DNS66 Host-based Blocker for Android
DNS66 is a host-based blocker for Android devices that is easy to setup and does not require root or special permissions.
Setting up proper blocking on Android devices is not as easy as it sounds. Solutions that don't require root are often limited when it comes to functionality.
DNS66 is a free application for Android that changes that. Basically, what it does is establish a virtual VPN connection to gain control over the network traffic. It uses filter lists to block connections to blacklisted sites, and won't interfere with any site that is not blacklisted.
It is also offering to use free no-logging DNS servers on top of all that, but supports the default DNS server the device is configured to use as well if that is preferred.
DNS66
DNS66's source is provided on GitHub, and the application itself on F-Droid but not on Google Play. F-Droid is an app marketplace for free and open source applications.
To install DNS66, install F-Droid first on your Android device if you have not done so already. Once done, use the app to install DNS66 on the device to get started (by searching for it on F-Droid).
The app displays a couple of tutorial screens on first start that provide you with the most important information on its uses. You may do the following when the tutorial ends:
- Select DNS Servers and either enable or disable custom servers, or use of DNS servers the app ships with completely. The servers the app ships with are no-logging DNS servers operated by the German Chaos Computer Club and others.
- Open the Domain Filters listing and enable or disable the filter lists that you want to use. A couple of lists like the MVPS Hosts file or Peter Lowe's Ad server list are selected by default. You may add custom lists by specifying a URL or host. Also, you may choose to deny, allow or ignore those.
You need to tap on the refresh button in the main interface once. This downloads the latest filter lists to the local device. Once done, long-tap on the start button to start the service.
You will get the usual DNS connection query by Android which you need to accept. Once that is out of the way, you can verify that DNS66 is up and running by opening the notification area on your Android device.
You should see that the device is connected to a VPN using DNS66, and that DNS66 is running as well. Test this by visiting Internet sites. You should not see ads or other elements that you have selected for blocking in the application.
Caveats
There are a couple of caveats currently. First, it is difficult to whitelist sites. As a webmaster, I'd like to encourage you to whitelist sites that you visit regularly to make sure they are around for a long time.
Second, the app does not support automatic updates currently. This means that you will need to tap on the refresh button regularly to load the latest filter definitions. Also, IPv6 servers and host files containing just host names are not supported just yet.
Closing Words
DNS66 is an easy to use blocking solution for Android device. It is easy to set up filtering and most of it is automated after the initial setup. The app could use better whitelisting, and some improvements in regards to the caveats listed above.
Thanks for the tip Martin.
It is for these kinds of posts that I follow GHacks.
What’s up with the generic comment, are you a bot?
2G?
Where on the planet is that still in use? I was forced to give up using my RAZRV3 years ago because 2G was phased out by AT&T.
Everywhere 3G has been turned off and you don’t have LTE coverage, and believe me there are many developed countries where this is the case and if it weren’t for 2G you wouldn’t even be able to make a phone call.
Maybe I missed it, but I don’t believe tha term “2G” is in the article. Perhaps you are referring to “AGM G2”??
@Martin
Your website has gone insane.
When I the post button I then saw my comment posted on a different article page. When I opened this article again, it is here.
@Tachy @Martin Brinkmann
” Your website has gone insane. ”
Same here. Has happened several times.
@Tachy,
@Martin P.,
For over two weeks now,
I’ve been seeing “Comments” posted by subscribers appearing in different, unrelated articles.
https://www.ghacks.net/windows-11-update-stuck-fixed-for-good/#comment-4572991
https://www.ghacks.net/windows-11-update-stuck-fixed-for-good/#comment-4572951
For the time being,
it would be better to specify the “article name and URL” at the beginning of the post.
@tachy a lot of non-phone devices with a sim in them rely on 2G, at least here in europe.
Usually things reporting usage or errors/alarms on something remote that does not get day to day inspection in person. They are out there in vast numbers doing important work. Reliable, good range. The low datarate is no problem at all in those cases.
3G is gone or on its last legs everywhere, but this stuff still has too much use to cancel.
Anyhow, interesting that they would put that in. I can see the point if you suspect a hostile 2G environment (amateur eavesdroppers with laptop, ranging up to professional grade MITM fake towers while “strangely” not getting the stronger crypto voip 4G because it is being jammed, and back down to something as old ‘stingray’ devices fallen into the wrong hands).
But does this also mean that they have handled and rolled out a fix for that nasty 4G ‘pwn by broadcast’ problem you reported earlier this year? I had 4G disabled due to that, on the off chance that some of the local criminals would buy some cheap chinese gear, download a working exploit and probe every phone in range all over town in the hope of getting into phones of the police.
>”While most may never be attacked in stingrays, it is still recommended to disable 2G cellular connections, especially since it does not have any downsides.”
The downside would be losing connectivity. I spend a lot of time way out in the countryside where there’s often no service or almost none. My network allows 2G, and I need it sometimes. I have an option on the phone to disable 2G, I may do that when I’m in the city and I have good 5G connectivity, but not out in the country.
I would imagine that the stingray exploits, like most of the bad things in this world, are probably things you will run into in the crowded big cities.
I stopped using it in a mobile (Wi-Fi line) environment, so I’m almost ignorant of the actual situation,
But the recent reality in Japan makes me realize that “the infrastructure of the web is nothing more than a papier-mâché fiction”.
https://www.ghacks.net/2023/08/17/google-chrome-to-enable-https-first-by-default-for-all-users/#comment-4572402
It is already beyond the scope of what an individual can do.
What we should be aware of is the reality that “governments and those in power want to control the world through the Web”, and efforts to counter (resist and prevent) such ambitions are necessary.
Why do you want people to disable the privacy features? Hmmmmm?
Now You: do you plan to keep the Ads privacy features enabled?
I’d like to tell you, but apparently if you make a post critical of Google, you get censored. * [Editor: removed, just try to bring your opinion across without attacking anyone]
@Martin
You website is still psychotic. Comments attach to random stories.
@Martin please do fix the comments, it’s completely insane commenting here! :[
@Martin
The comments are seriously messed up on gHacks now. These comments are mixed with the article at the below URL.
https://www.ghacks.net/2023/08/18/android-how-to-disable-2g-cellular-connections-to-improve-security/
And comments on other articles are from as far back as 2010.
What does this article has anything to do with all the comments on this article? LOL I think this Websuite is ran by ChatGPT. every article is messed up. Some older comments from 2015 shown up in recant articles, LOL
The picture captioned “Clearing the Android Auto’s cache might resolve the issue” is from Apple Carplay ;)
How about other things that matter:
Drop survival?
Screen toughness?
Degree of water and dust protection?