cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/36657058
I’m just sharing here this app I use always on my phone, and I don’t see many people talking about it.
It’s similar to DuckDuckGo app feature that block trackers across all the device, but this one is focused only on that, it also allows you to add your custom tracker URLs to block and monitor every request being made.
It’s open source and available on F-Droid: https://f-droid.org/packages/dev.clombardo.dnsnet/
GitHub: https://github.com/t895/DNSNetIt enables a VPN to intercept requests, so it can block URLs of trackers across all your apps. The app provides a list of URLs as you open it for the first time, you can choose a few options between less or more aggressive.
Obs.: The app don’t tell, but when you add a custom URL you need to disable and enable it again.
It’s certainly an option. My personal approach is with RethinkDNS, with the Wireguard functionality switched on (using my Mullvad VPN within Wireguard) and using local / On Device blocklists from the Rethink selection box. Not too challenging to set up and pretty much set and forget. I like the PiHole options, but never have got around to it.
Than you guys need to try Rethink it’s ad blocker on steroids. You can use rethink with a actual VPN, tor Block direct connection with IP address And many more
Wireguard and PiHole. Set the Wireguard routing to the local network IPs of your homelab, and you get the same setup.
I’ve run the duckduckgo version of this for years but only recently found out you can get most of this functionality natively in android (android 13 for me) by setting a private DNS as shown in the below image. My duckduckgo app tracking protection does still catch attempts but it’s basically just google now, instead of dozens of companies before.
I found this was returning localised results from the other side of the planet, so I kept connecting to slow servers when more local ones were available. I ended up rolling my own from home. The only problem is there’s no way to do access control so I just have to hope not too many find it.
Do. Not. Open. Port. 53. To. The. Internet.
Just Don’t.
I suggest installing PiVPN (on your Pi) if you want PiHole awesomeness on the go.
I didn’t open port 53. It’s DoT.
Even then, it took some extra effort to ensure it didn’t return internal network addresses from the outside.
Like you ended up doing a PiHole at home? I’m surprised there’s no access control. I was on the verge of setting that or Adguard home up for myself but realized using Adguard’s public servers is effectively the same thing, just without the extra privacy of hosting at home.
Not quite pihole. I just slapped Lowe’s adlist on BIND9.
- Using this will take the place of a VPN
- Most VPNs have this functionality baked in
- Don’t use this
This is my favorite app that I never got to use but inspired me to learn how to do DNS configurations to work with traditional VPN’s like Mullvad and iVPN. They have built in DNS filters that are putrid compared to DNSNet. But a DNS can’t run on its own so it casts itself like a VPN so the system runs through it and the DNS then filters the system of trackers. If you don’t think you need this and it’s just Greek then download App Warden and run a scan. That ain’t normal Comrade. Stop normalizing the end. Anyways I strayed. When the DNS casts itself as a VPN it prevents real VPN’s from connecting, leaving your IP vulnerable. No tor, no VPN. So I discovered NextDNS and after a month I learned how to use private DNS in the connection settings of Android to point it to NextDNS and then how to configure the custom DNS option in my VPN (Mulvad) to also point to NextDNS. Then I setup tor in the background. I hope this helps someone skip a month of work and can focus that time on being happy. Sorry I can’t direct you to each step I talked about. It was a LOT of work.
I’ve been using TrackerControl, using basically the same idea and concept, and been very happy with it. Having app-level control over what gets blocked is very convenient.
The only downside to this approach is that you can’t use a real VPN anymore, as android only allows one at a time.
Same. Is there any advantage to DNSNet over TrackerControl?
I used to use an app with what I assume is a similar method. I had to turn it off to use my VPN but otherwise liked it. Giving this guy a go
Can anyone tell me if this filters HTTPS requests?
That’s one feature that keeps me using Adguard, and it makes a huge difference to the filtering ability/quality.
It’s DNS. That runs outside TLS.
I’m not sure but I suppose it does since it’s a local VPN, it log all requests being made, why wouldn’t it block https?
The way AdGuard does it, is it has you install a certificate on your phone, which then allows you to block ads and trackers within HTTPS pipelines. If you don’t do that, then it can only block HTTP requests, which tends to be pretty low quality filtering. In addition, I also enable DNS blocking through AdGuard DNS service, so it’s kind of like blanket coverage.
I haven’t honestly found anything that does the same thing, or at least not at the same level of quality. So I’m always curious to see if something new has come out that can reach this level of filtering performance.
No I think not, but reading the README of DNSNet they mention Rethink, I tried it here and I think it might work similar to AdGuard. https://rethinkdns.com/
Rethink DNS exclusively uses DNS over HTTPS or DNS over TLS to encrypt and secure your DNS queries.
Rethink also has Tor built in as a proxy. If you use signal you can change to the open-source Molly and then route Molly through Tor. Then good fucking luck collecting info. Then also good luck having anyone to talk to. But otherwise yes Rethink is better.
