Block unwanted internet traffic on your home network

[LondonDragon]

Haven't done one of these in a while and was just looking at my pi-hole and thought why not share it!

What is pi-hole?
A little piece of software that replaces your DNS server (what resolved URLs like ukaps.org into IP addresses), on pi-hole you can load custom lists that will block all manner of stuff from the internet, so your devices will be protected from known bad destinations. It can also block ads on webpages and mobile apps (play games without any ads), and block all the telemetry stuff from companies like Amazon, Apple, Google, Microsoft, Facebook, Neflix, etc... (not the actual pages just the eve dropping stuff), you can also use it to block specific web sites if you dont want your kids to access them for example!)

This might not be for the beginner, but if you are a little tech-savvy you can use this on a Raspberry Pi for example, after you have the operating system on the Pi takes one command to install Pi-hole! (I run mine in a Docker container, if you are familiar with those and have it on your system you can use that also, i.e. if you have a Synology NAS)

You can find all the info you need here:

Pi-hole – Network-wide Ad Blocking

pi-hole.net

Once you have it setup, you choose which internet DNS servers you point to, and then you change your DHCP to point to the pi-hole or run it as your DHCP server! You can also install an addon to use DNS over HTTPS (DOH) which will also encrypt your DNS requests, this is quite useful as it will hide what you access from your ISP! (this is the way I run mine).

This is a screenshot of my Pi-hole over the last 24 hours:

As you can see, just over 26% of all DNS queries are being blocked (17k connection attempts, a quarter of all my internet requests), that is a lot of crap that would be sent out to the internet otherwise!

If you are interested I have quite a lot of custom lists you can load into Pi-hole, you can see from the top right-hand corner it's currently blocking 1.7m know bad destinations.

This video from NetworkChuck is pretty good



Keep your stuff safe
Paulo

 

[Repo792]

Seconded. Works a treat.

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[LondonDragon]

Attached block list if anyone interested

 

[dean]

Wish I was more tech savvy to implement things like this
Great if you to share


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[LondonDragon]

Wish I was more tech savvy to implement things like this
Great if you to share

To be honest, is not that complicated, just get hold a Raspberry Pi, even an old original model B is enough to run pi-hole!
doesn't take long to burn an OS and getting it up and running, then one command to install pi-hole

Simple tutorial here how to get it working:

How to Set Up Pi-hole on Raspberry Pi Zero W to Block Ads

While online advertising is a major source of money for many of your favorite websites, some people want to avoid it for a variety of reasons, including performance and privacy concerns. You can either install ad-blocking software on each of your devices or you can use other more efficient...

circuitdigest.com

 

[zozo]

Haven't done one of these in a while and was just looking at my pi-hole

I couldn't help smirking.

But seriously good stuff! Thanks for sharing...

Here is a Windows Tut if you want it there...

Install Pi-hole on Windows 10 and live ad-free forever

Thoughts on design

www.andrewdenty.com

 

[LondonDragon]

I couldn't help smirking.

haha indeed! it's a funny name to give an application, and usually non-techies are like your what hole?

Here is a Windows Tut if you want it there...

Install Pi-hole on Windows 10 and live ad-free forever

Thoughts on design

www.andrewdenty.com

I usually avoid this, because people will install it on their laptop, and when they turn it off it will kill the connection for every device
This needs to be installed on a device that is always on! Hence Raspberry pi's the recommendation, Pi 1 and 2 can be powered by a simple USB port, most routers have a USB ports that you can power it with and use a short cable to connect straight into the router

 

[zozo]

turn it off it will kill the connection for every device

I thought that was obvious, but indeed not so much for everybody. Thanks for pointing that out..

My personal network exists of 1 laptop only, so that's a stand-alone and hardly a network. So I took a guess it also can be run stand-alone and still block ads etc. The smartphone I only use for making phone calls and WhatsApp over the Wifi is the only smart thing it does. Fortunately, WA is still ad-free at the time.

 

[LondonDragon]

My personal network exists of 1 laptop only, so that's a stand-alone and hardly a network.

nice and easy, you can just use an ad blocker on the web browser haha I have around 55 devices on my home network!

 

[zozo]

nice and easy, you can just use an ad blocker on the web browser haha I have around 55 devices on my home network!

Yes, I'm currently using AdBlock + and it is very satisfying... Only noticed one forum I frequently visit picks it up and restricts access with the message "Please white list us in your installed adblocker." Or else no access... So I did and they still bombard me with ads, but I don't really care till now it's the only one and understand they want to make a living too, not looking at the ads works as good for me.

I was wondering and might give it a try to see if they would pick this one up too and message me with "Shut your Pi-Hole!"

 

[LondonDragon]

I was wondering and might give it a try to see if they would pick this one up too and message me with "Shut your Pi-Hole!"

Because it's transparent, then they will not block your access, but your ads will not show up as they cannot connect to the ad server.
But depends how they installed the ads on the forum.

 

[zozo]

Because it's transparent, then they will not block your access, but your ads will not show up as they cannot connect to the ad server.
But depends how they installed the ads on the forum.

For some websites, I can understand the importance of having sponsors and ads, can and will respect it. I don't mind an ad now and then. I installed it actually for YouTube driving me nuts with a crapload of silly ads in 10-minute video 10 minutes ads and they generate enough without it. Same as MSN generating so much money Bill could give every OS away for free is still filthy rich.

Without notice AdBlock + activates for all websites, that way I found out that the forum picks it up... But for Youtube, it works a charm.

 

[LondonDragon]

But for Youtube, it works a charm

Indeed, and why I use one on my desktop! shame the Pi-hole doesn't block YouTube ads on all devices!! I even tried regex custom blocks!!

For some websites, I can understand the importance of having sponsors and ads, can and will respect it.

My main reason to use Pi-Hole is to block in App ads and also stop the telemetry stuff the companies use to spy on your usage!

 

[dean]

To be honest, is not that complicated, just get hold a Raspberry Pi, even an old original model B is enough to run pi-hole!
doesn't take long to burn an OS and getting it up and running, then one command to install pi-hole

Simple tutorial here how to get it working:

How to Set Up Pi-hole on Raspberry Pi Zero W to Block Ads

While online advertising is a major source of money for many of your favorite websites, some people want to avoid it for a variety of reasons, including performance and privacy concerns. You can either install ad-blocking software on each of your devices or you can use other more efficient...

circuitdigest.com

So buy one from eBay ?


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[LondonDragon]

So buy one from eBay ?

Yeah, I might have a couple lying around if you interested, I can dig them out!

 

[zozo]

stop the telemetry stuff the companies use to spy on your usage!

Such as Google for pantyhoses to bank up some substrate, then visiting regular websites which will give you constant ads for pantyhoses and affiliated stuff?
For me personally, it only would be a toy to play with to see what it does... Anybody spying on my usage will be bored to death...

I can imagine with 55 devices you can collect a lot of clutter building up... Coming to think of it, 55 devices in a home network? You must have quite a big home then!?

 

[LondonDragon]

I can imagine with 55 devices you can collect a lot of clutter building up... Coming to think of it, 55 devices in a home network? You must have quite a big home then!?

Various laptops, tablets, phones, desktops, Amazon echos in every room, other smart speakers, smart lighting and other automated home stuff, digital plugs (too many), CCTV, printers, some servers, etc... what happens when you work in IT!!

 

[zozo]

Various laptops, tablets, phones, desktops, Amazon echos in every room, other smart speakers, smart lighting and other automated home stuff, digital plugs (too many), CCTV, printers, some servers, etc... what happens when you work in IT!!

I did too, for about 10 years, but I kept working at work as much as possible. Studying in my spare time was enough work to get all those darn certificates. What I did or had to do at home I did with Virtual Box and or VPC. But I'm out of this sector again for quite some years now, so it's no longer my life and it seems what I studied back then is ancient by now... Still have a few laptops but only use 1... Don't even have a printer, because rarely have something to print, I send it very cost-effective to my brother if so. Also, have no TV because always fall asleep within minutes watching it anyway so that was a waste of energy. For a nice movie, I hook up the beamer and switch on the stereo.

Once in a while, when I get crazy ideas I still play with some stuff... Having the background more or less definitively comes in handy and during the 10 years, I had a good time. (I just don't tell anybody outside friends and family, else I'll have the doorbell ringing like mad)

 

[dean]

Yeah, I might have a couple lying around if you interested, I can dig them out!

Much appreciated


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