[Release] AB-Solution 3 - The Ad Blocking Solution

[Laonifaron]

Hi, short question: adblock.mahakala.is offers a hosts file, but when I add it to the list, I always get "download failed" when trying to update, why is that?

I tried:
http://adblock.mahakala.is
http://adblock.mahakala.is/hosts

neither of them work.

 

[steelskinz]

Hi, short question: adblock.mahakala.is offers a hosts file, but when I add it to the list, I always get "download failed" when trying to update, why is that?

I tried:
http://adblock.mahakala.is
http://adblock.mahakala.is/hosts

neither of them work.

Haha i tested the same from the pihole list (https://github.com/pi-hole/pi-hole/wiki/Customising-sources-for-ad-lists) from previous replies. Got the same error. I guess it is a problem of "content type" so it tries to download and doesn't display but i'm not an expert.

 

[thelonelycoder]

Hi, short question: adblock.mahakala.is offers a hosts file, but when I add it to the list, I always get "download failed" when trying to update, why is that?

I tried:
http://adblock.mahakala.is
http://adblock.mahakala.is/hosts

neither of them work.

The Mahakala list is not available to direct download unless you send along the user agent. AB does not and is not built to do that.
I do not plan to code this feature in.

Edit: Unless someone can provide a list of the hosts used in that list, can't track it down.
I believe it is just an amalgamated list from the usual sources AB already uses.
If, however, this is a unique list I would consider to add a workaround as with the adaway.org list.

 

[thelonelycoder]

I dont know how many people make use of the "follow the log file" functions. This may be one area that some additional functionality might be useful. Currently, once you are done following the file, you have to CTRL-C then restart AB3 again should you wish to make changes. Perhaps instead, return to a version of the log list that can be scrolled through, and add the ability to highlight and whitelist an entry currently directed to nil dev/pixelserv or elect to add a troublesome entry not in the hosts file to the blacklist.

That feature is in the todo list for a while now, just did not have the time to do it.
It's not impossible to do, just needs a bit more trickery on an eliminated "feature" that was my enemy for a long time: The random code execution in all previous versions of AB (and also the reason the install log was removed).
It's called opening a separate virtual terminal session within the existing terminal session.

 

[thelonelycoder]

To work/install into entware-ng/entware-ng.arm folder

Regards

AB currently supports 'entware' and 'entware-ng' folders when Entware is already installed. The support for 'entware-ng.arm' is coded in my local version, ready for the next update of the pixelserv-tls.add addon, it was a labor of hate.
When installing (ps) with no existing Entware, it will install into the 'entware' folder. Give me a good reason to use a different name and I will build this feature in (hint: I am not a fan of those other silly names...).

 

[thelonelycoder]

Thanks, I just wanted to make sure that nothing will happen to ad-blocker if I add other files in it.

AB-Solution is relying on finding the ab-solution.cfg in the correct place within the 'adblocking' folder and the main script in the root of the referenced device in the config file.
Everything else you place there, in the root of it or in folders does not concern it. I have a lot of test files and folders on my test router on the device.
As long as they are not named similar to 'entware*' (apart from the entware install) and 'adblocking*' it's fine.

 

[tomsk]

That feature is in the todo list for a while now, just did not have the time to do it.
It's not impossible to do, just needs a bit more trickery on an eliminated "feature" that was my enemy for a long time: The random code execution in all previous versions of AB (and also the reason the install log was removed).
It's called opening a separate virtual terminal session within the existing terminal session.

Interesting ...i would like to research this technique a bit more...got a link to a tutorial or the man page for the appropriate commands?

Thanks

 

[thelonelycoder]

Interesting ...i would like to research this technique a bit more...got a link to a tutorial or the man page for the appropriate commands?

Thanks

Simple: Create a script where you call another script within it. Run that script and it opens a separate shell, use top to monitor. Older AB scripts had up to three instances of ab-solution.sh running when certain commands were running.

 

[tomsk]

Simple: Create a script where you call another script within it. Run that script and it opens a separate shell, use top to monitor. Older AB scripts had up to three instances of ab-solution.sh running when certain commands were running.

Oh.... i understand now... we are talking about subshells here rather than a virtual device. Terminology confusion on my part
Thanks

 

[thelonelycoder]

Interesting ...i would like to research this technique a bit more...got a link to a tutorial or the man page for the appropriate commands?

Thanks

http://www.tldp.org/LDP/abs/html/subshells.html
http://stackoverflow.com/questions/13648780/run-a-shell-script-in-new-terminal-from-current-terminal

For a long time and out of ignorance I was not aware that multiple shell instances were causing the random code execution when exiting (e) ab-solution.sh.
Now only one instance is run, no matter what you do in AB. I do this by including the files into the main script (like the addons) as source (or the short version of the command source, the dot (.)).

 

[thelonelycoder]

Oh.... i understand now... we are talking about subshells here rather than a virtual device. Terminology confusion on my part
Thanks

Yup, memory fails me at times..
See my new post.

 

[tomsk]

http://www.tldp.org/LDP/abs/html/subshells.html
http://stackoverflow.com/questions/13648780/run-a-shell-script-in-new-terminal-from-current-terminal

For a long time and out of ignorance I was not aware that multiple shell instances were causing the random code execution when exiting (e) ab-solution.sh.
Now only one instance is run, no matter what you do in AB. I do this by including the files into the main script (like the addons) as source (or the short version of the command source, the dot (.)).

Thanks for the links. Would it make sense in some instances to use the exec command to avoid unwanted results of child processes? ... was reading through this and it seemed useful
http://www.linuxjournal.com/content/bash-redirections-using-exec

 

[thelonelycoder]

Thanks for the links. Would it make sense in some instances to use the exec command to avoid unwanted results of child processes? ... was reading through this and it seemed useful
http://www.linuxjournal.com/content/bash-redirections-using-exec

I do, for example entering 11 to restart the app does it.

 

[Oskar__]

Hello everyone, I installed this and it seems to work perfectly. I was only wondering if I am able to have it active only for specific IPs? For me PC I already have an adblocker which I assume is more efficient?

 

[thelonelycoder]

Hello everyone, I installed this and it seems to work perfectly. I was only wondering if I am able to have it active only for specific IPs? For me PC I already have an adblocker which I assume is more efficient?

Go to /Parental Controls/DNS-Filtering/
- set 'Enable DNS-based Filtering' to ON
- set 'Global Filter Mode' to 'NO filtering'
- fill in 'Custom (user-defined) DNS 1' with, for example, Google's DNS 8.8.8.8
- select your client(s) in the Client List and set 'Filter Mode' 'Custom 1'
- click Apply

Now the client(s) in the Client list get the DNS from google and not from your router.
This is how you exclude clients from ad blocking.

 

[thelonelycoder]

Hello everyone, I installed this and it seems to work perfectly. I was only wondering if I am able to have it active only for specific IPs? For me PC I already have an adblocker which I assume is more efficient?

Thinking of it (again): This would be a handy feature in AB-Solution, I believe.
Along with the IP to lease name/hostname mapping addition in the stats function.

 

[Oskar__]

Go to /Parental Controls/DNS-Filtering/
- set 'Enable DNS-based Filtering' to ON
- set 'Global Filter Mode' to 'NO filtering'
- fill in 'Custom (user-defined) DNS 1' with, for example, Google's DNS 8.8.8.8
- select your client(s) in the Client List and set 'Filter Mode' 'Custom 1'
- click Apply

Now the client(s) in the Client list get the DNS from google and not from your router.
This is how you exclude clients from ad blocking.

Aha cool,
Seems to work out. Another thing I did not understand is what pixelserv does? The adblock seems to work without it?

 

[tomsk]

Thinking of it (again): This would be a handy feature in AB-Solution, I believe.
Along with the IP to lease name/hostname mapping addition in the stats function.

I think this would be a good idea if you were to able to have selective ad blocking per client IP and still use dnsmasq, rather that direct the DNS request somewhere else ( which is what the Parental Controls/DNS filtering is doing).

 

[thelonelycoder]

I think this would be a good idea if you were to able to have selective ad blocking per client IP and still use dnsmasq, rather that direct the DNS request somewhere else ( which is what the Parental Controls/DNS filtering is doing).

Pushing the topic in the right direction.

 

[thelonelycoder]

Seems to work out. Another thing I did not understand is what pixelserv does? The adblock seems to work without it?

Standalone AB-Solution blocks http ads.
The (ps) addon blocks https ads as well.