if connecting multiple devices)

PCIe HAT Installation

Step 1: Install PCIe HAT

1. Power off Pi 5
2. Connect PCIe HAT to Pi 5's PCIe connector
3. Install NVMe SSD into HAT
4. Secure with provided screws
5. Power on Pi 5

Step 2: Enable PCIe in Config

# Edit boot config
sudo nano /boot/firmware/config.txt

# Add these lines:
dtparam=pciex1
dtoverlay=pcie

# Reboot
sudo reboot

Step 3: Verify NVMe Detection

# Check if NVMe is detected
lsblk

# Should show /dev/nvme0n1
# Format if needed
sudo mkfs.ext4 /dev/nvme0n1

# Create mount point
sudo mkdir /mnt/nvme
sudo mount /dev/nvme0n1 /mnt/nvme

Setting Up Samba (SMB) Shares

Install Samba:

sudo apt install samba samba-common-bin -y

Configure Samba:

sudo nano /etc/samba/smb.conf

Add share configuration:

[Storage]
   comment = Main Storage
   path = /mnt/nvme
   browseable = yes
   writable = yes
   guest ok = no
   valid users = pi
   create mask = 0664
   directory mask = 0775

Create Samba User:

sudo smbpasswd -a pi

Restart Samba:

sudo systemctl restart smbd
sudo systemctl enable smbd

Access from Windows/Mac:

• Windows: \\raspberry-pi-ip\Storage
• Mac: smb://raspberry-pi-ip/Storage

Performance Benchmarks

NVMe vs USB 3.0 vs microSD:

Real-World NAS Performance:

• File transfers: 80-100 MB/s (gigabit Ethernet limited)
• Multiple simultaneous users: Handles 3-5 users easily
• Media streaming: Smooth 4K playback
• Database workloads: Much faster than USB/microSD

Additional NAS Features

NFS Shares (for Linux):

sudo apt install nfs-kernel-server -y

# Export directory
echo "/mnt/nvme *(rw,sync,no_subtree_check)" | sudo tee -a /etc/exports
sudo exportfs -ra
sudo systemctl restart nfs-kernel-server

FTP Server:

sudo apt install vsftpd -y
# Configure in /etc/vsftpd.conf

WebDAV (for cloud-like access):

sudo apt install apache2 -y
# Configure WebDAV module

Project 3: Home Assistant Server

Home Assistant is a popular open-source home automation platform. The Pi 5's improved performance makes it run much smoother than on Pi 4.

Installation with Docker

# Install Docker
curl -fsSL https://get.docker.com | sh
sudo usermod -aG docker pi

# Create directories
mkdir -p ~/homeassistant/config

# Run Home Assistant
docker run -d \
  --name homeassistant \
  --privileged \
  --restart=unless-stopped \
  -e TZ=America/New_York \
  -v ~/homeassistant/config:/config \
  -v /run/dbus:/run/dbus:ro \
  --network=host \
  ghcr.io/home-assistant/home-assistant:stable

Access at http://raspberry-pi-ip:8123

Performance Improvements

Pi 5 vs Pi 4:

• Startup time: ~30% faster
• UI responsiveness: Much smoother
• Add-on performance: Better
• Database operations: Faster
• Can handle more integrations

Project 4: Media Server (Jellyfin)

While not as powerful as a dedicated server, the Pi 5 can handle light media serving.

Installation

# Install Jellyfin
curl https://repo.jellyfin.org/install-debuntu.sh | sudo bash
sudo apt install jellyfin -y

# Access at http://raspberry-pi-ip:8096

Limitations

What Pi 5 Can Do:

• Direct play (no transcoding): Excellent
• Light transcoding: 1 stream, 1080p
• Multiple direct plays: 3-5 streams

What Pi 5 Can't Do:

• Heavy transcoding (4K, multiple streams)
• Complex audio transcoding
• High bitrate 4K streaming

Best Use Case:

• Pre-transcoded media
• Lower bitrate content
• Small household
• Backup media server

Project 5: Development Server

The Pi 5's improved performance makes it a viable development server.

Setup for Development

Install Development Tools:

# Node.js
curl -fsSL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_20.x | sudo -E bash -
sudo apt install -y nodejs

# Python
sudo apt install python3-pip python3-venv -y

# Docker (already installed)
# Git
sudo apt install git -y

Git Server:

# Create git user
sudo adduser git
sudo su - git
mkdir ~/.ssh
chmod 700 ~/.ssh

# Add your SSH key
nano ~/.ssh/authorized_keys
chmod 600 ~/.ssh/authorized_keys

# Create repository
mkdir -p ~/repos/myproject.git
cd ~/repos/myproject.git
git init --bare

CI/CD with GitHub Actions Runner:

# Download runner
mkdir actions-runner && cd actions-runner
curl -o actions-runner-linux-arm64-2.311.0.tar.gz -L https://github.com/actions/runner/releases/download/v2.311.0/actions-runner-linux-arm64-2.311.0.tar.gz
tar xzf ./actions-runner-linux-arm64-2.311.0.tar.gz

# Configure
./config.sh --url https://github.com/yourusername/yourrepo --token YOUR_TOKEN

# Install as service
sudo ./svc.sh install
sudo ./svc.sh start

Project 6: Network Monitoring

Monitor your network with tools like Grafana and Prometheus.

Installation

# Docker Compose setup
mkdir ~/monitoring && cd ~/monitoring

# Create docker-compose.yml
cat > docker-compose.yml << EOF
version: '3.8'
services:
  prometheus:
    image: prom/prometheus:latest
    ports:
      - "9090:9090"
    volumes:
      - ./prometheus:/etc/prometheus
      - prometheus_data:/prometheus
    command:
      - '--config.file=/etc/prometheus/prometheus.yml'

  grafana:
    image: grafana/grafana:latest
    ports:
      - "3000:3000"
    volumes:
      - grafana_data:/var/lib/grafana
    environment:
      - GF_SECURITY_ADMIN_PASSWORD=admin

volumes:
  prometheus_data:
  grafana_data:
EOF

docker-compose up -d

Performance Optimization Tips

Overclocking (Advanced)

Warning: Overclocking can void warranty and cause instability.

# Edit config
sudo nano /boot/firmware/config.txt

# Add overclock settings
over_voltage=2
arm_freq=3000
gpu_freq=750

Cooling

Active Cooling:

• Official Pi 5 active cooler recommended
• Third-party cooling solutions available
• Monitor temperature: vcgencmd measure_temp

Passive Cooling:

• Heat sinks on CPU and RAM
• Good case ventilation
• Adequate airflow

Boot from NVMe

Once NVMe is working, you can boot directly from it:

# Update bootloader
sudo rpi-eeprom-update -a
sudo reboot

# After reboot, install OS to NVMe
# Use Raspberry Pi Imager with "Use custom storage" option

Benefits:

• Faster boot times
• Better reliability than microSD
• More storage for OS

Comparison: Pi 5 vs Alternatives

Pi 5 vs Intel N100 Mini PC

When to Choose Pi 5

Choose Pi 5 if:

• Learning and experimentation
• Budget is primary concern
• ARM compatibility is fine
• Lower power is important
• Community support matters

Choose N100 if:

• Need maximum performance
• Require x86 compatibility
• Need more RAM
• Production use case

Troubleshooting

PCIe Not Detected

# Check config.txt
cat /boot/firmware/config.txt | grep pcie

# Should show:
# dtparam=pciex1
# dtoverlay=pcie

# Check dmesg
dmesg | grep -i pcie

Performance Issues

• Check temperature (throttling occurs at 85°C)
• Ensure adequate power supply (27W recommended)
• Close unnecessary services
• Monitor resource usage: htop

Network Issues

• Use wired Ethernet when possible
• Check cable quality
• Verify router/switch ports
• Test with different network equipment

Conclusion

The Raspberry Pi 5's improved performance and PCIe support open up new possibilities for homelab projects. From network-wide ad blocking with AdGuard Home to fast NAS builds with NVMe SSDs, the Pi 5 can handle real-world workloads that were challenging on previous models.

Key advantages:

• PCIe support: Enables NVMe SSDs and other PCIe devices
• Better performance: 2-3x faster than Pi 4
• More RAM: Up to 8GB for demanding applications
• Active development: Large community and ecosystem

While it's not a replacement for high-end servers, the Pi 5 is perfect for:

• Learning and experimentation
• Light to medium workloads
• Budget-conscious homelabs
• Specific use cases (ad blocking, light NAS, etc.)

Whether you're building your first homelab or adding to an existing setup, the Raspberry Pi 5 offers an excellent balance of performance, features, and cost.

For more low-power NAS ideas, check out How-To Geek's Raspberry Pi NAS guide and explore the Raspberry Pi community forums for project inspiration.