A few concerns...

[Rob Q]

I've posted this probably in the wrong section (which should have been here in the Merlin section of the forum)
https://www.snbforums.com/threads/rt-ac1900p-merlin-diversion-skynet-slowdowns.54267/

Ever since I installed Diversion and Skynet, it's slowing down my internet. Not overall service speed but it's taking a little longer to start doing a speed test and is affecting our Netflix service. The menu titles are taking longer to show up and the videos will play at 240p (0.200 - 0.500 Mbps) until it hits 1080p (4 - 7 Mbps). Usually it hits the full bitrate instantly and the Netflix menu titles show up fast (before I installed Skynet and Diversion).

My other concern is that something is accessing the USB stick a lot (every few seconds). I'm not sure if that's Skynet logging something or something is working with the swap file but is that normal? Will this slow my network down?

 

[Adamm]

I've posted this probably in the wrong section (which should have been here in the Merlin section of the forum)
https://www.snbforums.com/threads/rt-ac1900p-merlin-diversion-skynet-slowdowns.54267/

Ever since I installed Diversion and Skynet, it's slowing down my internet. Not overall service speed but it's taking a little longer to start doing a speed test and is affecting our Netflix service. The menu titles are taking longer to show up and the videos will play at 240p (0.200 - 0.500 Mbps) until it hits 1080p (4 - 7 Mbps). Usually it hits the full bitrate instantly and the Netflix menu titles show up fast (before I installed Skynet and Diversion).

My other concern is that something is accessing the USB stick a lot (every few seconds). I'm not sure if that's Skynet logging something or something is working with the swap file but is that normal? Will this slow my network down?

So every thread I see like this I reply usually with the same thing, Skynet has no measurable performance impact on your connection. I discourage people blindly accusing scripts when they haven't even spent the time to preform basic troubleshooting.

With that being said, time to reevaluate your post;

1. What script is causing your issues, Skynet or Diversion (or the more likely answer neither).
2. Can you reproduce this issue
3. What is the expected result

 

[Rob Q]

So every thread I see like this I reply usually with the same thing, Skynet has no measurable performance impact on your connection. I discourage people blindly accusing scripts when they haven't even spent the time to preform basic troubleshooting.

With that being said, time to reevaluate your post;

1. What script is causing your issues, Skynet or Diversion (or the more likely answer neither).
2. Can you reproduce this issue
3. What is the expected result

It's hard to point a finger at either script, since I just don't know.
It could be a setting with the WiFi (or should turn on QoS) or maybe something with the internet service in general.
I can try to reproduce the issue.
I'm trying to see if I can find which process is causing all the IO activity, htop just shows CPU and RAM and iotop doesn't meet the minimum requirements.

That being said... on the PC side, my results are very promising with Skynet and Diversion.
Just I have to check on my Roku streaming stick that I am seeing the slowdowns on.

 

[thelonelycoder]

Ever since I installed Diversion and Skynet, it's slowing down my internet. Not overall service speed but it's taking a little longer to start doing a speed test and is affecting our Netflix service. The menu titles are taking longer to show up and the videos will play at 240p (0.200 - 0.500 Mbps) until it hits 1080p (4 - 7 Mbps). Usually it hits the full bitrate instantly and the Netflix menu titles show up fast (before I installed Skynet and Diversion).

Your blocking file probably blocks a domain that is essential to determine the speed at which some content is served.

As for the slowdown, when using Diversion:
That is physically near impossible. It will block domains, but has almost no affect on the speed of your internet connection.
Dnsmasq has to think a millisecond longer to decide whether to forward the request to an upstream DNS server or let the blocking file/blacklist resolve a domain, but that is all.

My other concern is that something is accessing the USB stick a lot (every few seconds). I'm not sure if that's Skynet logging something or something is working with the swap file but is that normal? Will this slow my network down?

If logging is enabled, Dnsmasq will write to the log file, which is what you are seeing. Or it could be pixelserv-tls writing new certificates.
Since almost everything that Diversion installs is on the stick, including Entware, the device is accessed for various things.
And it does not slow down your network.

 

[Rob Q]

Well guys, what ever happened last night is gone now. Everything is working perfectly and the speed tests are putting me at 42 Mbps (where it should be).
Just a thought, since I installed the new scripts yesterday, could the router have been processing the new data and 24 hours later, it's long done so now it's working like normal?

My internet may have been experiencing slowdowns on the WAN side too causing these issues. That happens now and then.

 

[thelonelycoder]

Just a thought, since I installed the new scripts yesterday, could the router have been processing the new data and 24 hours later, it's long done so now it's working like normal?

Diversion invoked functions are almost instant. Depending on the blocking file(s) size(s) it might take a few seconds to restart Dnsmasq but that's it.
You might have some caching problems with your devices for DNS related things. Browser and OS cache should be cleared for consistent results when doing such tests.
And AFAIK, Skynet only takes about 10-30 seconds to load when (re)started and will then be instant with it's services.

 

[Rob Q]

... and I'm using an old Kingston Datatraveler 1GB stick on the USB2.0 port. I wonder if I'll get better performance if I replace it with a larger and faster stick? Say, a stick with 4GB on USB 3.0?

 

[Rob Q]

So every thread I see like this I reply usually with the same thing, Skynet has no measurable performance impact on your connection. I discourage people blindly accusing scripts when they haven't even spent the time to preform basic troubleshooting.

With that being said, time to reevaluate your post;

1. What script is causing your issues, Skynet or Diversion (or the more likely answer neither).
2. Can you reproduce this issue
3. What is the expected result

Hey @Adamm
Would you happen to know how I can add the Netflix servers to Skynet's 'Allowed' list? Video playback is going well but it's 'speed test' from the Netflix app on my Roku is saying my connection speed is 0 Mvps, while the Roku 'Check network' settings are reporting 43 Mbps. LOL

Overall, everything's working amazing, especially the wonderful program's offered by @thelonelycoder
No complaints and the only regret is not doing this sooner!

 

[Adamm]

Hey @Adamm
Would you happen to know how I can add the Netflix servers to Skynet's 'Allowed' list? Video playback is going well but it's 'speed test' from the Netflix app on my Roku is saying my connection speed is 0 Mvps, while the Roku 'Check network' settings are reporting 43 Mbps. LOL

Overall, everything's working amazing, especially the wonderful program's offered by @thelonelycoder
No complaints and the only regret is not doing this sooner!

Halp - BestApp.exe or BestWebsite.com Is Being Blocked;

Don't worry, tracking down false positive bans was at the core of design. Generally speaking you can follow these steps to find (and whitelist) anything incorrectly on your Blacklist!

1.) Enable Debug Mode

sh /jffs/scripts/firewall settings debugmode enable

2.) Open the blocked application/website and use the command;

sh /jffs/scripts/firewall debug watch

Now look for a flood of [BLOCKED - OUTBOUND] coming from the same IP. This most likely will be the IP you are looking for if its being spammed in large numbers.

3.) Copy the IP following "DST=" it should look something like this;

DST=175.115.37.52

4.) Double check the IP is not actually something that should be banned, use a search tool like alienvault. If its related to a domain additional "Associated Domain" information should be printed beneath the log.

https://otx.alienvault.com/indicator/ip/175.115.37.52/

5.) Great we have confirmed we found the IP of the blocked website/application we are looking for, lets whitelist it!

sh /jffs/scripts/firewall whitelist ip 175.115.37.52

 

[Rob Q]

Awesome, Thanks!

 

[EmeraldDeer]

I installed Diversion and Skynet yesterday and actually did have a problem with unusual Diversion CPU usage even after a reboot.
It turned out to be related to a feature which saves shell history commands.
I followed the "n00b Diversion and Skynet" thread instructions. As suggested, I also installed "htop". After I was done, there was a process averaging around 14% CPU usage on my RT-AX88U which showed as "diversion .ash_history". This survived a reboot. But it turns out it is not actually the diversion which does the blocking work. A result of an SNB thread search suggested it was a stuck sort of the shell history. I killed the process and selected reset shell history in the Diversion menu. This resolved the problem. I no longer even notice diversion in htop any longer.

 

[Rob Q]

Just disabled Skynet and ran 'Check your network' on the Netflix app, connection speed 0 Mbps. Okay, there. It's not Skynet after all. Maybe it's the Netflix app or something else. But hey, doesn't hurt to try everything. Also, this isn't important anyway. I use DSLReports for my speed test.

 

[Adamm]

Just disabled Skynet and ran 'Check your network' on the Netflix app, connection speed 0 Mbps. Okay, there. It's not Skynet after all. Maybe it's the Netflix app or something else. But hey, doesn't hurt to try everything. Also, this isn't important anyway. I use DSLReports for my speed test.

It may be a domain blocked in Diversion, I suggest using the equivalence debugging tools to track it down.

 

[Rob Q]

It may be a domain blocked in Diversion, I suggest using the equivalence debugging tools to track it down.

Maybe @thelonelycoder could offer me a few suggestions. I'v got this far but I have no idea what the domains are that Netflix uses.

I've looked all over the net and had no luck. Everything points to VPN and Netflix (USA) but I don't use VPN and I'm in Canada, so the servers might be different.

 

[Zonkd]

Here is what I’d be trying. Put one of the sticks on a reserved IP eg 192.168.1.99 (to easily spot it in logs) then disconnect ALL other wired and wireless devices from your router except that one stick and the pc used to ssh into router. Then I’d thrn the stick off, and then the reboot the router to clear cache. Reconnect via ssh and disable diversion, just while you follow tail -f the skynet firewall logs. Then I’d turn on the stick and try loading Netflix. Watch to see what’s blocked for the sticks ip address. Whitelist them. If that doesn’t work and Skynet isn’t blocking anything to do with the stick then temporarily disable sky net and next step is to watch diversion logs. I would first turn off power for stick again, then I would reboot router, reconnect via ssh and temporarily disable skynet, make sure diversion is enabled and follow the logs, THEN I would boot up the stick and try load Netflix. Watch the diversion logs. If Netflix doesn’t work and you see stuff getting blocked in the logs then the culprit must be diversion. Temporarily disable diversion and try use Netflix again. If that fixes the issue then you’ll need to go through and whitelist whatever domains diversion is blocking. Afterward Netflix should work. You goal is to remove all variables except the one you’re testing so you can do process of elimination in identifying which script is blocking Netflix.

Also if you’re concerned a script didn’t install correctly it can never hurt to format JFFS and repartition/reformat the USB and completely reinstall all scripts. I recommend using amtm. I would use amtm to install skynet first and then use sky net to make a swap file. Then I’d install diversion. Finally do disk check. Reboot afterward.

 

[Rob Q]

My other concern is that something is accessing the USB stick a lot (every few seconds).

That was Diversion. I forgot I had the logging enabled to see if it was actually doing anything. I've turned it off the logging in Diversion.

 

[Rob Q]

Thanks guys. I didn't really know what steps to take and how to work this out.

 

[Zonkd]

That was Diversion. I forgot I had the logging enabled to see if it was actually doing anything. I've turned it off the logging in Diversion.

Disabling logging in Diversion with l is not the same as disabling Diversion completely with d, 1.

 

[thelonelycoder]

Disabling logging in Diversion with l is not the same as disabling Diversion completely with d, 1.

Exactly.
l stops the logging to the log file, while (if enabled) ad-blocking remains enabled. Vice versa is the same:
a stops the ad-blocking while (if enabled) logging remains enabled.

Even if a and l is disabled, some services Diversion offers remain active.
To disable Diversion services completely, use d 1. Disable Diversion

 

[Rob Q]

To disable Diversion services completely, use d 1. Disable Diversion

I like Diversion too much to do that! It's staying enabled.