Blocking Ads with Unbound | Unbound DNS Server

Unbound is a flexible DNS resolver that can be configured to block ads by filtering DNS queries based on specific criteria. Here’s a basic tutorial on how to block ads using Unbound:

1. Install Unbound:

• Follow the installation instructions for your operating system (see previous response).

2. Configure Unbound for Ad Blocking:

• Create a hosts file: Create a text file named hosts in the directory specified by the local-data option in your Unbound configuration file (usually /etc/unbound/unbound.conf).

Add ad-blocking rules: In the hosts file, add lines that map ad domains to a specific IP address, such as 127.0.0.1. For example:
0.0.0.0 ads.example.com

0.0.0.0 ads.another.com

• Modify Unbound configuration:
  • In your Unbound configuration file, ensure that the local-data option is set to the correct path of your hosts file.
  • Enable the use-hosts option to use the hosts file for DNS resolution.

Example Unbound Configuration:

server:

    verbosity: 3

    interface: 0.0.0.0

    port: 53

    do-ip4: yes

    do-ip6: yes

    use-tls: yes

    use-auth: yes

    use-hosts: yes

    local-data: “/etc/unbound/hosts”

    trust-anchor: 192.168.1.100 . 256 3 5 12345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890

3. Restart Unbound:

• Restart the Unbound service to apply the changes.

Additional Considerations:

• Ad-blocking lists: You can use pre-existing ad-blocking lists to populate your hosts file with more comprehensive ad domain mappings.
• DNSSEC: If you’re using DNSSEC, ensure that your ad-blocking rules do not interfere with DNSSEC validation.
• Performance: Ad-blocking can increase the load on your DNS server, so consider using caching and other performance optimizations.
• Customization: You can customize the ad-blocking rules to suit your specific needs and preferences.

By following these steps, you can effectively block ads using Unbound and improve your browsing experience.