What are /r/blokada's favorite Products & Services?

From 3.5 billion Reddit comments

Yes, Blockada is more like an adblocker, it does not offer you encryption and it does not encrypt your traffic. However, if you use the said NordVPN - it will encrypt your traffic. I think they also have a built-in adblocker.

Then I recommend you to check this link: https://www.privacytools.io/providers/dns/.

I prefer Digitalcourage as DNS. Hosted in germany. Pretty fast. No-logging policy. No censorship.

Host lists: You could think about enableing the Social Hosts File if you want to. Depending on the services you use you will have to whitelist some/many Hosts, but it's worth it in my opinion.

If your smartphone is from Xiaomi / Samsung I recommend to enable the brand specific Host list as well.

What do you want to achieve? To use NordVPN with Blokada simultaneously? Here's a hint: you can't. Just use CyberSec of NordVPN instead of Blokada and it should work.

From the Blokada Telegram chat:
'Blokada allows you to choose a different DNS than your system default. Choosing a different DNS may help to block ads at DNS level, increase privacy and/or improve performance. There is no 'Best' DNS, these are general guidelines:

- If you want to block ads at DNS level, you can choose Keweon or Adguard for example
- For an acceptable compromise between privacy and performance, you could go for Cloudflare
- You can set any DNS you want in Blokada'

My personal view:
ALWAYS inform yourself about the DNS before using it!!! Every DNS-Service has pros and cons.
If you are interested in privacy I recommend to check out this page https://www.privacytools.io/providers/dns/.
If speed is your main interest, you will have to try some different DNS services, as the speed depends on your region. You possibly should get good results with Google, Cloudflare or Quad9.
I don't recommend to use an ad blocking DNS, as you can't decide which things get blocked and which are allowed. By blocking ads with Host lists you know what you are blocking and what you want to whitelist, so it's under your control.

https://www.luckypatchers.com/download/

It is very powerful, and if used incorrectly can screw up your apps to where you need to reinstall them...that said, it is also very fun to play with and extremely useful.

They're one of the apps (along with DuoLingo, Yelp & the rest on that list that was published awhile back that report all your data & then some to Facebook, regardless if you have an account of not.

Download the GRC benchmark and run it and add your DNS servers as needed. My best DNS in New Hampshire is Quad9 and Cloudfare they are as fact as Comcast and Google.

But in your area that may not be the case, this program allows you to answer that question running a benchmark!

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https://www.grc.com/dns/benchmark.htm

Google controls syncing in Android so not possible. But you can use bromite browser that provides features that chrome doesn't and wouldn't.

https://www.bromite.org/

For tabs and bookmarks, use raindrop bookmarks app everywhere.

Both iOS and Android allows only one app to utilise the VPN API at a time. It means you can't use both (Mullvad and Blokada) together.
Blokada already use the VPN API, the Plus service just increases your anonymity and security on the internet, it won't unlock hidden features (because there is none).

Even if it's not this service you go with, I can't honestly recommend Nord to anyone. There's several others that are probably more secure and don't exhibit at least most if not all of the issues I have with them. Windscribe and Mullvad are just two I immediately think of.

NordVPN had a data breach and Blokada hasn't. The way the system works here is a bit different with the account ID being more anonymous and this might be personal paranoia here, but I don't trust any company like Nord that has enough money to run TV commercial after TV commercial and throw marketing around like that. It means the cash isn't being used right and they're not doing what they're supposed to like buying or maintaining servers. They also issue improper DMCA requests and had a whole issue on Twitter about this. I don't know if Nord offers Wireguard but you're welcome to compare it to whatever they do. Blokada uses the standard client and not some proprietary launcher too so that's inherently more secure to me in this case.

If you're talking about instant apps from Google Play, I believe those use your System's Webview instead of your default browser. For example, that's what's used in place of your browser if you use the official Reddit app and choose "open links inside app."

To do virtually the same exact thing with your browser of choice, instead make web-apps by going to the mobile website for Twitter, etc, and selecting "add to home" in settings. There's also AppScope which is basically web-app "store," where you can find all social media optimized as mobile web applications, including Twitter, Instagram, Telegram, etc, plus lots of games, tools, and other random web-apps. Just save it to your home screen to access it like an app.

There are also wrappers for social media webapps, like Fella for Facebook (Play Store). That's what I use. I also use FOSS alternatives for social media that block ads, trackers, and allow full use with or with an account like Barinsta for Instagram, Twidere for Twitter, Infinity for Reddit, Vanced or New Pipe for YouTube, etc — most of which are avail on F-Droid or Google play, except YouTube Vanced is only avail on the official website.

A lot of those tell you where they're coming from if you look at the domains. It appears to be largely social medias. WhatsApp and others like Facebook that I can see. However WhatsApp seems to be the biggest one that keeps coming in. I think you can use NetMonitor to see what app is making connections exactly.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.secuso.privacyfriendlynetmonitorapp

Thanks for clarifying. Is this the ticket for system-wide? It won't auto update, will it?

https://www.apkmirror.com/apk/adguard-software-limited/adguard/adguard-3-2-122-release/adguard-3-2-122-android-apk-download/

Why do you think it sucks?

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You can find older versions here: https://www.apkmirror.com/?post_type=app_release&searchtype=apk&s=blokada

I had the same issue and it just went away eventually. I use NextDNS coupled with Mullvad VPN these days and find the experience far superior. I do have my eye on Blokada Cloud and will try it out once it leaves beta.

Sure, actually wanted to ask, whether you had follow-up questions but didn't want to force you to write something like 'No, thank you':)

There are two (three) things that can be achieved with a DNS:
a) ad blocking
b) higher level of privacy
(c) faster resolution of domains)

to a) I generally don't recommend ad blocking DNS, as you don't know, what they actually block and can't influence it. If you block only using Host lists you see which domain gets accessed and which gets blocked. You then can proceed to either whitelist or block these domains. You can't do that with a DNS. Having said that, a DNS is able to have a way larger blocking list than a Host list (as you are limited by your RAM there). Still most of these additional domains are not being called up with a normal useage in my experience.

to b) always inform yourself before trusting a DNS. A DNS sees which domains you request (not only in the browser but your whole phone). If it logs that, it got a lot of data about you.
I prefer the DNS server 'Digitalcourage' as they have a no logging policy, are located in germany and the resolution is pretty fast.
Here is an overview of DNS that are considered pirvacy focused by privacytools: https://www.privacytools.io/providers/dns/.

to c) based on your region some DNS servers are faster than others. I haven't noticed significant differences for my region. But nevertheless you could keep that in mind as well.

Samsung Internet Browser has the option to block pop-ups and backward redirects, I sometimes use that with Blokada and it works great.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sec.android.app.sbrowser.beta

Hi! RedMorph, a Pure Play Privacy company has been protecting privacy for many years. Check out their latest free Android app on the PlayStore (link at the bottom). Redmorph name is from Red Pill + Morpheus scene in the movie MATRIX and has cool UI. Browsers and apps (including system apps) all covered in the tracker/privacy protection.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ultimate.intelligent.privacy.firewall

Click here if you wanna go to the page with all the instruction and scroll down

Click here if you wanna directly just download it

Instead of downloading the APK you could just do this:

Change set DNS 1 and DNS 2 values to following:

176.103.130.130 176.103.130.131

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

Avoid Brave browser as it shows ads unknowingly and also you'll lose all the data without any notice. Instead move to bromite browser.

https://www.bromite.org/

Same features and some more by your demands like changing ad blocking lists and changing user agent.

Interestingly enough, I don't see it listed in either list:

• https://raw.githubusercontent.com/EnergizedProtection/block/master/blu/formats/hosts
• https://adaway.org/hosts.txt

Yet I have confirmed that it does not exist in my blacklist (I only have graph.facebook.com added), and have also confirmed that the site works when Blokada is deactivated or when whitelisted, and returns a DNS error when activated.

Curious.

No, I mean I will stop using Mullvad, and replace it with Blockada Plus, for all my devices. Can I torrent privately and change my location online if I use Blokada Plus?

They're the same price, so I don't mind switching.

If you need any browser recommendations Kiwi Browser (Play Store) is a fully FOSS Chromium-based browser with full chrome extensions on mobile, built-in ad-blocker, website dark mode, optional bottom address bar, etc. Bromite (Dev website) is another good free open source option that's a Chromium-fork with built-in ad blocker and webpage darkmode & tab groups avail in experimental flag settings via chrome://flags.

Both Chrome & Firefox have implemented encrypted DNS in-app that bypasses Blokada's DNS, but can be turned off in settings. On Firefox that'd be thru about:config.

But it would matter in the sense that Blokada would be inactive for those few seconds and hence won't be able to block domains, trackers and all that. Those bastards are always waiting to connect lol. But anyways, thanks, I use Blokada DNS too and it's really fast as well.

Oh and regarding DNS leak the other day, I finally tried ProtonVPN and checked for DNS leaks on both Chrome and Firefox and this time there was no leak. So what you said turned out to be true, Google manages to interfere no matter what DNS(from Blokada or from the private designated DNS setting) I use on Chrome unless it's a real VPN.

Would you happen to know any app that checks DNS leak, and not a website? I just want to confirm if other apps perform like Chrome or Firefox. Again, thanks a lot for replying to all my queries.

First of all, I highly recommend using Fella for Facebook instead of the FB app. It has built in ad-blocking, video downloading, dark mode, messaging, etc. Second, make sure you go thru the host log. If Facebook vids are playing just fine on your device, that means Facebook tracking/ad domains are not being blocked.

Unfortunately, Facebook started routing video streams thru it's device-wide trackers: web[.]facebook[.]com, connect[.]facebook[.]net, graph[.]facebook[.]com — so you either sacrifice serious privacy for some Facebook videos, or try to limit how much you view FB videos and just temporarily disable Blokada when you do so. It's much more important that the trackers I listed above are blocked at all times, and it's much easier to simply turn Blokada off & on for a video, rather than whitelist and blacklist tracking domains. If you watch FB livestreams a lot, most streamers simultaneously cast on Twitch, YouTube Live, Periscope, etc — especially if you see StreamLabs watermark on the vids. So search their username on otherplatforms or find their other social media links in their about.

Hopefully Fella, which is a wrapper for the FB webapp, will block video ads in addition to timeline ads, while Blokada's turned off. Either way it's well worth it to remove FB's app from your device. Some apps are also gain privileged connections that go outside your VPN (Blokada) depending on your OS — namely on iOS.

Thanks for the reply! I haven't updated anything else about my phone except Blokada, and I don't have any other adblocks. I'm using Flynx as my browser.

Okay, you definitely might be into something here. I installed a cleaner and lighter camera app called Open Camera, which uses around 10% of the RAM that gcam uses, and there are no disconnections from the VPN whatsoever. I then tried using the WhatsApp camera, and after about 3 second it immediately disconnects the VPN.

I don't have a phone with more RAM right now, so I couldn't test this in another device with more memory resources, but at the moment I'd say the problem is memory related as the g5 plus only has 2gb of RAM in total, and according to the memory resources on the Developer Options menu, with only about 300mb to spare.

I use Mullvad and Blokada separately. If I try and connect to Mullvad, Blokada stops. I suspect that it's the DNS service that doesn't allow the two to work simultaneously. It would be slick to combine an openVPN API into their app, but I would imagine that their own VPN service is their priority. After all, their app is free, and VPN subscriptions / donations are probably what keep them going.

Ahh, yeah that is not yet possible.. (but it will be in the future for sure:)) The thing then will be that the DNS service needs to provide DoH, as v5 only supports DoH traffic atm and idk whether Unlocator provides DoH...

I've been using the app for a couple weeks now and have noticed that it always ends up blocking all internet traffic and requires disabling and re-enabling of Blokada or a reboot. I assume this may be caused by OnePlus' aggressive battery saving features (I own a 6T). Oddly enough if I just IPVanish as an actual VPN on my phone I never get any issues.