Diversion Diversion - the Router Ad-Blocker

[JacquesR]

Hello, I just found out that AB-solution changed to Diversion, I want to upgrade and would like to know how to do that safely.

The Diversion website, linked in the first post, has installation instructions. As they say, existing AB-solution installations will be recognised and upgraded during the installation.

 

[Diamond67]

I just found out that AB-solution changed to Diversion

It took me a couple of weeks to notice as well. Maybe that's why it is called Diversion in the first place? To draw you attention away? haha

 

[Marin]

Getting ready to install Diversion and Skynet and wasn’t sure if I should do this via AMTM or via installing each script separately. Looking at a AMTM menu picture on diversion.ch it seems that you can use it to open Diversion but not install it from there. It also appears that you can install Skynet and DNScrypt from it. Is this correct?


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[M@rco]

Looking at a AMTM menu picture on diversion.ch it seems that you can use it to open Diversion but not install it from there.

You can definitely install Diversion from amtm. It just shows 'Open Diversion' once it's installed.

It also appears that you can install Skynet and DNScrypt from it. Is this correct?

That's correct. See the amtm thread for further details.

 

[thelonelycoder]

I chose the lite version during my install a few weeks back. Now looking at amtm I have an update entware, not an install option. No issue for me just pointing it out.

* edit: Checking the stick there is indeed a entware folder.

Diversion uses and requires the Entware environment, for both the Lite and Standard Edition.

 

[thelonelycoder]

Hello, I just found out that AB-solution changed to Diversion, I want to upgrade and would like to know how to do that safely.

I was going to log in to ab-solution uninstall and then install diversion but I cannot access ABsolutions like I always did, but it is working because it still block adds.

Use the installer command from the diversion.ch website. It will prompt you to upgrade AB-Solution to Diversion. The upgrade is seamless.

 

[thelonelycoder]

As far as I can remember, Entware is not installed if you don't install pixelserv-tls. At least that was the case for Ab-Solution. I don't know if that's changed. Maybe @thelonelycoder can chip in.

AB-Solution only installed or used Entware when the pixelserv-tls option was installed.

This is different in Diversion. It requires Entware, no matter if you install the Lite (no pixelserv-tls) or Standard (with pixelserv-tls) Edition.
Diversion takes advantage of the standardized /opt/ environment that Entware offers for paths and the environment path "diversion" to start it up.
In AB-Solution, paths to files were a nightmare, especially when the device name changed. This is solved by using Entware and a custom Entware mounting script that mounts the /opt/ partition at boot, no matter what the device name is.

 

[thelonelycoder]

It took me a couple of weeks to notice as well. Maybe that's why it is called Diversion in the first place? To draw you attention away? haha

Diversion has been released on August 25. This was communicated through this forum, the ab-solution.info website, the twitter account and of course on the new diversion.ch website. It is not mandatory to upgrade to Diversion and I am reluctant to force everyone over to Diversion yet until all features AB-Solution offered are ported over to Diversion code.

I have communicated the AB-Solution to Diversion change. You do your part of reading it. Simple as that.

 

[Marin]

You can definitely install Diversion from amtm. It just shows 'Open Diversion' once it's installed.


That's correct. See the amtm thread for further details.

Thank you @Marco!


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[thelonelycoder]

Since we're on it, to use DNSMasq for adblocking, you can do with less than 200 lines of scripts. So it comes down to choice/preference and one's skill..

I chose the option of it being user friendly, for noobs as well as advanced users.

 

[thelonelycoder]

This might have been asked before, but since it is not publish on your site: Why is Entware needed? Since it will be installed and is NOT a pre req....

See here: https://www.snbforums.com/threads/diversion-the-router-ad-blocker.48538/page-53#post-441112

 

[kernol]

RAM Gobbler??

I have installed and uninstalled Diversion "Standard" on my AC5300 three times now - on each occasion hoping that its steady and at times fairly robust consumption of RAM would disappear (as it did in AB-Solution). I appreciate that when running its blocking file updates it would chew processor power and consume RAM - but expected this to drop back to "normal" levels once done. Instead it seems to hold on to ever increasing amount of RAM rising from mid 30% all the way up to 80% ... which only a reboot will set back to "normal" levels.

With Skynet alone installed - the problem does not arise. Just after install of Diversion, RAM consumption increases by about 10% [from 35% to 45%] and stays there until Diversion starts its blocking file updates when it rises again to above 70% without declining unless rebooted.

I do have a 512Mb swap file which Diversion reports is in use - /opt/swap

Anyone else noted this behaviour?

The above problem persists ... so I left it to run without reboot - and as I suspected it didn't end well !! The Router froze after it made several attempts to recover from memory full state - could not SSH or browse Web GUI - only solution was to power off ... wait and restart.

The enclosed is an extract from the syslog where the crash occurred. Any thoughts?

 

[Bamsefar]

See here: https://www.snbforums.com/threads/diversion-the-router-ad-blocker.48538/page-53#post-441112

Well then Entware is a pre req!

 

[thelonelycoder]

Well then Entware is a pre req!

No, Entware is not a prerequisite. Diversion installs Entware automatically if not preinstalled.

 

[thelonelycoder]

The above problem persists ... so I left it to run without reboot - and as I suspected it didn't end well !! The Router froze after it made several attempts to recover from memory full state - could not SSH or browse Web GUI - only solution was to power off ... wait and restart.

The enclosed is an extract from the syslog where the crash occurred. Any thoughts?

Why not simply add as swap file? Enter sw in Diversion.

 

[kernol]

Why not simply add as swap file? Enter sw in Diversion.

I had a swap file of 512Mb all the while - created when Entware was installed before installing Diversion from amtm .

I have now deleted the swap file in Diversion sw and recreated a new one of 1GB. Maybe the original swap file was misconfigured in some way because even though it showed up in htop it never seemed to be used. The entry in the syslog I attached suggested there was no swap file - which is why I guess you suggested I create one.

I still don’t understand why RAM consumption rises steadily and does not get released after Diversion has done its thing updating and or rotating host files etc.

Let’s see if the new swap file makes a difference - but unless some process clears cache etc ... I suspect I will eventually run of of swap as well.

 

[thelonelycoder]

I had a swap file of 512Mb all the while - created when Entware was installed before installing Diversion from amtm .

I have now deleted the swap file in Diversion sw and recreated a new one of 1GB. Maybe the original swap file was misconfigured in some way because even though it showed up in htop it never seemed to be used. The entry in the syslog I attached suggested there was no swap file - which is why I guess you suggested I create one.

I still don’t understand why RAM consumption rises steadily and does not get released after Diversion has done its thing updating and or rotating host files etc.

Let’s see if the new swap file makes a difference - but unless some process clears cache etc ... I suspect I will eventually run of of swap as well.

I doubt it. My RT-AC86U always runs along the limit of memory. So far this was never a problem as the system handles the freeing just fine.

You are right to assume that your old swap file is no longer present. Or it is being mounted later when the USB device is mounted.

 

[PTCruiserGT]

Use b, 1. Change composition, 2. Customize hosts list.
Remove the two existing hosts lists and add these shooter40sw hosts:

https://someonewhocares.org/hosts/zero/hosts
http://winhelp2002.mvps.org/hosts.txt
https://pgl.yoyo.org/adservers/serverlist.php?hostformat=hosts&showintro=0&mimetype=plaintext&useip=0.0.0.0
https://hosts-file.net/ad_servers.txt
https://hosts-file.net/emd.txt
https://hosts-file.net/grm.txt
https://hosts-file.net/mmt.txt
https://www.malwaredomainlist.com/hostslist/hosts.txt
https://adaway.org/hosts.txt

All done.

This should be sticked or in a FAQ somewhere for people who were using shooter40sw with ab-solution (mostly in case the upgrade goes bad or something).

 

[Bamsefar]

No, Entware is not a prerequisite. Diversion installs Entware automatically if not preinstalled.

Yea yea yea what ever. Sorry but you just lost my vote.

 

[Nathan Groves]

Good afternoon all,

When I get home later I'll be completely formatting my 86U and installing the latest Merlin firmware on it.

My question or questions here are....

Is there a minimal size the USB needs to be in order to run diversion properly?
Do I need to format the USB stick or will the installer do that for me?
As I have an ext HDD on my USB3 port, do I need to unplug this while installing diversion on the USB that I'll have attached to the USB2 port on the router?
Will I need to do anything other than simply run the command that posted on the Diversion installation instructions?

Cheers all,

Nathan