where does pihole fit with this dnsmasq? i am running a pihole on a pi zero wh and that has just worked. can a pihole do this?
The aim here is to minimize the DNS query turnaround time and reduce the latencies while opening a connection.
When the network is working smoother, Firefox's performance goes up in a disproportional fashion. I didn't notice the same amount of improvement in other network bound stuff but, Firefox went from "meh" to "youjustdidwhat!?" after DNSMasq installation and modem change.
Same thing also happened when I changed my modem 7-8 years ago after my venerable Alcatel Speedtouch died.
So, in retrospect, modem chipset really plays a central role in your home network performance.