The Mountain Shield
Your personal DNS security device — at home and on the go.
What Is the Mountain Shield?
The Mountain Shield is a pre‑built, plug‑and‑play Raspberry Pi 5 device configured with Pi‑hole and Tailscale to give you powerful DNS filtering, ad‑blocking, and secure private networking — no matter where you are.
Assembled and configured by Appalachian IT Support, the Mountain Shield protects your home network, your mobile devices, and your browsing experience with enterprise‑grade DNS filtering and encrypted remote access.
Key Features
- Pi‑hole DNS Filtering: Blocks ads, trackers, malware domains, and unwanted content at the network level.
- Tailscale VPN: Securely access your home network from anywhere in the world.
- Raspberry Pi 5 Hardware: Fast, efficient, and reliable performance.
- Plug‑and‑Play Setup: Pre‑configured by us — just plug it in and connect.
- Home & Away Protection: Your phone, laptop, and tablet stay protected even off your Wi‑Fi.
- Updates: Device stays secure with regular OS and Pi‑hole updates, how to steps can be found in the provided documents.
- Custom Blocklists: Enhanced security lists curated by Appalachian IT Support.
How It Works
The Mountain Shield acts as your personal DNS security hub. At home, it filters all DNS traffic on your network. When you're away, Tailscale lets your devices securely route DNS through your Mountain Shield — giving you the same protection anywhere.
- Plug the Mountain Shield into power and your router.
- Connect your devices to the Pi‑hole DNS server.
- Install Tailscale on your phone or laptop.
- Enjoy secure, filtered browsing everywhere.
Pricing
Mountain Shield (Pre‑Built): $349.99
Includes:
- Raspberry Pi 5 (4GB or 8GB depending on stock)
- Case + cooling
- 64GB SD card
- Pi‑hole pre‑installed and configured
- Tailscale pre‑installed
- Custom blocklists
- Setup instructions
Price does not include tax or shipping.
Payment
We use Square for all credit and debit card payments, and we also accept Cash App and cash for in‑person pickup.
Cost Breakdown
Below is a full breakdown of the hardware and setup costs for the Mountain Shield device.
| Component | Cost |
|---|---|
| Raspberry Pi 5 | $189 |
| Fan Case | $49 |
| Storage (High‑Endurance SD or SSD) | $45 |
| Total Hardware Cost | $283 |
| Professional Setup & Configuration | $150 |
| Estimated Total (No On‑Site Install) | ~$450 |
Shipping not included if the device is being shipped. Prcies may vary.
Included Documentation
Every Mountain Shield device comes with full written documentation, including:
- How to connect the device to your home network
- How to access the Pi‑hole dashboard
- How to use Tailscale on your phone, laptop, or tablet
- How to route DNS through the Mountain Shield while away from home
- Troubleshooting steps and support contact information
Compatibility Notice
The Mountain Shield works with most home routers and mesh systems. However, Xfinity‑provided routers and gateways do not allow DNS changes at the router level.
If you use an Xfinity gateway, you must configure each device manually to use the Mountain Shield DNS server. This is a limitation of Xfinity hardware, not the Mountain Shield device.
For best results, we recommend:
- Using your own router instead of the ISP‑provided gateway
- Putting the Xfinity gateway into bridge mode (if supported)
- Letting us assist with network configuration if needed
Order the Mountain Shield
Ready to secure your home and mobile devices?
Each unit is built to order. Expect 10–14 business days for assembly and configuration.