yashsingh1/xdaforums huggingface dataset:
[Android Apps and Games] zgfg:
In DNS66 you set your own hosts sources, just like in AdAway.

The only difference between AdAway is that DNS66 does not write into the local etc/hosts file (local DNS resolver) but it resolves on-the-fly by exploiting Android's VPN feature.

Advantages:

-you can simply Stop/Start or update (edit hosts sources list, white/black list) DNS66, without the need to restart phone (like when changing AdAway configuration)

-DNS66 allows also whitelisting particular apps (not blocking any cites for those apps)

Dissadvantages:

-you need AdAway basically only to (periodically and/or upon reboot) update etc/hosts file (otherwise AdAway can be stopped, bcs it already added sites to block to the hosts file).

However, DNS66 (or Blokada, similar app also exploiting VPN for resolving ad sites to local, unrootable address) service must he constantly running.

But it does not eat battery a lot. On some phones you cannot properly configure autostart on reboot or background running, in which case you must manually Start DNS66

-Android allows only a single VPN connection at a time. If you have apps (eg work apps) requiring their own VPNs, you must whitelist such apps from DNS66 (in that case, DNS66 will not block ad sites in those apps)

-I have found a particular public WiFi hotspot in my town, where I can not connect with DNS66 (with AdAway it works fine - I'm using completely the same hosts sources for both). I have inspected logs and whitelistef their URL but it did'nt help. By inspecting logs found that DNS66 does not allow particular IPv6 header in the redirect packet at the time of opening Web Accept page (hence whitelisting cannot help). Annoying for me bcs I must mannually Stop DNS66, then connect to that WiFi hotspot, then I can Start DNS66 again It takes just few clicks and couple of seconds, and I encountered only for that single public WiFi hotspot

---

EDIT:

If you are use private DNS dns.adguard.com (as mentioned/adviced in the recent posts), you don't need any app (to install, run in the background, etc) but you can also not configure your hosts sources, white/black list, etc.

You depend on the maintainers of that DNS server, which ad/analytic/etc sites they add to to be blocked by their DNS server
[Android Apps and Games] :
Thanks, but I said Adguard, not Adaway.
[Android Apps and Games] zgfg:
See my just updated (EDIT part at the end) answer above
[Android Apps and Games] :
Ah, I meant Adguard as the app. I installed on my wife's phone because I didn't want to unlock it, and it seems to be doing _something_, but I can't really tell much.

The DNS might just be the most elegant solution. I'll check it out.
[Android Apps and Games] zgfg:
Private DNS setting is actually in the Wireless and network (!) settings menu (eg, Huawei Android/EMUI 9 as on the screenshot), hence not affecting WiFi connections only but also Mobile Data (GPRS, UMTS, LTE), therefore blocking ads for both
[Android Apps and Games] Ultramanoid:
Not sure why you're quoting me -- I know, using CloudFlare myself usually. ( 1dot1dot1dot1.cloudflare-dns.com )
[Android Apps and Games] Wolfcity:
Just a (maybe) related question:

I have a similar problem as [MENTION=7786725]zgfg[/MENTION] but when using the Cloudflare DNS4magisk module I can't connect to some public WiFi hotspots, the connection dialogue just doesn't appear. Any idea why this happens? I didn't do any logging until know, I just disable the module/s when I want to connect. No big deal, it's not that often but maybe one of you guys has an idea.

The devices are running android 7.1 and 8.1, both with Adaway.
[Android Apps and Games] Ultramanoid:
Can't help as I don't use Magisk, but Lineage's native su. I apply CloudFlare's URL directly on Android's settings, and haven't had issues, but also I wouldn't really know as I never use public WiFi. I guess we're really off-topic by now anyway.
[Android Apps and Games] molitar:
I am still getting ads from apps like Weather. I am using Magisk so used the option of Magisk Systemless. What could be wrong?
[Android Apps and Games] guhvanoh:
Clearing the cache of the weather app. Stop it, clear cache, start it.
[Android Apps and Games] ktmom:
A similar response from earlier in the thread.
[Android Apps and Games] :
Speaking of Adguard DNS again, wouldn't it slow the networking a little? I mean you connect to your operator's servers which are few tens of km from you, but using custom DNS that's most likely located in the U.S., wouldn't that theoretically pose a problem?
[Android Apps and Games] Ultramanoid:
There are DNS servers spread throughout the world. You would use the closest to you in principle. CloudFlare has them all over in many cities in many countries to give an example, and if they do their job well, DNS will resolve faster than with a different service, like your own ISP for instance. I know this is the case for me.
[Android Apps and Games] ffejy462:
Theoretically, it's the opposite. No ads to download and load. Realistically, imperceptible difference either way. Screenshots from my previous post had a tiny difference, but I'd guess if I'd run the test a few times, it would end up being a meaningless variable.
[Android Apps and Games] knpk13:
I didn't have to use this workaround on my previous ROM (LOS 16) since I never got ads in chrome. But now I'm on LOS 17, and even after following those steps, I'm still getting ads in chrome and webview. Did something change in Android 10?
[Android Apps and Games] zgfg:
Have you checked if AdAway was able to write to the hosts file - if not, you must enable systemless hosts, see previous discussions

---------- Post added at 10:03 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:54 PM ----------

Yes, setting dns.adguard.com for a private DNS is the most easy way - but unfortunately I already encountered a problem:

On one WiFi hotspot dns requests to outside were blocked.

As a result, I was unable to resolve any domain name and effectively, I was blocked to open any site - hence while staying that day on the guest hotspot in the company I was visiting, I had to disable private DNS
[Android Apps and Games] fidanzata:
Anyone know how to block adchoice?
[Android Apps and Games] androcraze:
This isn't helpful?:

https://xdaforums.com/showpost.php?p=65742111&postcount=5548
[Android Apps and Games] ktmom:
In addition to the above link, you can always use the Log DNS feature to find block-able DNS calls any app is making.
[Android Apps and Games] knpk13:
Yes, the magisk module and the systemless hosts option are enabled.
[Android Apps and Games] Ultramanoid:
I don't dispute all you say, and agree with much of it. But again, giving my own example and from other people around me, our only internet connection is the ISP provided LTE sim card. And more and more, I don't know if the majority by now at least around here, certainly for new contracts live and work that way. NTT stands literally begging clients to sign up for landlines pop up here and there every so often, absolutely desperate to tie people's internet to a physical room again. That ship has sailed.

When a laptop is needed, we tether to the smartphone. At home we had fiber until 2011, when it was obvious LTE was a better choice and we were wasting money, even as a ( useless, as it turned out ) backup in a catastrophic event. LTE towers never faltered once through weeks of massive quakes, tsunami, nuclear meltdown, and each one of us had independent reliable internet on our own person regardless of location or possible ongoing blackout. All this to explain what I meant by not really understanding people when they say 'mobile data'... Of course I do know about the technical difference and OS details.

My particular ISP is blocking some international domains I need for work using their DNS resolvers, and thus I use the simplest workaround, which is setting CloudFlare as default directly in Android settings. As a side effect turns out to be faster as well. Yes, there are a million different Android versions, devices, etc. I can guarantee in all of mine this works perfectly. I do run my own build based on Lineage, fully rooted and so it won't compare exactly to what other people have and use, but I stand by my reply of why wouldn't it work. It does for me and my co-workers who also use CloudFlare for the same reason.

Hosts file as well, getting back to what this thread is about. If my ISP prevented me from setting my own hosts file or DNS server, I certainly would switch to another ISP. But barring that arguably user-hostile and intrusive act from an ISP I don't think that the type of connection needs to be a problem, as long as one knows how to set it up.

Edit : Forgot the essential as pointed by others, I'm speaking of Android 9+ and not older versions.
[Android Apps and Games] VincentJoshuaET:
This says otherwise:
[Android Apps and Games] VincentJoshuaET:
This is the Private DNS set to Automatic:
[Android Apps and Games] DiamondJohn:
What I am disputing is the DNS server settings on a WiFi connection.

On my Oreo ROM, the Private DNS setting is not available in settings.
[Android Apps and Games] zgfg:
Wrong - on my stock Pie firmwares (both EMUI and MIUI), Private DNS as entered under WiFi and Networks, applies to ALL WiFi and Mobile Data connections

I'm using and tested both on Huawei Mate 9 and Xiaomi Mi 9T, both with their corresponding stock Pie firmwares.

Private DNS as set under WiFi and Networks applies to both WiFi and Mobile Data.

To all WiFi and to both Mobile Data connections (Mate 9 is dual SIM phone, I can switch to Mobile Internet on eiither of them)

DNS server as set for Private DNS is forced and used over the DNS servers obtained by DHCP for particular WiFi or Mobile Data connections

EDIT: Just retested once again on my Mate 9:

-Set bbb.bbb.com (no such DNS server) , for Private DNS and I was unable to resolve and open any symbolic link (like bookmarks in browser), both on WiFi (on two different WiFi networks I bave at home - they go via two different Internet providers) and over both my two SIMs (different Mobile providers - both are LTE but I have additionally tested with 3G by disabling 4G)

-Disabled Private DNS and retested on both the two home WiFi networks and both my two Mobile connections, Internet worked fine but with ads (eg in Chrome)

- Set Private DNS to dns.adguard.com and retested again over the same four networks and ads were blocked as expected (ofc, I do have additional settings applied in Chrome, as was described earlier)

See also responses by [MENTION=7515910]VincentJoshuaET[/MENTION] and [MENTION=7134312]knpk13[/MENTION], they prove the same (that one and single Private DNS setting supercedes DNS servers obtained by DHCP for both and all WiFi and Mobile Internet connections).

Of course, you might be using some custom ROM, with a different/custom implementation of DNS settings

---------- Post added at 09:37 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:27 AM ----------

I don't have Private DNS setting either on Huawei P9, stock Oreo (heard the setting was added to Android since Pie)

Even on Xiaomi Mi 9T, stock Pie, Private DNS setting is not present but there is an app Hidden MIUI settings (available on Playstore, root not required) which extends the WiFi and Networks settings with the Private DNS, and that way it works as described
[Android Apps and Games] knpk13:
This was added in Pie, and is present in Android 10 as well. It is a global DNS setting, for all connections, one of the benefits being that you don't have to enter DNS settings all over again for each individual WiFi network you connect to.

I used private DNS in Pie with Adaway with no issues. On Android 10 however, I can't seem to figure out this non blocking behavior in chrome even after following all the workarounds.
[Android Apps and Games] zgfg:
Sorry for OT but since there were 'authoritative' but in fact wrong disputes over the Private DNS, below are links from Internet (Google is also everybody's friend):

https://www.androidpolice.com/2019/12/14/make-android-use-dns-server-choice/

https://digicular.com/private-dns-over-tls-android/

https://medium.com/@nykolas.z/changing-your-dns-on-android-14950a1b7050

Highlights:

- Private DNS is new setting, introduced with Pie.

- One and single Private DNS setting applies to all WiFi and Mobile Internet connections (all interfaces).

So this is (relatively) NEW and DIFFERENT than the DNS settings in Oreo and older (and therefore users with older Android versions may have different 'opinions'?).

Citations:

>>Google introduced Private DNS in Android Pie v9, which lets you easily configure your DNS for your whole Android device. With Private DNS option, you can set a DNS server for all of your Wi-Fi and Mobile networks at one place rather than changing it one by one for each

>>Android 8.1 Oreo and older

On older versions of Android, the official way to change your DNS server is to manually enter it in each of your network connections (both Wi-Fi and cellular)...

IMO, we can happily close this topic
[Android Apps and Games] :
I didn't see this mentioned yet but that host file preview looks like a mess. Did you set IPv4 and IPv6 Redirecting to 0.0.0.0 and ::1 manually in Adaway Preferences? Can you try that?

Did you enable IPv6 in Preferences?

Can you try removing all your host sources and adding only this one: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/jerryn70/GoodbyeAds/master/Hosts/GoodbyeAds.txt

(note: this source blocks graph.facebook.com, blocking a lot of FB-related ad servings but also breaking FB and FBMessenger from working properly).
[Android Apps and Games] ktmom:
I'm not sure why you hosts file "looks a mess". It's very similar to mine.

That's so much off topic in this thread I may have missed it, so sorry if you have already answered this:

Is the ad leakage happening on both Wi-Fi and mobile data? Is it on every app or just certain ones?

If you attempt to access one of those sources in your hosts file through a browser, do you get an unreachable error?
[Android Apps and Games] jcmm11:
Host file looks fine. Enabling ipv6 may help, looks like he hasn't done that.

Note that if you're using 0.0.0.0 you probably want to use :: rather than ::1 (::1 is equivalent to 127.0.0.1)
[Android Apps and Games] ffejy462:
Just to clarify. All device only data. I incorrectly assumed devices connected by hotspot would enjoy this setting, but apparently devices connected by hotspot completely circumvent private DNS (and VPN ) settings. Regardless, the private DNS is an incredibly handy feature.
[Android Apps and Games] zgfg:
<and others who participated in the story>

If I follow the history correctly, [MENTION=7134312]knpk13[/MENTION] originally complained (asked) how to block ads particularly in Chrome browser and on Android 10 - please correct me if wrong
[Android Apps and Games] x.trinity:
What is the best compilation host file?

Can you guys share with me?

I have some oldish, from the last year, it can't be imported into AdAway host list anymore.
[Android Apps and Games] ktmom:
That's kinda like asking what is the best phone ;)

My answer is one of the Steven Black hosts sources (main page, scroll down and read the "readme.md"). Choose whichever which combination file suits your needs.

If you go back to this following post, there are images which should help.
[Android Apps and Games] bikramzungkarki:
what is the advantage of using systemless host ?
[Android Apps and Games] ktmom:
For quite awhile now, devices have been unable to accept OTA updates if the system (or vendor, ect) partition is so much as mounted once, much less written to. Systemless root was developed to work around these issues.

Magisk took this a step further by facilitating mirror partitions where things like the hosts file can be written to data but the system sees the file as existing in its normal /system/etc/ path.

As of A10, with the full implementation of system-as-root (SAR), it is no longer possible to write to the system partition so using a systemless solution is the only possibility.
[Android Apps and Games] drewcu:
Within the last day or so, the CNN app has been broken by AdAway's lists. If I disable AdAway, the CNN app works fine. With it enabled, I get "Unknown Error, Try Again."

I have tried whitelisting *cnn* and *turner* but either I need to be more explicit like *cnn.com* or there is something else on the hosts file that is blocking the CNN app.

Thoughts? Thanks!
[Android Apps and Games] ktmom:
There's a feature for that [emoji6] How to Log DNS Requests
[Android Apps and Games] zgfg:
Just adding that for Huawei, SAR is already imposed by Pie, EMUI 9.1 ( making the Systemless hosts mandatory)

Plus one comment:

If you e.g. flash stock Boot/Ramdisk/Recovery (whatever applies to your platform), you loose root (dirty way, but people do it sometimes to circumvent bootloop), however:

- With systemless hosts you are automatically back to your original hosts file (no more blocking ads)

- But without systemless hosts, your hosts file still remains as it was last time updated by AdAway (still blocking ads).

Because in the second case AdAway writes to the real hosts file, in the first case it does not
[Android Apps and Games] drewcu:
Super helpful - thanks!

For those with the same CNN app issue, I needed to white-list BOTH:

1) config.outturner.com

2) geolocation.onetrust.com

I do now see at least 1 ad on CNN but the trade-off is the app works so far...
[Android Apps and Games] PerfectSlayer:
I did not properly introduce [MENTION=1813256]jawz101[/MENTION] yet because I was waiting for him/her to accept but he/she did a very good work with de AdAdaway host file.

It wasn't update for a long time now and he/she offers to help the project with a beautiful and up-to-date list!

I did help by providing some tooling to sort/format the hosts file but all credits go to him/her :highfive:

So yes, you could encounter some changes since yesterday.

He/she has write access on GitHub so fell free to report any trouble you could have on the GitHub project.
[Android Apps and Games] knpk13:
Not to nitpick, but I generally find it easier to use they/them when their gender is unknown so there's no slashes. Plus it has the benefit of including non binary people.
[Android Apps and Games] PerfectSlayer:
I must admit I was embarrassed when I wrote the post… I am not native english speaker and the gender neutral form isn't simple to use.

It feels strange to use "they" when you are referring to a specific person but thanks for the tip! :good:
[Android Apps and Games] ktmom:
Sorry, going OT, but us old native English (American) speakers struggle with gender neutral/non-binary. That's despite millennial children correcting us all the time [emoji4]
[Android Apps and Games] ffejy462:
Isn't English great? We use a plural of a pronoun as singular just because gender is unknown or undefined. ? Wait until you read a biographical article about one person, but they insist on being referred to they or them instead of he, she, him, or her. It's hard to read after a few sentences. Especially if the author is trying to distinguish between the person and, for example, a group of people that the person belongs to. Then you aren't sure if they refers to the person or the group.
[Android Apps and Games] knpk13:
That's the best we have, since English does not provide a separate singular gender neutral pronoun. "Normal" languages can be harder than programming languages sometimes lol. I often think that English is popular because of historical reasons (England invaded a bunch of countries), and not any particular linguistic reasons. Just like how you could think of correct grammar as being the linguistic habits of the powerful. Not sure how accurate that is, but its kinda neat to put it like that haha.
[Android Apps and Games] jawz101:
I'm a guy.

Looking at the onetrust and turner domains right now. I can understand the turner.com one coming off but the onetrust is on both MVPS and StevenBlack's hosts files as well. The type of business that they are tends to make me think they fall under the tracking category but since I tested and saw the breakage I went ahead and removed them. It looks like it is tied into checking your location and prompting for some sort of privacy consent laws for your country

further info:

https://github.com/Zentrust

https://docs.mparticle.com/integrations/onetrust/event/

https://www.virustotal.com/gui/domain/geolocation.onetrust.com/relations

https://www.onetrust.com/products/mobile-app-consent/

Since they're to mParticle (an analytics sdk) it kinda bugs me but oh well.

It's nice to see feedback. My list had some people looking at it but this will have a lot more eyes on it to fix things.

I don't check XDA as much as I used to so if you have github access, using the issue tracker might get a quicker response.
[Android Apps and Games] ceptic01:
Hi All, I was wondering if someone could tell me how to whitelist i.ktplay.com/app/id101996 ? On the weekend images on the forum stopped loading. When I disable Adaway images load normally. I've logged the DNS and attempted to whitelist *ktplay.com* but it doesn't help. Cheers
[Android Apps and Games] ktmom:
Just a few posts back ;)
[Android Apps and Games] ktmom:
I realized that you said you whitelisted a domain. There must be other domains that are affecting the app. Try whitelisting every call made when you open the app. Make sure to follow the instructions on that previously linked page, including disabling Adaway while logging.
[Android Apps and Games] pijas82:
I can't install, last magisk Android 10 du , op3/t

Delete, fix

Thanks
[Android Apps and Games] guest4711:
Enable systemless hosts on MagiskManager. Then retry after rebooting..
[Android Apps and Games] zgfg:
On Android 10 System is Read only and Systemless host must be used in Magisk - are you using (read the previous posts)
[Android Apps and Games] manojtpoulose:
Can someone help me, I have enabled adblock , but then I didn't able to download Anything, for example if I click some link from XDA website on chrome or other browser, I got some error like

redirect.viglink.com
[Android Apps and Games] daywalk3r666:
add this to your whitelist

*viglink.com
[Android Apps and Games] no1089:
api.particle.io is blocked; please whitelist

Hi,

I am a developer support engineer at particle.io. Since about a week ago our api.particle.io was added to your list. Can you please remove it?

Many of our users employ PiHole and your blocklist is preventing them from logging in.

Kind regards,

Chris
[Android Apps and Games] androcraze:
The blocking is coming from:

http://sbc.io/hosts/hosts

AdAway has nothing to do with the generation of that lists of hosts.

I'd contact the list maintainer at:

steveb@stevenblack.com

If you have issues.
[Android Apps and Games] no1089:
Steven pointed us at AdAway as the source and refused to help unless AdAway removes the URL.

api. particle .io was part of PR13: AdAway/adaway .github. io/pull/13 and can be found here: AdAway/adaway .github. io/blob/master/hosts .txt line 13936.

I can't post links yet; so add github. com to the beginning of the links mentioned above and remove the spaces
[Android Apps and Games] nansah:
I'm having trouble connecting to TopBuzz app & I've tried all the various means explained here such as log DNS request but to no avail.

Can someone please help me with the whitelist for the TopBuzz app?

Thanks!
[Android Apps and Games] cnjax:
Just use dns request logging and whitelist. Simple
[Android Apps and Games] nansah:
I already tried that but couldn't figure it out, whitelisted so many but still not working unless Adaway is turned off.
[Android Apps and Games] ktmom:
*.isnssdk.com

BTW, [MENTION=4201835]cnjax[/MENTION] was responding to a different user [emoji6]