Ad And Stuff DNS Filter

Ad And Stuff DNS Filter uses the VPN on the device to filter URLs, much like a hosts file. It supports optionally blocking ads and porn.

It works by routing DNS calls only through the VPN. The VPN replies with Unknown if the requested host is in the app's internal database. Otherwise, it passes the request to the DNS provider selected for the VPN, which defaults to OpenDNS and can be changed. The only external calls explicitly made by the app are to the DNS provider - the app does not call home or anywhere else and does not collect any data, personal or otherwise.

The app is not ad supported and does not feed you ads. Any ads, or porn, received are from whoever your web browser or other app is calling since that traffic does not go through the VPN. If you are filtering ads and/or porn, and you see ads and/or porn, then please let us know. Some ads are not be possible to block with this app. For instance, you will still get ads in YouTube videos because those ads come from youtube.com. So the only way to block those ads is to block youtube.com and get nothing from there.

The preferences of the app can be customized. Specifically, the following can be changed:

-- the local IP address of the VPN, which defaults to 10.11.12.13;
-- the DNS provider, which defaults to OpenDNS and can be changed to some known providers or to a couple of DNS servers you can provide with IPv4 addresses;
-- whether to block or not block ads and porn;
-- the ad and porn hosts in the database.

The local IP address of the VPN will have to be changed if it conflicts with one on your network if it is also 10.11.12.13. The app supports any internal IPv4 address, like another 10.x.x.x address that isn't being used or a 192.168.x.x address. There is a Restore Default button to revert this IP address back to 10.11.12.13.

Note: if both ads and porn are not blocked, then the app is doing nothing more than routing DNS calls through the VPN, which makes it an easier way of choosing your own DNS provider without worrying about whether the device is connected to the internet via wifi or mobile. There is a Restore Default button to revert this back to OpenDNS.

Hosts in the database can be removed or new ones can be added. The added and removed ones are saved and applied when the database is updated with an app update and go away if you remove them yourself or uninstall the app.

As of version 3.0, it blocks domains that are one edit away or a single set of transposed characters (for instance googel.com) from hundreds of the most popular domains. A single edit means a single character substituted (gopgle.com), a single character deleted (goole.com), or a single character inserted (goopgle.com).

In addition to protecting you from the simple mistyping of a URL, it will also protect you from going to links in emails and websites that are purposely crafted in this manner to deceive you. It can be turned off with the Typo check in the Settings. If by some chance, you encounter a URL you need with one of these characteristics, it can be whitelisted in the Settings. And it does not affect performance - you won't notice the difference in web browsers or other applications.