adblock, DNS and hosts files

[moral]

A basic question on adblock feature a DNS server and using hosts files. Wondering if it is overkill to add blocklists to the local computers hosts file if using both adblock and a no malware no ads custom DNS server (ie cloudflare)?

Are the adblock and DNS server essentially doing the same function using their own updated lists?
Any benefit/disadvantage to adding the blocklists locally?

Thank you in advance!

[support]

Comparing these three ways of ad blocking:

1. hosts file on each computer
2. DNS service such as AdGuard
3. pcWRT router built-in ad blocking

In general, if you do 2 or 3, then you don’t need 1.

With option 2, you just set the DNS server IPs to that of AdGuard. But you don’t have much control over what’s blocked.

With option 3, you need to check the “Ad Block” checkbox on the profile, and the router will apply a default block list (https://github.com/pcwrt-router/Adblock). You can add domains to the white list to bypass the default block list, and you can add domains to the black list to block additional domains (append !A to the domain name to indicate an Ad block instead of a normal block). For example, to block ads.example.com as an Ad domain, you’d enter ads.example.com!A.

With option 3, the router will report the number of ads blocked for the day for the device you are using. And you have the option to pause Ad blocking for the device you are using, with the ad block control page (in case some web site doesn’t work with ads blocked).

[moral]

Thank you for the thorough explanation!

One last clarification, DNS server settings on the Internet settings page override the DNS settings in Access Control?

[support]

@moral The other way around. Those in Access Control override the Internet Settings page. When Access Control is enabled, the DNS in Internet Settings is used only when you choose “System Default” on a profile.

[Author]

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