Ask HN: What ist your AdBlock strategy?

Hacker News Discussion ↗

Ad blocking on today’s web spans everything from simple browser extensions to complex, network-wide DNS filtering setups. Contributors compare tools like uBlock Origin, Pi‑hole, AdGuard Home, NextDNS, and ControlD, weighing convenience, latency, and reliability against coverage for mobile apps, smart devices, and privacy needs. A common pattern is “defense in depth” (browser + DNS‑level blocking), tempered by practical concerns such as broken banking or streaming sites, device compatibility, and, for some, a preference to pay for ad‑free tiers instead of blocking.

Overall Strategies

  • Many use a layered approach: browser extension (e.g., uBlock Origin) + DNS/network-level blocking (Pi-hole, AdGuard Home, NextDNS, Control D, Blocky, pfBlockerNG, DNSCrypt-proxy, etc.).
  • Some rely solely on browser-level blocking; others go “defence in depth” with router firewalls, hosts files, VPNs, and device-local filters.

Browser-Level Blocking

  • Firefox + uBlock Origin is the most-cited combo; uBlock alone is often considered sufficient and more reliable than Pi-hole for some.
  • Other popular browsers: Brave (built-in blocking, often combined with uBlock), Safari with Wipr/Ka-Block/AdGuard, Chromium forks (Ungoogled, Librewolf, Floorp, Orion, Mullvad browser).
  • Some warn against stacking too many extensions with uBlock due to redundancy or possible interference.
  • Script blockers (NoScript, uMatrix) used by a minority for very strict control; some simply disable JavaScript entirely and avoid sites that break.

Network/DNS-Level Blocking

  • Pi-hole is common but often misunderstood: it doesn’t require a Raspberry Pi, can run on OpenWRT, VMs, Docker, mini-PCs.
  • Alternatives: AdGuard Home, Blocky, DNSCrypt-proxy with unified blocklists, pfSense/pfBlockerNG, router-integrated OpenWRT adblock packages.
  • Third‑party DNS: NextDNS, AdGuard DNS, Control D, Mullvad DNS, Quad9, Cloudflare, often combined with VPNs (WireGuard, Tailscale, Zerotier).
  • Experiences with NextDNS are mixed: some praise logging, profiles for kids, and stability; others report broken clients on Apple platforms and poor support.

Performance, Reliability, and UX

  • Large blocklists on weak routers can add noticeable latency; some move DNS filtering to more powerful hardware or VPSs.
  • Caching and resolver choice significantly affect perceived speed; some report Blocky faster than AdGuard with the same lists.
  • Network-wide blocking can break banking, travel, and media sites; several stress the need for easy per-device or per-SSID bypass.

Mobile, Smart Devices, and TVs

  • Android: Firefox + uBlock, specialized apps (AdAway, DNS66, Tracker Control), or Private DNS with filtered resolvers.
  • iOS: Safari content blockers (Wipr, AdGuard, Ka‑Block), NextDNS profiles, or browsers that support extensions (Orion).
  • Smart TVs and appliances are a key reason for DNS-level blocking; YouTube ads remain hard to eliminate without browser-based tools or paid Premium.

Attitudes Toward Ads

  • Some aim for near-zero tolerance, blocking ads as a security, privacy, and bandwidth issue.
  • Others accept or even eschew blockers, arguing ads fund content or that they can tolerate them.
  • A few prefer to pay for ad-free tiers (especially YouTube) instead of relying solely on technical blocking.