I remember some years ago hearing about a unit you could make--basically, a bit of software on an old junk PC--that you'd pass your internet signals though (say, between cable modem and wifi router) to add privacy, block ads, etc.
Does anyone know what I'm thinking of? What was that called? Any point to having one today? #computing
☝️ Either (or both) of these. And yes, definitely worth having. I used to run a PiHole on my NAS, now I run an AdGuard instance on it instead, as well as another AdGuard instance (for failover) on my Docker server.
The big benefit is it provides ad blocking at the DNS level for your entire home network. So even on devices that you can’t (or don’t want to) install an ad-blocking app or extension onto, you will benefit.
One word of warning though: some devices might not appreciate it. Certain apps on our LG Smart TV (the GlobalTV app is one) won’t function if they can’t talk to the ‘mothership’. In those cases you can manually set the DNS to something else. (9.9.9.9 for example)
@ZenHeathen So, the other day you were lamenting being between hobbies. Today you were asking if there’s a way to repurpose your 4TB NAS.
I have an assignment for you:
1) follow those instructions I sent you for installing Debian on your NAS. 2) install Docker community edition (CE) on it. 3) install Portainer on it. 4) now you’re ready to install all kind of neat stuff including an AdGuard instance.
I stand ready to assist with any of those steps. 🙂
@fname Too much, too fast. A little above my head, I think.
For instance, I saw and liked the idea of Haiku OS (not on that machine) yesterday. I downloaded, burned to thumbdrive, acccessed EUFI, started up... it failed, and I've given up.
That's kinda where my tech-savvy is at. Docker? Containers? Nopenopenope.
@fname Perhaps in time, but as it's the first day I've heard of such a thing, nuh-uh.
Hey, here's another question, since you know shit:
I access the internet through my cable company ISP, their cable modem with built-in wifi. I have wifi devices in the house; I could attach one and run my own wifi instead, but at the moment, signal and reach is better. I have an NAS with my media, available from any Windows, Linux or Android in the house via that wifi.
If I wanted one machine in the house that could access that media, but not the internet, would that be possible without too much finesse? Alternately, if I took the NAS off that wifi and onto another wifi in the same house, that machine could access only it and not the wifi to outside, but could the other machines in the house easily access outside and that NAS without having to manually switch between networks all the time?
Simplest might be to use my plug-in backup for the same media on that one machine, not connect it to any wifi, and just update that drive occasionally. Yeah?
@ZenHeathen Sorry, your question is breaking my brain so I’m going to break it down a bit:
If I wanted one machine in the house that could access that media, but not the internet, would that be possible without too much finesse?
Should be. The simplest way I could see to go about this would be to use the ‘parental controls’ on your ISP’s router and just permablock that machine from internet access.
Alternately, if I took the NAS off that wifi and onto another wifi in the same house, that machine could access only it and not the wifi to outside
Theoretically, yes. As long as you don’t connect wifi2 to your ISP’s router.
but could the other machines in the house easily access outside and that NAS without having to manually switch between networks all the time?
Uh, no. I don’t think so. Not without some fandangling. But if you had them all on the same network, and did the parental control thing, that could work.
Simplest might be to use my plug-in backup for the same media on that one machine, not connect it to any wifi, and just update that drive occasionally. Yeah?
You could do it that way, but it would be more elegant having them all on the same LAN, and then just copy shit over or have an automated script to synchronize your libraries periodically.
@fname I can't make any changes or get any real access on my ISP's modem. I can't get much access on the built-in wifi, either. I'm unhappy with that, though I do like that it's stronger and better than what I had. I'm still tempted to use my own wifi anyway, just for control and privacy.
Fudge. I think I'll just have one machine that's "offline" and get periodic updates to its media library.
Or I'll putter along as I've been doing, and cross my fingers that the next "internet hell day" doesn't take everything I have down with it, and just keep my NAS as my main media server and the plug-in drive as its backup.
@fname@kamloops.social