Manually Install AdGuard Home in a MikroTik Container (Method 2)

In the previous guide, I installed an AdGuard Home container using a ready-made Docker image.

That approach is fast, but some installations fail even after repeated attempts. This guide uses a blank Docker image with no service installed, then installs AdGuard Home inside it.

The offline image can reduce image-pull failures and allows other services to be added. The trade-off is more setup work.

I. Enable Container support

Open Terminal and run /system/device-mode/update container=yes.
When prompted, power-cycle the router.
After reboot, run /system/device-mode/print and confirm container: yes.

II. Prepare container networking and install the blank image

II.A. Prepare networking

Create a bridge named dockers.
Assign an IP address.
Create a VETH interface.
Add the port to the dockers bridge.

II.B. Install the blank Docker image

{{< notice “danger” >}} This image was built for x86_64. Do not use it on ARM, ARM64, or 32-bit x86 routers. {{< /notice >}}

Download the blank image from Google Drive or the Mega mirror.
- It is based on Alpine Linux 3.17 Slim.
- It uses Supervisor to start services.
- It contains no personal customization or harmful scripts.
- If you do not trust a prebuilt image, build your own.
Upload the image to MikroTik through Files in WinBox.
Open Container, click Add, and configure:

Field	Value
File	The Docker image filename (`file.tar`)
Interface	The VETH created in II.A
Root Dir	The container storage directory
Logging	Show logs in WinBox; enable while troubleshooting
Start On Boot	Start after MikroTik boots

Click Apply. If the image is installed correctly, the result should look like the screenshot.

Click Start and confirm Status changes to Running.

III. Install AdGuard Home in the blank image

Open WinBox Terminal:

/container/shell 0

0 is the container ID. Run /container print if the ID is different.

Download AdGuard Home:

cd /optwget https://github.com/AdguardTeam/AdGuardHome/releases/download/v0.107.38/AdGuardHome_linux_amd64.tar.gz

{{< notice “info” >}} Check the AdGuard Home releases page for the newest version and update the URL before installing. {{< /notice >}}

Extract it:

tar -vxzf AdGuardHome_linux_amd64.tar.gz

Configure Supervisor to start AdGuard Home:

vi /etc/supervisord.conf

Add:

[program:adguardhome]command=/opt/AdGuardHome/AdGuardHome

Save with ESC, then :wq! and Enter.

Stop and start the container again.

Open http://10.0.0.2:3000/ to configure AdGuard Home.

IV. Set DHCP DNS to AdGuard Home

{{< notice “danger” >}} Set AdGuard Home as the DNS server under IP > DHCP Server > Network. Do not set it as the MikroTik router’s own DNS under IP > DNS unless you understand the impact. {{< /notice >}}

Open IP > DHCP Server > Network.

Good luck.