An Ad Blocker, as the name suggests, block ads that hover on websites every time you try to surf. According to Techopedia, Ad blockers block certain kinds of ads that include pop-up, ad banners and other usual kinds you have to tangle while surfing web and seriously, their frequency can be really exasperating. In this blog we’ll talk about Pi Hole.
How does it work?
According to Louise Neale, influence of Ad Blockers varies in Desktop computers and in mobiles. In desktop computers, the Ad blocker scans the website browsed and blocks anything that looks like an ad. It may be files known from external ad servers or html code that defines the content as ads. So the users who have installed Ad Blockers on their desktop are successful in keeping their browsing ad free. Mobile is much more ad friendly. People mostly use Apps in mobiles rather than browsers. Extensions of browsers are restricted and cannot influence Apps. Therefore, Ad blockers are not able to make their way into apps making them more ad friendly zone. (Louise, 2016)
The Pi Hole: The Black Hole for Internet Advertisements?
Pi Hole is the latest addition to the Ad blockers family and has made quite a stir in tech circles around the Internet world. Its tagline; ‘Pi Hole; A Black hole for Internet Advertisements’, is quite catchy. But does it measures up to it? Well, according to That Server Nerd’s blog post, it does big time! Pi Hole is able to block every ad on the devices in your network that is using it as a DNS server. (The Server Nerd, 2016) According to the Pi-hole website, following benefits can be reaped by installing it on your network:
- Over 100,000 Ad-serving Domains will be blocked.
- Any devise can be rid of advertisements through its usage.
- Overall performance of the network can be enhanced and improved by removing Ads which is done successfully by Pi-hole.
- It optimizes the data usage considerably, of your cellular by reducing ad traffic.
The installation is very easy
Installing Pi-hole is not a complicated procedure either. According to Cyber Punk, you only need a Raspberry Pi connected to your router to install it in your system. Other than its original usage, it also offers optional settings as well which provides you with additional perks like
- Blockage of malware or tracking sites
- Usage of alternative upstream DNS servers
- Installation of mini LCD for real-time monitoring
Cyber Punk has given overall rating of 77% to the performance of Pi-hole in the capacity of its ease of use, features and value.
Looking at multiple reviews, it seems like a good bargain. According to the website, its services are free to use while it welcome donations. Its installation and usage is easy for non-tech population as well. From business point of view, it’s not so good news, but the common layman will definitely be welcoming this facility as ads can be really annoying when you are aiming to browse unhindered by pesky ads popping up from nowhere.
References
Techopedia. (n.d.). Ad Blocker. Retrieved February 5, 2017, from Techopedia: http://www.techopedia.com
Neale, L. (2016, May 23). How Ad Blockers Work – and How to Beat Them. Retrieved February 5, 2017, from Sprinklr|THE WAY: http://www.sprinklr.com
ServerNerd, T. (2016, October 18). PI-HOLE: HOW TO BLOCK ALL ADS ON EVERY DEVICE IN YOUR NETWORK (AND INTEGRATE WITH YOUR WINDOW ACTIVE DIRECTORY). Retrieved February 5, 2017, from WordPress: http//thatservernerd.com
CyberPunk. (n.d.). Network Wide Hardware Ad Blocking: Pi-Hole. Retrieved February 5, 2017, from 5 New Today: http://n0where.net
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