I’ve used Pi-Hole before, and I had to troubleshoot in a few instances when I was traveling away from home. I stopped using it to simplify my setup.
The ideal setup I want to try is to have something like AdGuard Home at the Router. My current setup on our devices already has AdGuard App running with NextDNS as the DNS Resolver. This setup works pretty well while connecting to any network. NextDNS handles the DNS, while AdGuad AdBlocker works well with the client side on all browsers.
I am using NextDNS [0], which also integrates well within Tailscale across all my devices.
Or are you looking for a solution that works offline within OpenWRT, without relying on third parties?
It appears that there are AdBlock packages available for OpenWRT[1].
I, not yet wanting particularly to extricate myself from Chrome, use Ublock Origin Lite. It works about as well as the original (although it's less good with paywalls and blocking individual site elements, by which I mean 'not good at all'.) If you can and don't already I would try to replace as much as you can with RSS (which is also really good with paywalls - I use feeder.co and it lets me get around the Atlantic's paywall. Its privacy policy is here: https://feeder.co/help/legal/privacy-policy/. It's hosted in Sweden, in the EU, for what that's worth.)
But as you might have figured out from my use of Chrome, I'm mostly ok with the fact that Google knows everything about me. So I'm probably not the best person to ask.
- Pi-Hole can run on OpenWRT if your router is powerful enough, on a Linux box, in a Docker container, and on a Synology. You don't need a Raspberry Pi to run it.
If you are serious about network side blocking do tls interception (lmao) but that is a lot of maintenance, adds other attack surface and the average openwrt device isn't beefy enough for such things.
Firefox and Ublock Origin against ads.
There is cooler stuff for Openwrt.
Mesh nets between friends, to share internal services.
Just tinkering with and learning about network stuff.
Adding ipv6 to tunnel if isp doesn't support. Having Wifi whose autochannel doesn't suck.
Dual Antennas -> Sword fighting.
Only fun with multiple devices and dabbling with mesh mode or throughput maxing.
In ax dual channel 40mhz +160mhz bandwidth the throughput is faster than some cables.
I’ve used Pi-Hole before, and I had to troubleshoot in a few instances when I was traveling away from home. I stopped using it to simplify my setup.
The ideal setup I want to try is to have something like AdGuard Home at the Router. My current setup on our devices already has AdGuard App running with NextDNS as the DNS Resolver. This setup works pretty well while connecting to any network. NextDNS handles the DNS, while AdGuad AdBlocker works well with the client side on all browsers.
Issues pop up occasionally when the OS gets upgraded, but they are bearable. https://brajeshwar.com/2024/i-block-ads/
Ignorant question: what ad blocking is required outside of your browser to require anything more than something like ublock?
Mobile apps show ads and use trackers, for instance.
[Blocky](https://0xerr0r.github.io/blocky/latest/) + uBlock Origin with OISD blocklists (https://oisd.nl/) and Hagezi Blocklists (https://github.com/hagezi/dns-blocklists)
I haven't looked at pihole once after I discovered adguard home.
https://openwrt.org/docs/guide-user/services/dns/adguard-hom...
I am using NextDNS [0], which also integrates well within Tailscale across all my devices. Or are you looking for a solution that works offline within OpenWRT, without relying on third parties? It appears that there are AdBlock packages available for OpenWRT[1].
[0] https://nextdns.io [1] https://github.com/openwrt/packages/blob/master/net/adblock/...
I, not yet wanting particularly to extricate myself from Chrome, use Ublock Origin Lite. It works about as well as the original (although it's less good with paywalls and blocking individual site elements, by which I mean 'not good at all'.) If you can and don't already I would try to replace as much as you can with RSS (which is also really good with paywalls - I use feeder.co and it lets me get around the Atlantic's paywall. Its privacy policy is here: https://feeder.co/help/legal/privacy-policy/. It's hosted in Sweden, in the EU, for what that's worth.)
But as you might have figured out from my use of Chrome, I'm mostly ok with the fact that Google knows everything about me. So I'm probably not the best person to ask.
Iridium browser with Ublock Origin on my Mac and Wipr with Safari on my phone.
I don’t use an ad blocker on any device.
Despite claims to the contrary by people here on HN, it’s fine.
- Pi-Hole can run on OpenWRT if your router is powerful enough, on a Linux box, in a Docker container, and on a Synology. You don't need a Raspberry Pi to run it.
- Look at https://nextdns.io as an alternative.
- I use uBlock Origin and NextDNS at home.
1. Fallback Adblock DNS Server (root)
2. pi-hole
3. Firefox with ublock origin
4. wireguard VPN
Pi-Hole is not a option, since I don't have one laying around.
Why not buy one?
Firefox + uBlock Origin works well for me! It's all I use.
Brave browser, Mullvad/Proton, uBlock Origin, Privacy Badger, AdBlock, Cookie Auto Delete
It sounds like a small network with no need to block outbound 53.
Nextdns.io for out-of-the-box if you can’t run pi-hole.
I just use Brave. It works on my phone.
and Chrome for Google integration.
Don't waste your time with dns adblocking.
If you are serious about network side blocking do tls interception (lmao) but that is a lot of maintenance, adds other attack surface and the average openwrt device isn't beefy enough for such things.
Firefox and Ublock Origin against ads.
There is cooler stuff for Openwrt. Mesh nets between friends, to share internal services. Just tinkering with and learning about network stuff. Adding ipv6 to tunnel if isp doesn't support. Having Wifi whose autochannel doesn't suck.
Dual Antennas -> Sword fighting. Only fun with multiple devices and dabbling with mesh mode or throughput maxing. In ax dual channel 40mhz +160mhz bandwidth the throughput is faster than some cables.
Pihole with like 2 million blocked domains, no major social media use, wireguard on mobile, Brave browser, don't watch TV
Either ublock origin with all filter lists checked
Ghostery with ad-blocking, anti-tracking and Never Consent enabled with Fanboy's Annoyance List added to custom filters
Mullvad DNS
https://mullvad.net/en/help/dns-over-https-and-dns-over-tls
You do not need all filter lists checked in uBlock. Maybe 3 or 4 + what it gives you out of the box.