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Comment by deepsun | Hacker News Reader

What ad blocking for Android to would recommend?

DNS66, Works without root by creating a local VNM that it then runs its own DNS (with blocklists) on. End results are all the banner adds on most apps will not show up etc.

https://f-droid.org/en/packages/org.jak_linux.dns66/

I'm not sure this is necessary anymore now that Google added DNS over TLS ("Private DNS") in Android 9. Just choose a DNS server with your preferred blacklist built in and configure it with native Android. Much better perf than using a fake VPN like DNS66.

Firefox mobile + uBlockOrigin or uMatrix

Not rooted, and this is the best option. Tried Blokada and it was just frustrating to use.

You're absolutely right, thanks for catching this. Firefox' addon system is a real boon and the solution that works if you can't/don't want to root.

Before that I was getting frustrated by filtering pseudo-VPN apps and rooting is not an option anymore (sec-wise and because of Google SafetyNet).

Another vote for uBlockOrigin here

Firefox Mobile is dropping extension support for awhile: https://github.com/mozilla-mobile/fenix/issues/574

Firefox Mobile will continue to be Fennec in the short-term.

>when exactly is fenix supposed to replace fennec as Firefox for Android? Once the MVP is done, or when it reaches feature parity?

>We are currently finalizing the transition plan, however we know that Fennec will not be replaced for the MVP, we will make sure our existing users will get the experience they expect later in the year.

If they choose to use an experimental MVP which doesn't yet have feature parity, then sure - they won't have Web Extensions.

Fenix is not the currently supported mainline Firefox Mobile browser, nor will it be for a bit.

Adguard (paid) or Blokada (free) if you don't want to root.

You can use AdGuard's DNS servers for free. They also have the added benefit of supporting DoT and DoH. Click on "DNS Privacy" for their instructions:

https://adguard.com/en/adguard-dns/overview.html#instruction

If you don't have root: set your DNS server to AdGuard's. It will block most ads and they have a strict no-logging policy. Otherwise you need to use a local VPN, but that will prevent you from protecting your privacy with an actual VPN.

If you're rooted, just use AdAway.

Adaway and Afwall+ for blocking apps that shouldn't need internet to function.

Firefox keeps getting better on mobile. I've been using it for several years now, and it's always been usable, but it's been hard recommending it to other people as it was significantly slower than Chrome. This is no longer true.

Chrome does do touch better, clicking things (like "x" buttons to close in page pop-ups) works better on Chrome, Mobile Firefox tends to switch to text select.

Pi-hole or alike. Works very well for me, although I'm experiencing some problems with it. I'm a bad system administrator, though.

does that work when you are away from home wifi? (not sure what all pi-hole does)

It does if you also run a VPN, although that has battery life implications.

You could set up a vpn to your home network to use it I suppose, otherwise no, it doesn't.

pihole is nothing more than a dns blocker for your home network.

Run a DNS-over-TLS server on top of pihole and use the Private DNS feature available in Android P.

https://github.com/yegle/your-dns

Set up a VPN for that with Vultr. $5 a month, that's okay for me.

AdGuard also has a great beta program if you’re into the bleeding edge sort of thing.

Funny thing was that I was reading this in an ad-blocking browser and phys.org was complaining about that (in a very restrained way)

"It appears that you are currently using Ad Blocking software. What are the consequences?"

Firefox with uBlock

uBlock Origin

Brave + Blokada

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