5 ms·

Self-hosted DNS solution with an easy setup and a nice web GUI to manage it. https://pi-hole.net/ https://pi-hole.net/ https://github.com/pi-hole/pi-hole http

by Tiki 8y ago

Self-hosted DNS solution with an easy setup and a nice web GUI to manage it. https://pi-hole.net/ https://pi-hole.net/ https://github.com/pi-hole/pi-hole https://github.com/pi-hole/pi-hole

tw04 8y ago
Pi-hole has made some pretty poor blocking choices in the past, so use at your own risk. For instance, they randomly decided to block *.microsoft.com - you can imagine the chaos that caused.
- driverdan 8y ago
  Only chaos if you run Windows. I wouldn't even notice if it was blocked.
  - tw04 8y ago
    Right, so only chaos for 99%+ of the corporations in the US...
  - gruez 8y ago
    >Only chaos if you run Windows so breaking 80+% (being a bit conservative here) of people's computers is okay?
    - yjftsjthsd-h 8y ago
      The relevant question is whether it's 80% of people who are using pihole; that number is probably still pretty high, but lower than the average population I expect.
  - larkeith 8y ago
    > Only chaos if you run Windows Or develop for Windows, or have a client who uses Windows, or neer to access any of the documentation on MSDN, or...
- mirimir 8y ago
  Sure, it would be chaos if you expect everything to just work out OK. But if you defang Windows 10 properly, it doesn't need to reach Microsoft servers. That is, blocking is a supplementary measure. When I last used Windows, you could host updates locally. And I believe that Microsoft actually recommended that for large firms.
  - wolrah 8y ago
    > But if you defang Windows 10 properly, it doesn't need to reach Microsoft servers. Something has to get the updates in the first place, even with the local P2P sharing. If you're one of those "I never update my Windows install" people at this point you're beyond hope..
    - craftyguy 8y ago
      Don't assume everyone uses windows.
    - mirimir 8y ago
      Yes, but the server that gets and shares those updates need contain no PII. I do not trust Microsoft. And so, when I need to use Windows 10, I do it in a very careful way. I start with an anonymously obtained installer. I install and update in a VM, with Internet connectivity through a nested VPN chain. Then I clone the VM, and work in the clone, with *.microsoft.com blocked. When necessary, I update another fresh clone. Then I clone that, and securely transfer files from the first clone. That way, Microsoft never sees anything except for a clean install, and has no PII to track.
      - deleted 8y ago
        [deleted]
- nasredin 8y ago
  IME DNS based blocking on the router works great. And yes, you do need a software rule based blocker to supplement IP blocking. Most ads come from a few sources, that's why hosts based blocking has been effective since 2000s.
gruez 8y ago
pi-hole is worse at adblocking than browser based adblockers (ublock origin, abp, etc.) because they can only block on domains. so it can't block ads such as somesite.example/ads/banner1.jpg or somecdn.example/adcompany/ads.js it also can't block inline ads such as those in google search results.
- wolrah 8y ago
  Exactly. DNS-based blocking is basically using an oversize hammer to drive nails. It works in some cases, but eventually you're going to run in to either false positives or false negatives depending on how it's configured. It's basically only actually useful for locked down platforms like certain fruit-flavored mobile devices that don't allow their users to install a proper ad blocker. If you use platforms that respect their users' choices of software you don't need it.
  - gruez 8y ago
    >It's basically only actually useful for locked down platforms like certain fruit-flavored mobile devices that don't allow their users to install a proper ad blocker not even. https://developer.apple.com/library/archive/documentation/General/Conceptual/ExtensibilityPG/ContentBlocker.html https://developer.apple.com/library/archive/documentation/Ge... https://www.google.com/search?q=site%3Aitunes.apple.com+adblocker https://www.google.com/search?q=site%3Aitunes.apple.com+adbl...
    - ripdog 8y ago
      Doesn't work in apps, and how much time do you spend in your mobile browser these days? I don't think most people use it much if at all.
smileypete 8y ago
I just use UBlock to block third party frames which helps block malware: https://github.com/gorhill/uBlock/wiki/Dynamic-filtering:-Benefits-of-blocking-3rd-party-iframe-tags https://github.com/gorhill/uBlock/wiki/Dynamic-filtering:-Be...

by Tiki 8y ago

Self-hosted DNS solution with an easy setup and a nice web GUI to manage it. https://pi-hole.net/ https://pi-hole.net/ https://github.com/pi-hole/pi-hole https://github.com/pi-hole/pi-hole

tw04 8y ago

Pi-hole has made some pretty poor blocking choices in the past, so use at your own risk. For instance, they randomly decided to block *.microsoft.com - you can imagine the chaos that caused.

driverdan 8y ago
Only chaos if you run Windows. I wouldn't even notice if it was blocked.
- tw04 8y ago
  Right, so only chaos for 99%+ of the corporations in the US...
- gruez 8y ago
  >Only chaos if you run Windows so breaking 80+% (being a bit conservative here) of people's computers is okay?
  - yjftsjthsd-h 8y ago
    The relevant question is whether it's 80% of people who are using pihole; that number is probably still pretty high, but lower than the average population I expect.
- larkeith 8y ago
  > Only chaos if you run Windows Or develop for Windows, or have a client who uses Windows, or neer to access any of the documentation on MSDN, or...
mirimir 8y ago
Sure, it would be chaos if you expect everything to just work out OK. But if you defang Windows 10 properly, it doesn't need to reach Microsoft servers. That is, blocking is a supplementary measure. When I last used Windows, you could host updates locally. And I believe that Microsoft actually recommended that for large firms.
- wolrah 8y ago
  > But if you defang Windows 10 properly, it doesn't need to reach Microsoft servers. Something has to get the updates in the first place, even with the local P2P sharing. If you're one of those "I never update my Windows install" people at this point you're beyond hope..
  - craftyguy 8y ago
    Don't assume everyone uses windows.
  - mirimir 8y ago
    Yes, but the server that gets and shares those updates need contain no PII. I do not trust Microsoft. And so, when I need to use Windows 10, I do it in a very careful way. I start with an anonymously obtained installer. I install and update in a VM, with Internet connectivity through a nested VPN chain. Then I clone the VM, and work in the clone, with *.microsoft.com blocked. When necessary, I update another fresh clone. Then I clone that, and securely transfer files from the first clone. That way, Microsoft never sees anything except for a clean install, and has no PII to track.
    - deleted 8y ago
      [deleted]
nasredin 8y ago
IME DNS based blocking on the router works great. And yes, you do need a software rule based blocker to supplement IP blocking. Most ads come from a few sources, that's why hosts based blocking has been effective since 2000s.

gruez 8y ago

pi-hole is worse at adblocking than browser based adblockers (ublock origin, abp, etc.) because they can only block on domains. so it can't block ads such as somesite.example/ads/banner1.jpg or somecdn.example/adcompany/ads.js it also can't block inline ads such as those in google search results.

wolrah 8y ago
Exactly. DNS-based blocking is basically using an oversize hammer to drive nails. It works in some cases, but eventually you're going to run in to either false positives or false negatives depending on how it's configured. It's basically only actually useful for locked down platforms like certain fruit-flavored mobile devices that don't allow their users to install a proper ad blocker. If you use platforms that respect their users' choices of software you don't need it.
- gruez 8y ago
  >It's basically only actually useful for locked down platforms like certain fruit-flavored mobile devices that don't allow their users to install a proper ad blocker not even. https://developer.apple.com/library/archive/documentation/General/Conceptual/ExtensibilityPG/ContentBlocker.html https://developer.apple.com/library/archive/documentation/Ge... https://www.google.com/search?q=site%3Aitunes.apple.com+adblocker https://www.google.com/search?q=site%3Aitunes.apple.com+adbl...
  - ripdog 8y ago
    Doesn't work in apps, and how much time do you spend in your mobile browser these days? I don't think most people use it much if at all.

smileypete 8y ago

I just use UBlock to block third party frames which helps block malware: https://github.com/gorhill/uBlock/wiki/Dynamic-filtering:-Benefits-of-blocking-3rd-party-iframe-tags https://github.com/gorhill/uBlock/wiki/Dynamic-filtering:-Be...