If you’re mad Google is killing your favorite ad blocker, the only solution is one nobody can ever take away from you

If you're mad Google is killing your favorite ad blocker, the only solution is one nobody can ever take away from you

As someone who has seen the rise and fall of many beloved digital tools over the years, I wholeheartedly agree with the sentiment that self-reliance is crucial in today’s tech landscape. The news about Google phasing out uBlock Origin is just another reminder of this harsh reality.


It appears that Google’s transition to Manifest V3 for browser extensions is effectively phasing out the widely-used ad blocker, uBlock Origin. It’s always disappointing when a major corporation discontinues a much-loved tool or service, whether it’s an extension, app, game, or something else.

However, this also underscores the fact that nowadays, trusting anything seems uncertain, particularly when it’s not under your direct control. This is why my current writing aims to convey this idea; indeed, using a browser extension for ad-blocking might not be the most dependable solution.

In today’s digital landscape, relying on others for ad blocker support can leave you hanging. Instead, consider setting up your own personal ad blocker at home – something no one can ever take away from you. It’s affordable and empowers you to control your online experience. With a low-cost Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W, a microSD card, and around half an hour of setup time, you’ll be enjoying a smoother, ad-free browsing experience in no time. Trust me; it’s definitely the way to go!

Cheap hardware and free software for network wide ad blocking

If you're mad Google is killing your favorite ad blocker, the only solution is one nobody can ever take away from you

Apart from gaining full control over your digital environment, another advantage is that you’re not just limiting ad-blocking to a single device. By setting up a Raspberry Pi with software like AdGuard Home or Pi-hole, you can extend the ad-blocking functionality across your entire network. This means that you can block ads on devices such as your smartphone, computer, and even your Xbox.

Here’s a simpler way of expressing your text: This isn’t a comprehensive tutorial, but if you want to learn, you can find instructions below for configuring either Pi-hole or AdGuard Home. I’ve personally used both, and they both function well. However, I found the user interface on AdGuard Home more beginner-friendly compared to Pi-hole.

To get started, you’ll require a Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W (or its previous version, the Pi Zero W), a microSD card with a minimum capacity of 8GB, and a personal computer. The setup process is straightforward and should not take longer than approximately 30 minutes. After completion, you will have a system that offers network-wide ad blocking, detailed reports, control over whitelists, and numerous customization options at your disposal.

Put the control in your own hands

If you're mad Google is killing your favorite ad blocker, the only solution is one nobody can ever take away from you

These two software applications offer a degree of control comparable to what you’d find using uBlock Origin within your browser, and an extra advantage: they can apply these settings across all devices you use.

Instead, having your own hardware operating independently on your network means you won’t be dependent on Google for alterations, such as unexpected changes they might make, or problems that could cause your preferred extensions to malfunction.

In essence, we ought to lean more towards self-reliance rather than depending on others. For instance, tools like Pi-hole and AdGuard serve to block ads, being open-source solutions. Given their nature, long-term sustainability seems likely. Once you’ve installed the software locally, in principle, it could run without end.

Consider applying this approach consistently across all our data. Relying solely on cloud services might seem convenient, but what if they encounter problems or disappear altogether? It’s much like Good Old Games (GOG) offering offline installers for the games they sell. By creating a method to store and manage your own software and data, some of this dependency is reduced.

Read More

2024-10-15 19:39