Learn How To Block Ads and Tracking at the Network Level While Improving Performance

By DIY, Network Security, , , ,

What would you say if I told you you could not only improve your network performance, but also block ads and tracking that is common on the Internet? What if I also told you you could do it for around $100 and in about 30 minutes?

If this interests you, let me introduce you to Pi-hole, but first, lets look at the threat.

Why should I block all Ads and Tracking on my local network?

After installing this device on my local home network, I can’t say I was really surprised by what I saw, but I did find one thing very interesting: my TVs are spying on me.

By now, we’re all pretty familiar at this point with the idea of in-app advertising thanks to the explosion of smartphones. This is also commonly referred to as Freeware: you get to use the software, or app, for free in exchange for being subjected to a never-ending stream of advertising. This is how the company attempts to monetize their ‘free’ offering.

Now, I’d like you to repeat after me: If you’re not paying for it, YOU are the product.

After installing this device on my local home network, I can’t say I was really surprised by what I saw, but I did find one thing very interesting: my TVs are spying on me. I know this won’t e shocking to most, but let me explain in more detail.

We use a very popular device called a Roku to make our TVs ‘smart’. The Roku box simply plugs into the HDMI input on the TV and connects via Wi-Fi to my home network to access services like Netflix, YouTube, Amazon Prime Video, etc. Now, obviously we know that these services track what we watch in order to determine viewer engagement. But what I noticed was that my Roku device was also keeping track as well.

Pi-Hole logs showing DNS request for scribe.roku.com being blocked.

What is Pi-Hole?

Pi-hole is a Linux-based, network-level advertisement and Internet tracker blocking application. It acts as a DNS sinkhole for use on a private (home or small business) network. It is Open Source and designed for low-power embedded devices with network capability, such as the Raspberry Pi.

What is a Raspberry Pi?

This is where the “less than $100” comes in; we can use very cheap hobby computers to provide simple, yet high-end solutions for home network protection.