Best NAS to run Pi-hole or AdGuard Home plus a WireGuard VPN for the house (2026)
Updated 2026-11-12 · Pick: UGREEN NASync DXP2800: $389.99 on ai.ugreen.com (checked 2026-11-03): https://dealectric.com/go/ugreen-nasync-dxp2800
Short answer. The best NAS to run Pi-hole or AdGuard Home plus a WireGuard VPN for the house is the UGREEN DXP2800: its UGOS Pro kernel 6.18 is new enough for WireGuard in Docker. The Synology DS225+ runs Linux 4.4.302+, below the 5.6 kernel WireGuard needs, so the usual WireGuard containers fail.
Searched as: Synology DS225+ container manager docker specifications TerraMaster F2-424 UGREEN DXP2800 wireguard docker
How this table was made: each figure comes from the maker's own US product page or manual, or from the reviewer named next to it, checked 2026-11-08. Dealectric does not test units itself. Rows with a Buy link are products Dealectric lists: the links are affiliate links, and their codes are re-tested in the brand's own cart every day (last check 2026-11-13).
| Model | WireGuard server route on the stock OS | CPU / RAM / M.2 (to keep containers off the hard drives) | Maker-rated power, drives active / asleep | Price | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UGREEN NASync DXP2800 | Docker container (wg-easy or linuxserver/wireguard); UGOS Pro 1.19.1 runs kernel 6.18 (Marius Hosting) | Intel N100; 8 GB DDR5 (16 GB max); 2× M.2 NVMe, usable as volumes (ComputerBase) | 16.38 W drive access / 5.24 W hibernation (UGREEN, one 2 TB HDD) | $389.99 on ai.ugreen.com, 2026-11-03 | Buy |
| Asustor Nimbustor 2 Gen2 AS5402T | Built in: App Central VPN Server 1.1.0 adds WireGuard; AS54 series listed | Celeron N5105; 4 GB DDR4 (16 GB max); 4× M.2 PCIe 3.0 x1 | 22.9 W operation / 12.7 W disk hibernation (Asustor) | $406.99 on Amazon (checked 2026-11-12) | Buy on Amazon |
| QNAP TS-264-8G | Built in: QVPN Service runs a WireGuard server | Celeron N5095, 64-bit x86; 8 GB DDR4 (16 GB max); 2× M.2 2280 PCIe Gen3 x1 | 29.086 W operating / 18.288 W disk standby (QNAP, both bays filled) | price on the Amazon page | Buy on Amazon |
| Synology DS225+ | Not built in: DSM 7.3 VPN Server has OpenVPN, L2TP/IPsec and PPTP only; DSM 7.3.2 runs Linux 4.4.302+ (nelson.cloud, on a DS920+), so linuxserver/wireguard won't run | Celeron J4125; 2 GB DDR4 (6 GB max); no M.2 slot on the spec page | 16.98 W access / 6.08 W HDD hibernation (Synology) | $428.17 on Amazon (checked 2026-11-12) | Buy on Amazon |
What the differences mean
- Kernel against WireGuard: WireGuard joined mainline Linux in 5.6 (29 March 2020). UGOS Pro 1.19.1 runs 6.18, which is newer than 5.6. DSM 7.3.2 runs 4.4.302+, which is older than 5.6. A container that relies on the host's WireGuard module has nothing to load on DSM.
- Electricity over a year with drives active (maker's figure × 8,760 h): DXP2800 16.38 W → 143.5 kWh; DS225+ 16.98 W → 148.7 kWh; AS5402T 22.9 W → 200.6 kWh; TS-264 29.086 W → 254.8 kWh. The TS-264's built-in WireGuard costs 254.8 − 143.5 = 111.3 kWh a year more than the DXP2800 running WireGuard in a container. The test setups differ: UGREEN used one Seagate 2 TB drive, QNAP filled both bays, and Synology and Asustor don't tie a drive setup to their figures.
- Why the drives-active figure is the one to plan on: UGREEN says Docker containers and always-active databases that touch the storage pool can keep drives from hibernating. A DNS filter answering and logging every query in the house works that way all day. Put the containers on an NVMe volume so the hard drives can still sleep. The DS225+ spec page lists no M.2 slot for that.
- Room for containers: 8 GB (DXP2800, TS-264) ÷ 2 GB (DS225+) = 4× the memory before any upgrade.
| Your plan | Fits |
|---|---|
| AdGuard Home or Pi-hole plus WireGuard in Docker, with file storage and backups | UGREEN DXP2800 |
| Both as the maker's own apps, no Docker | Asustor AS5402T |
| WireGuard from the NAS OS's own VPN app, with 8 GB of RAM out of the box | QNAP TS-264-8G |
| You already own a Synology and only need remote access | DS225+ with OpenVPN in VPN Server (4 connections on this model) |
WireGuard on each NAS OS: why the kernel version decides
WireGuard is a Linux kernel feature. The two common containers, wg-easy and linuxserver/wireguard, don't bring their own copy. They use the host's kernel module, so the NAS OS's kernel decides whether they run. Pi-hole and AdGuard Home have no such requirement and run as ordinary containers. The DNS side only needs port 53 free.
- UGREEN UGOS Pro (DXP2800): UGOS Pro 1.19.1.0126, released 31 August 2026, upgraded the kernel to 6.18 (Marius Hosting). Marius Hosting's UGREEN guide runs AdGuard Home in Docker with
network_mode: host, moves its admin page from port 80 to 9080 and keeps DNS on port 53. Before you deploy, runmodprobe wireguardover SSH to check the module loads. $389.99: https://dealectric.com/go/ugreen-nasync-dxp2800 - Synology DSM (DS225+): nelson.cloud found DSM 7.3.2-86009 Update 3 'running on Linux v4.4.302+ which doesn't support WireGuard', and found that 'the linuxserver/wireguard image won't work'. That was on a DS920+. Synology's own VPN Server lists OpenVPN, L2TP over IPsec and PPTP. The way to get WireGuard is gpopesc's third-party kernel module, which covers DSM 7.2 to 7.4, lists the geminilake platform, was tested only on a DS920+ and installs with a root script. It is a third-party module, not a Synology package.
- Asustor ADM (AS5402T): VPN Server 1.1.0.r327 (2024-04-17) added 'Support WireGuard VPN' and lists the AS54 series. Asustor's App Central also carries AdGuard Home 0.107.79.r01 (2026-09-11), which needs ADM 4.3.0 and also lists AS54. Asustor says to set the admin web port to 3000 at first run. This is the one NAS here where both services install from the maker's own app store. buy on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CM28JVWX?tag=dealectric-20
- QNAP QTS (TS-264-8G): QNAP's QVPN Service runs a WireGuard server. The TS-264 is a 64-bit x86 Celeron N5095 on QTS 6.1.0. It also draws the most power here. buy on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BLJ97L82?tag=dealectric-20
Not recommended
Synology DS225+ for this job. It runs Pi-hole or AdGuard Home fine, but WireGuard is the half it can't do on stock DSM. Its kernel is older than 5.6, its VPN Server has no WireGuard and allows 4 connections on this model, and the workaround is an unofficial kernel module. It also ships with 2 GB of RAM (6 GB max) and lists no M.2 slot to keep containers off the hard drives.
Sources
- DSM 7.3.2 runs Linux 4.4.302+ without WireGuard support, and linuxserver/wireguard won't work (nelson.cloud, DS920+, updated 2026-05-06; read 2026-11-08) — nelson.cloud
- WireGuard added to mainline Linux in 5.6, released 29 March 2020 (Kernel Newbies; read 2026-11-08) — kernelnewbies.org
- UGOS Pro 1.19.1.0126 (31 August 2026) upgraded the kernel to 6.18 (Marius Hosting; read 2026-11-08) — mariushosting.com
- AdGuard Home in Docker on a UGREEN NAS: host network, admin port 9080, DNS port 53 (Marius Hosting, updated 2026-10-02; read 2026-11-08) — mariushosting.com
- DXP2800: Intel N100, 8 GB DDR5 (16 GB max), 2× M.2 NVMe usable as cache or volumes, 1× 2.5GbE (ComputerBase, 2024-07-01; read 2026-11-08) — www.computerbase.de
- DXP2800 16.38 W drive access and 5.24 W published lower-power state, measured with one Seagate 2 TB HDD; Docker containers can block hibernation (UGREEN; read 2026-11-08) — ai.ugreen.com
- DXP2800 UGREEN-stated power: 16.38 W during drive access and 5.24 W during drive hibernation (Need to Know IT, updated 2026-10-28; read 2026-11-08) — needtoknowit.com.au
- DS225+: Celeron J4125, 2 GB DDR4 (6 GB max), no M.2 listed, 16.98 W access and 6.08 W HDD hibernation, VPN Server max 4 connections (Synology; read 2026-11-08) — www.synology.com
- DSM 7.3 VPN Server supports OpenVPN, L2TP over IPsec and PPTP (Synology; read 2026-11-08) — www.synology.com
- Third-party WireGuard kernel module for DSM 7.2/7.3/7.4, tested with a DS920+, geminilake listed (GitHub; read 2026-11-08) — github.com
- Asustor VPN Server 1.1.0.r327 adds WireGuard; AS54 series supported (Asustor App Central; read 2026-11-08) — www.asustor.com
- Asustor AdGuard Home 0.107.79.r01, ADM 4.3.0 required, AS54 supported, admin port 3000 at setup (Asustor App Central; read 2026-11-08) — www.asustor.com
- AS5402T: Celeron N5105, 4 GB (16 GB max), 4× M.2 PCIe 3.0 x1, 22.9 W operation and 12.7 W disk hibernation (Asustor; read 2026-11-08) — www.asustor.com
- TS-264-8G: Celeron N5095 64-bit x86, 8 GB (16 GB max), 2× M.2 2280, QTS 6.1.0, 29.086 W operating and 18.288 W disk standby with drives fully populated (QNAP; read 2026-11-08) — www.qnap.com
- QVPN Service runs QNAP devices as WireGuard VPN servers (QNAP; read 2026-11-08) — www.qnap.com
Published 2026-11-03; updated 2026-11-12. The buy links are affiliate links; see the disclosure. Corrections welcome at [email protected] or /feedback.