[resource] DNS based ads and tracking blockers | self-hosted | Public DNS | Open Source alternatives

[Ramadhir Singh]

Reclaim your Privacy | Adblock is must ! because


For entire home protection - there are multiple ways to block tracking and ads, which is not limited to deploying self-hosted solutions such as Pi-hole or AdGuardHome,
many router firmware now has some way to block ads , for example OpenWrt's adblock packages, one thing to keep in mind while utilising router is to keep the block list under control.

If one cant self-host, we have public adblocking DNS servers, not limited to:

• DNSforge
• OpenBLD
• DNSwarden
• RethinkDNS

When we are not in our home network, but still want to protect our privacy and cut the internet crap, we have solution like:

• MacOS - Little SnitchMini
• Windows - so many option, like simplewall, HostsMan, and so on.
• Android - NetGuard. DO NOT get the PlayStore version- more info here - https://github.com/M66B/NetGuard/blob/master/ADBLOCKING.md
• iOS - Not aware of any free options, use to be Lockdown, which is abandoned now / moved to paid model. In paid option we have better option such as AdGuard.

for self hosted solution new people can start with this article- has all the information one need - https://avoidthehack.com/best-pihole-blocklists
It has many links of adblocking projects, but beware many are abandoned as of 2024, for example Developer Dan, Energized, the blocklist project -- all are not regularly maintained.
Blocks list which are well maintained in 2024 maintained are:

1. Firebog's list - https://firebog.net/
2. hagezi blocklists - https://github.com/hagezi/dns-blocklists - highly recommended, but check your hardware limitation and your goal. bigger is not always better here.
3. StevenBlack - https://github.com/StevenBlack/hosts - no matter what else one is using, must use this in supplement of any other list. this is bundled with pihole.
4. oisd - https://oisd.nl/. for the laziest people on earth. only listing here because there are huge fanboys of this lists. I personally don't like it or recommend it. one is better off without it, just with StevenBlack+easylist+easyprivacy.

NOTE:

This is in continuation of the amazing thread PiHole should be a must -- lots of vital information buried in that thread. could be overwhelming, specially for new members.
Lets use this thread with new updated information.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Other helpful Utilities

1. d3ward's Adblock testing tool , ( thanks @eswarasai for suggestion)
2. Search domain in block list

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

PART 2
Avoid the plague in first place by using alternative clients

Services	crap free alternative	link
Instagram (android)	Instander	Instander - Official Home Page thedise.me
youtube (android phone)	NewPipe	NewPipe - a free YouTube client newpipe.net
youtube (android TV / FireTV)	SmartTube	GitHub - yuliskov/SmartTube: SmartTube - an advanced player for set-top boxes and tv running Android OS SmartTube - an advanced player for set-top boxes and tv running Android OS - GitHub - yuliskov/SmartTube: SmartTube - an advanced player for set-top boxes and tv running Android OS github.com

Please feel free to add/suggest more resources.

 

[eswarasai]

Great guide. Thanks for sharing this.

Would be good to also include a site where you can see the results of your Ad block setup, to see if it's blocking the popular trackers. I personally use d3ward's Adblock tool. Feel free to share other good resources that can test for Ad blockers.

 

[enthusiast29]

Great aggregation of information here.
Tried the d3ward's test and here's the result after disabling uBlock Origin.
Obviously ads via JS and other cosmetics would bypass the DNS level.

Spoiler: d3ward's test (Only DNS blocker, no uBlock Origin)

With uBlock ON it's 100%.

My Lists on self-hosted Adguard Home:

Spoiler

 

[aasimenator]

I only have the 3

 

[Ramadhir Singh]

Update first post, added a tool to test if a domain is included in any blacklist/whitelist.

dnswarden — search and see whether a domain is present in blocklists/whitelists

Your one stop dns resolver for safer internet. Lets you configure to block/allow websites or domains through pre-defined blocklists and whitelists.

dnswarden.com

~~~~~~~~~

I only have the 3

AdGurd is redundant if one is using OISD. ( also you might want to update the link to big.oisd), 81 of the list included in big blocklist is of AdGuard. Check here - https://oisd.nl/includedlists/big/0
requesting you to at-least add https://easylist.to/easylist/easylist.txt & https://easylist.to/easylist/easyprivacy.txt to reduce the malicious intent of whitelisting in oidn, if want to continue using that list.

To me, OISD is shit, it provide the Illusion of blocking many thing, where in reality its isn't. has vested interest, and whitelists domains for financial benefit. It had included lots of list to confuse user, while slipping many tracking url.
Sponsored by AdGuard, unnecessarily bloated list, contain many irrelevant and super outdated list , for example Energized use to be one the good blocklist provider but they seized to exist now for over 4 year, this OISD still use that blocklist ( one such example - https://raw.githubusercontent.com/E.../Converter/Hosts/AdguardSpywareFirstParty.txt )

StevenBlack + Easylist + Easyprivacy, is 100 time better then OISD, and would be more effective.
But as i said in the OP, its the most hyped blocklist out there, if i speak "facts" about it, people will come after me with draggers.

----
EDIT and Disclaimer:
My objective is different than any other individual, its not the ads rather "privacy" & "surveillance" matter to me most.
My defence system is based on my "personal objective", which may not be suitable for any other. While SB+HaGeZi's are my base lists, I RegEx a lot (whitelist+blacklist) in initial days, very granule control based-on my device groups.

 

[enthusiast29]

OISD is shit, it provide the Illusion of blocking many thing, where in reality its isn't. has vested intrest & whitelists domains for financial benefit.
StevenBlack + Easylist + Easyprivacy, is 100 time better then OISD, and would be more effective.
But as i said in the OP, its the most hyped blocklist out there, if i speak "facts" about it, people will come after me with draggers.

OISD is used for one and only one reason, set it and forget it solution for people with family who don't have all the time in the world to debug when things don't work.

Trust me I've been there, I never used OISD and relied on other popular but slightly more aggressive lists. They worked very well but often time I use to deal with things not working for my parents who use social media or streaming platforms.
Every so often, instagram/facebook stops working or hotstar doesn't work or jiotv/cinema doesn't work. I fix it by 15-20 mins of isolating what domain was needed to be whitelisted and a few days later similar issue pops up.
Heck sometimes even sites of competitive exams or government sites don't work.

With job and everything I don't have time to deal with such shit every now and then for an illusion of privacy which you get with such lists. For me the purpose was to avoid ads, popups and malware/phishing, period.
Privacy cannot be achieved with adding lists and lists, you'll only be blocking functionality and tiring yourself.
If you want privacy, get off the internet.

PS: Don't take this as a personal attack, it's not that but my experience of almost 3 years of using Pihole/Adguard across 20+ devices and with family members.

 

[Ramadhir Singh]

Don't take this as a personal attack,

not at all, in-fact i attempted ninja edit and added disclaimer in my previous post

every individual has unique needs, but OISD is NOT what they pretend to be, That is my problem.
Its a illusion OISD created and majority of people fall for it. The same thing ABP did a decade back, but even today in 2024, people do use ABP.

but i would still say, even for people who don't have any time to debug and/or tech know-how.

StevenBlack + Easylist + Easyprivacy, is 100 time better then OISD, and would be more effective.

in-fact StevenBlack alone is sufficient for 90% public.

 

[anmolbhard004]

@Ramadhir Singh what will you recommend between next dns and adguard paid version??
I am thinking of buying adguard now was using nextdns paid one for last 1 month.
requirement is basic ad block + fast dns query.

 

[Ramadhir Singh]

@anmolbhard004
i don't have personal experience with either of these services. both seems to have the same set of functionality.
Guess one cant go wrong with adguard, i believe they have better community support.
check this out - https://simeononsecurity.com/articles/nextdns-vs-adguard-ad-blocker-comparison/ this might help you deciding.

 

[babhishek]

@Ramadhir Singh what will you recommend between next dns and adguard paid version??
I am thinking of buying adguard now was using nextdns paid one for last 1 month.
requirement is basic ad block + fast dns query.

i am using nextdns very happily for 3 yrs, went paid 2 yrs back
let me know if you need any help

 

[kuduku]

I am using Adguard paid last 1 year , can answer your queries
Buy from stacksocial if you buy , $5 or 10/20% coupon is always floating around
And you get Adguard VPN also free . Keeping ban on cryptos exchanges all VPN providers are looking at uptick in consumers

 

[Futureized]

Can someone kindly message dns settings which when added to router blocks ads on TV and Android mobile (connected via wifi )

Want to give a try first

 

[nRiTeCh]

We keep getting those anooying browsing videos player ads when browsing on phone, can these be blocked or bypassed using any dns settings directly on homes routers?
I think this might even help reduce much of the adware automatically at router level thus allowing us to enjoy as-clutter-free browsing across devices.

 

[rootyme]

I only have the 3
View attachment 190862

Just saying. Whoever came up with the idea of placing that co-pilot icon to the top right is a horrible UI designer.

 

[aasimenator]

Just saying. Whoever came up with the idea of placing that co-pilot icon to the top right is a horrible UI designer.

well you are just gonna love this then , in the latest version of Windows 11 you get Copilot for Windows (the right most icon) in the notification tray.

 

[Futureized]

well you are just gonna love this then , in the latest version of Windows 11 you get Copilot for Windows (the right most icon) in the notification tray.
View attachment 192319

Its the same in Windows 10, Microsoft seems to be pushing this feature forcibly to all users (not all are able to disable same)
It even reached there Andriod keyboard (Swiftkey) and other products

 

[rootyme]

well you are just gonna love this then , in the latest version of Windows 11 you get Copilot for Windows (the right most icon) in the notification tray.
View attachment 192319

Uh Oh! https://techenclave.com/threads/windows-12-release-date-possibly-leaked-by-intel.216486/post-2511354

 

[anmolbhard004]

@kuduku do you feel any difference in latency or time response to dns query as adguard doesnt have any servers in india/
is that a issue?

 

[kuduku]

@kuduku do you feel any difference in latency or time response to dns query as adguard doesnt have any servers in india/
is that a issue?

NextDNS is faster than Adguard . I would prefer NextDNS anyday over Adguard due to this issue . But SG / Mumbai doesn't make much of a difference in normal day to day functioning
i am not a gamer but normal social media and Youtube consumer so doesn't affect

 

[k_m_Arya]

Why not just use hagezi?

dns-blocklists/sources.md at main · hagezi/dns-blocklists

DNS-Blocklists: For a better internet - keep the internet clean! - hagezi/dns-blocklists

github.com