A browser extension blocks ads in one browser on one device. It does nothing for the smart TV, the games console, or the guest's phone. If you want the whole network covered, the filter has to live in the router.
Why the router is the right place
Every device on your network asks the router for DNS — the phonebook that turns a name like example.com into an address. If the router refuses to answer for known ad and tracker domains, the ad never loads, on any device, without installing anything.
Web filtering adds a second layer: the router can inspect plain-HTTP requests and the server name in HTTPS connections, and block by category rather than by a single list.
What you can block
- Ads and trackers across every device.
- Adult and gambling categories (per profile, so adults and children differ).
- Malware, phishing and scam domains network-wide.
The difference from a browser extension is coverage, not just convenience: a device cannot opt out by changing its own settings. Read why that matters in why DNS-only filters get bypassed.