AB-Solution - The Ad Blocking Solution

[Makaveli]

If it said it fixed some paths, then the device name changed. I bet your device has no label and is called either sda or sdb.

Yes that's exactly it.

I have left it as sda5!

 

[thelonelycoder]

Yes that's exactly it.

I have left it as sda5!

Then label it to whatever you like.
Do that with the device unmounted or unplugged from another *nix machine.
Plug it back in, start AB with
sh /mnt/<new label>/ab-solution.sh
AB fixes the paths in all files automatically.
You are welcome.

 

[kingskib]

Hello,

I installed this add-on today and have had mix results. I am running a AC68U with 380.62_1 . I have an OpenVPN client with policy rules that send X clients through the VPN. I also have the DNS set to use a dnsproxy that helps with geo restrictions (my problem remains with the proxy turned off).

My main issue is any clients that do not go through the VPN still have ads display. Attached are two clients visiting the same site. Client A does not go through the VPN, where Client B does.

Can anyone share how I can fix this?

 

[Xentrk]

I would like to request a change. In the from line on the email stats, can the reference to the router below be changed to use the nvram parameter computer_name?

AB-Solution Router Stats RT-AC88U

This would help me since I have three AC88U routers sending me emails. I can tell which router it is once I look at the stats and see the router ip address being referenced. But it would be nice to tell which router the email is for from a quick glance at the from line. If it can also be changed in the email body, that would help as well.

Thank you for this great tool. I am very grateful!

 

[thelonelycoder]

Hello,

I installed this add-on today and have had mix results. I am running a AC68U with 380.62_1 . I have an OpenVPN client with policy rules that send X clients through the VPN. I also have the DNS set to use a dnsproxy that helps with geo restrictions (my problem remains with the proxy turned off).

My main issue is any clients that do not go through the VPN still have ads display. Attached are two clients visiting the same site. Client A does not go through the VPN, where Client B does.

Can anyone share how I can fix this?

For AB to work, all clients, however routed, need to resolve their DNS through the local DNS server Dnsmasq.
If you have Clients that resolve the DNS through an upstream Server then it will not work. Make sure clients are not set to use an upstream server but the routers IP address.

 

[thelonelycoder]

I would like to request a change. In the from line on the email stats, can the reference to the router below be changed to use the nvram parameter computer_name?

AB-Solution Router Stats RT-AC88U

This would help me since I have three AC88U routers sending me emails. I can tell which router it is once I look at the stats and see the router ip address being referenced. But it would be nice to tell which router the email is for from a quick glance at the from line. If it can also be changed in the email body, that would help as well.

Thank you for this great tool. I am very grateful!

Too late my friend!

In the upcoming release, all mails will have a unified From, Subject, body "regards" and file naming scheme.
From: AB-Solution Router <job name>
Subject: <friendly name> Router <job name> <file name>

Where <friendly name> is a name you can individually set in the mail config file, consisting of alphanumeric, - and _ characters only, while the <file name> is in this format:
AB-Solution_<job name>_<friendly name>_<job type>_<date>.
The date is formatted as YYYY-MM-DD_HH.MM.

Hope this helps.

 

[Xentrk]

Too late my friend!

In the upcoming release, all mails will have a unified From, Subject, body "regards" and file naming scheme.
From: AB-Solution Router <job name>
Subject: <friendly name> Router <job name> <file name>

Where <friendly name> is a name you can individually set in the mail config file, consisting of alphanumeric, - and _ characters only, while the <file name> is in this format:
AB-Solution_<job name>_<friendly name>_<job type>_<date>.
The date is formatted as YYYY-MM-DD_HH.MM.

Hope this helps.

That will work. I like the solution as it allows the customer of ABS to set the router name to their preference. Good job.

 

[Xentrk]

I also noticed this message is appearing again:

admin: Started pixelserv-tls (AB-Solution) from .

I recall their was a fix post awhile back and I made the change. Perhaps a restore from the nvram backup and restore utility backed out the update.

 

[thelonelycoder]

I also noticed this message is appearing again:

admin: Started pixelserv-tls (AB-Solution) from .

I recall their was a fix post awhile back and I made the change. Perhaps a restore from the nvram backup and restore utility backed out the update.

Check /jffs/scripts/services-start
It should say

logger "AB-Solution started rc.unslung via $0"
$RC start $0

This file is not auto changed if it exists and you have to add it manually, unless you installed AB completely new:
https://www.snbforums.com/threads/r...king-solution-3-8-1.37511/page-36#post-329008

 

[Xentrk]

Check /jffs/scripts/services-start
It should say

logger "AB-Solution started rc.unslung via $0"
$RC start $0

This file is not auto changed if it exists and you have to add it manually, unless you installed AB completely new:
https://www.snbforums.com/threads/r...king-solution-3-8-1.37511/page-36#post-329008

Thanks, I was missing the $0 after the $RC start.

 

[Xentrk]

I suppose you are a customer, most are just users, which is fine too

I have been in IT for more years than I want to admit. Many years ago, we were told to refer to our users as customers. So it got ingrained in me over time. Since I donate to ABS using PayPal, I would like to think of myself as a customer. I greatly appreciate the service you provide.

 

[thelonelycoder]

I have been in IT for more years than I want to admit. Many years ago, we were told to refer to our users as customers. So it got ingrained in me over time. Since I donate to ABS using PayPal, I would like to think of myself as a customer. I greatly appreciate the service you provide.

Sorry, I removed that post as in hindsight I found it not appropriate.
I agree with calling them customers. I have my doubts though when stores or other similar establishments call them guests. I feel like a guest in a restaurant, but everywhere else I pay for services, I'm the customer.

 

[thelonelycoder]

@Xentrk, Argh, reply blocked. Will be unblocked by an admin shortly, I hope.

 

[Xentrk]

I wonder what words in my post flagged it for admin approval? I have been flagged in the past when trying to post a Linux command or two. Or the word coffee. hehehe

 

[thelonelycoder]

I wonder what words in my post flagged it for admin approval? I have been flagged in the past when trying to post a Linux command or two. Or the word coffee. hehehe

That black beverage is always a wake up!
Very appropriate Twin Peaks reference, always has and will be the best series ever:

 

[kingskib]

For AB to work, all clients, however routed, need to resolve their DNS through the local DNS server Dnsmasq.
If you have Clients that resolve the DNS through an upstream Server then it will not work. Make sure clients are not set to use an upstream server but the routers IP address.

The client that was having issues was also connected to a VPN and was using that servers DNS, bypassing the routers. Everything appears to be working. Thank you for contributing this utility to the community.

 

[MarioCaires]

Everytime I reboot the router, the pixelserv stops working and to restart it I just need to run ab-solution!
Which commands should I run to find where the issue is?

 

[thelonelycoder]

Everytime I reboot the router, the pixelserv stops working and to restart it I just need to run ab-solution!
Which commands should I run to find where the issue is?

AB-Solution silently fixes paths, device names and even more during startup and shutdown of the UI.
As they are silent there is no way of knowing what has changed.
But do this:
Next time you boot and pixelserv is not up look at the file creation dates in the /jffs/scripts/ directory.
Then start the AB UI and if pixelserve is up and running, look at the jffs dates again. One or more would have just been changed or recreated.
Then do a before after comparison of the files and try to find out why AB needs to change that time and time again.

Likely it is because your attached USB device has no label and is given a new one when rebooting.

You can also run the rc function in AB to check if your router has other incompatible settings set somewhere.

 

[MarioCaires]

Just rebooted the router and found this in the log:

pixelserv[898]: Abort: Cannot assign requested address - :192.168.1.10:80

The rc function shows everything is fine and my USB device has a label that I have given when I formatted the drive.
So after checking the dates, I found wan-start changes the date after running ab-solution and this is the code inside:

#!/bin/sh

# DO NOT EDIT this part of the file #
# generated by AB-Solution 3.8
psState=on
if [ $psState == "on" ];then
    ifconfig br0:pixelserv 192.168.1.10 up
    logger "AB-Solution created br0:pixelserv 192.168.1.10 via $0"
fi
# end of DO NOT EDIT #

 

[thelonelycoder]

Just rebooted the router and found this in the log:

pixelserv[898]: Abort: Cannot assign requested address - :192.168.1.10:80

The rc function shows everything is fine and my USB device has a label that I have given when I formatted the drive.
So after checking the dates, I found wan-start changes the date after running ab-solution and this is the code inside:

#!/bin/sh

# DO NOT EDIT this part of the file #
# generated by AB-Solution 3.8
psState=on
if [ $psState == "on" ];then
    ifconfig br0:pixelserv 192.168.1.10 up
    logger "AB-Solution created br0:pixelserv 192.168.1.10 via $0"
fi
# end of DO NOT EDIT #

There is a service running at port 80 for a short while then when booting up, preventing ps to start.
What does the wan-start look like before you run AB?