Good day,

I'm searching for a cheap router (name) that allows the installation of Linux or similar firmware like DD-WRT or OpenWRT. I'm getting tired of the constant YouTube advertisements and I want to block them on all my devices.

Does anyone have any suggestions? So far, I have come across two options:

1. Create a routine on my TV.

2. Purchase a router that is compatible with Linux and add advertising domains to the route in order to block them.

Are there any other options that you can think of?

If you are looking for assistance, the pihole project might be of use to you. It runs on a Raspberry Pi and although it may seem a bit dull, it is quite functional.

As for routers with pure Linux, I'm uncertain. You may want to check their websites for routers that are compatible with dd/open wrt.

However, if your intention is simply to block certain addresses, I believe almost any router would be capable of doing so.

It's always fascinating to see how technology continues to evolve and provide us with solutions to our everyday problems.

If you're considering setting up something like pihole or a similar solution, to be honest, it may not make much sense. Adguard's DNS can handle this task quite effectively, and it can be configured on either your router or a dedicated piece of hardware.

However, if you're determined to have your own "server \ combine," here are a few options to consider:

1) Use a single-board computer as both a router and server. This setup may not be the most visually appealing, and you'll need to connect the network via USB.

2) Flashing a router with *wrt firmware can be cool, but it might not be as convenient in practice. Resources and packages may be limited.

3) Another option is to use a Mikrotik router alongside a separate single-board server.

Speaking of good hardware recommendations, I would once again suggest Mikrotik. Many models can be flashed with openwrt, offer ample gigabit ports, are power-efficient, and most importantly, provide sufficient RAM and ROM. Some even come with USB and microSD slots.

Personally, I've been using a couple of Mikrotik hap ac2 routers and two Raspberry Pi 4s (4GB RAM version) for the past few years. The Mikrotiks handle the network management, while the Raspberry Pis run Arch Linux and serve various functions within my home network.

You can purchase any pi (such as Orange Pi or Raspberry Pi), install the Raspbian OS or any other suitable operating system, and then install Adguard. Personally, I find Adguard to be more user-friendly compared to Pihole, as it can be easily set up by running a script. Once you set Adguard as your main DNS, you'll be able to enjoy an ad-free browsing experience. Additionally, you can utilize the pi for other purposes, like streaming movies when you forget to pay for your internet connection

In my own setup, I have combined a Mikrotik router, a Raspberry Pi 3B, a Smart TV, and several smartphones. This configuration effectively blocks a significant portion of advertisements, which brings me immense satisfaction.

There are indeed other options you can consider. Here are a few suggestions:

3. Use browser extensions: You can install ad-blocking extensions on your web browsers, such as uBlock Origin or AdBlock Plus. These extensions can effectively block advertisements across multiple websites.

4. Set up a network-wide ad-blocker: There are devices and software solutions available that act as network-wide ad-blockers. These can be connected between your modem and router, allowing them to filter out ads before they reach your devices. Examples include Pi-hole and AdGuard Home.

5. Explore alternative DNS providers: Certain DNS providers offer ad-blocking capabilities by filtering out known advertising domains. By changing your DNS settings on your router or individual devices, you can block ads at the network level. Some popular options include NextDNS, AdGuard DNS, and OpenDNS.

6. Use a content filtering router: Some routers come with built-in content filtering features that allow you to block specific domains or categories, including advertisements. These routers often have parental control features as well. Examples include routers from Netgear (with Circle Home), ASUS (with AiProtection), and Linksys (with Linksys Smart Wi-Fi).

7. Install custom firmware: Besides DD-WRT and OpenWRT, there are other custom router firmware options available that offer ad-blocking capabilities. For example, you can explore Tomato firmware or AdvancedTomato, which provide similar functionality and support a wide range of router models.

8. Employ network-wide VPN solutions: Some VPN services offer ad-blocking as part of their features. By connecting your devices to a VPN server that includes ad-blocking, you can effectively block advertisements across your network. Services like NordVPN and ExpressVPN offer such capabilities.

9. Use a Raspberry Pi as a network-wide ad-blocker: You can set up a Raspberry Pi device as a dedicated ad-blocker using software like Pi-hole. By connecting the Raspberry Pi to your network and configuring it as a DNS server, it can block ads for all devices on your network.

10. Opt for a privacy-focused browser: Some web browsers, such as Brave and Firefox, prioritize user privacy and offer built-in ad-blocking features. These browsers can block ads and prevent trackers from monitoring your online activity.

11. Utilize host file modifications: You can manually modify the host file on your device or router to block specific advertising domains. This method allows you to create custom blocklists and effectively block ads at the domain level.

12. Consider commercial routers with ad-blocking features: Certain commercial routers come with integrated ad-blocking capabilities. Examples include routers from Asus (with AiMesh), Synology (with SRM), and TP-Link (with HomeCare).

13. Use mobile ad-blocking apps: If you primarily want to block ads on your mobile devices, you can install ad-blocking apps such as AdGuard or Blokada. These apps work across apps and browsers to block ads on your smartphone or tablet.

14. Consider DNS-based ad-blocking solutions: Some DNS-based services specialize in ad-blocking. For instance, services like AdGuard DNS or NextDNS provide DNS servers that block ads at the network level without requiring additional software installations.

15. Opt for a hardware firewall: Hardware firewalls, like pfSense or OPNsense, offer powerful network filtering capabilities. They allow you to set up rules to block specific domains or categories of content, including advertisements.

16. Explore browser-specific ad-blocking options: Popular browsers like Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, and Safari have various ad-blocking extensions available in their respective extension stores. You can browse through these extensions to find one that suits your needs.

The best bang-for-buck router supporting OpenWRT or DD-WRT would be the TP-Link Archer C7 or the Linksys WRT3200ACM - both solid platforms with robust community support and enough horsepower to handle custom ad-blocking rules. Flashing these with OpenWRT lets you deploy DNS-level filtering (like using Pi-hole) to nuke YouTube ads across your LAN without fiddling with each device.

Your TV routine idea is clever but limited, as it only affects one endpoint. Another angle is setting up a dedicated Pi-hole or AdGuard Home on a cheap SBC, which offloads ad-blocking from the router and scales better. Beware, though: YouTube ads often come from the same domains as content, so DNS blocking can be a blunt tool, sometimes breaking functionality or causing false positives.