[APP][ROOT/NONROOT][OFFICIAL] AdAway v6.1.1

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pegasoc

Senior Member
Hi,
sorry but I don't know English.
I have installed Adaway 5.8.0-210808 on POCO F3 ROM Xiaomi.eu when I start the app and get to the sync it says "Sync failed: Unable to install new file". I understand that I need to change some settings but I don't know exactly what and where to find them.
Can someone explain to me how to do this? Thank you.
 

zgfg

Senior Member
Oct 10, 2016
10,688
9,203
Redmi K20 / Xiaomi Mi 9T
Xiaomi Mi 11
Hi,
sorry but I don't know English.
I have installed Adaway 5.8.0-210808 on POCO F3 ROM Xiaomi.eu when I start the app and get to the sync it says "Sync failed: Unable to install new file". I understand that I need to change some settings but I don't know exactly what and where to find them.
Can someone explain to me how to do this? Thank you.
Rooted?
You need to enable Systemless hosts in Magisk
 
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joefuf

Senior Member
Jun 22, 2010
325
40
I am getting ERR_CONNECTION_REFUSED for websites that are part of my Allowed or Redirected lists. Specifically, I am trying to add the ad services sites used on SlickDeals. Here is a paste of my backup JSON that I try to restore. I see that you can only have them in Allowed or Redirected. I have tried both methods, but I still get the error when browsing.

Specifically, in the case of tkqlhce.com, I see that it is part of the Blocked list. Is that causing a conflict? Can I remove it somehow?

Is there something else that I need to do?
 

vssu

Member
Nov 20, 2019
13
0
most of podcasts have been unable to play on any podcast app after i recently updated some hosts. which ones do i whitelist to re-enable playback?

Thanks
 

Nergal di Cuthah

Senior Member
Sep 20, 2013
2,736
1,954
Google Pixel 6 Pro
most of podcasts have been unable to play on any podcast app after i recently updated some hosts. which ones do i whitelist to re-enable playback?

Thanks
Kinda a broad question, you probably have to do a dns request log. However I know when my podcast player, podcast addict, was blocked by a host it (the podcast app) told me that chtbl.com was blocked and once I added it to my adaway allowed list they returned to functional (if it matters I download my podcasts not stream)
 

vssu

Member
Nov 20, 2019
13
0
Kinda a broad question, you probably have to do a dns request log. However I know when my podcast player, podcast addict, was blocked by a host it (the podcast app) told me that chtbl.com was blocked and once I added it to my adaway allowed list they returned to functional (if it matters I download my podcasts not stream)
I'll i know is that podcast playback works if i disable adaway and that this issue popped up a few days ago after i updated my hosts, chtbl.com didn't fix unfortunately.
 

DiamondJohn

Recognized Contributor
Aug 31, 2013
7,350
7,366
Sydney
I'll i know is that podcast playback works if i disable adaway and that this issue popped up a few days ago after i updated my hosts, chtbl.com didn't fix unfortunately.
before AdAway included a DNS logging, the method I use to use to find the offending blocked host was to
i) Cut the host file inn halfand enable the reduce host file
ii) test, if it still does not work, do step (i) again to the npow 50% reduced host file.
iii) if it works, add back 50% of what I previously cut
iV) if it now fails, its in the bit I added. Continue with 50% cuts to get down to the lines that make the app fail. You will be surprised how quickly youu can find the host(s).

NB: It may come down to multiple hosts, spread out over randon sparse location withyin the larger host file. Nore difficult, but still possible.

BUT, DNS logging is generally the quickest avenue, and the above would currently be a fallback method at best.
 

vssu

Member
Nov 20, 2019
13
0
before AdAway included a DNS logging, the method I use to use to find the offending blocked host was to
i) Cut the host file inn halfand enable the reduce host file
ii) test, if it still does not work, do step (i) again to the npow 50% reduced host file.
iii) if it works, add back 50% of what I previously cut
iV) if it now fails, its in the bit I added. Continue with 50% cuts to get down to the lines that make the app fail. You will be surprised how quickly youu can find the host(s).

NB: It may come down to multiple hosts, spread out over randon sparse location withyin the larger host file. Nore difficult, but still possible.

BUT, DNS logging is generally the quickest avenue, and the above would currently be a fallback method at best.
i figured how to use the dns log and fixed, thanks
 

gallegonovato

Senior Member
Feb 25, 2021
163
53
Good afternoon @PerfectSlayer

First of all, thank you for your work and time.

I wanted to report a bug in Adaway. It turns out that if you upgrade, add host lists, etc. ... With data, normal wiffi no problem. But if you use 5 ghz wiffi. Adaway goes crazy. Sense:

On the main screen, where you get the number of sources you have installed and the ones you want to update. Well, you see how it decreases the number of installed lists, and even says 0 installed fonts. Again where is the list of hosts. To some it says installed a few minutes ago, to another updated for a few minutes. Or it simply does not load the total. I mean, for example, Steven font and leaves a number for example 250k and this number removes it.

I have already tried rebooting, reinstalling Adaway and backup, Adaway without backup and putting one by one the lists. Clearing cache, etc ... And always the same.

And it is not a failure of the mobile or wifi. Because everything goes well on wiffi 5 ghz. That's browser without problems, fdroid without problems, etc ... I tested it on a Nexus 6p with lineageos and Magisk in its latest version. And on Samsung S9 + also with lineageos magisk updated. And Adaway in its latest version 5.8.0. And this before I did not do that I realize. And I have not changed anything on the phone.


. I would also like to ask if it would be possible to add Adaway. An option that after updating the sources of the host lists are updated. Adaway reboot the mobile. Or a warning if you want to restart the phone or not. As it happened in versions 4. I comment this because I see that Adaway processes updates and changes better after restarting the mobile.

Thank you very much for your time and help.

Sincerely

Device

  • AdAway version: 5.8.0
  • Device: Huawei Nexus 6p and Samsung S9+ and Nexus 5
  • Android version: Lineageos 17.1 and lineageos 18.1
  • Root version: Magisk 23 and systemless active
 

zgfg

Senior Member
Oct 10, 2016
10,688
9,203
Redmi K20 / Xiaomi Mi 9T
Xiaomi Mi 11
Good afternoon @PerfectSlayer

First of all, thank you for your work and time.

I wanted to report a bug in Adaway. It turns out that if you upgrade, add host lists, etc. ... With data, normal wiffi no problem. But if you use 5 ghz wiffi. Adaway goes crazy. Sense:

On the main screen, where you get the number of sources you have installed and the ones you want to update. Well, you see how it decreases the number of installed lists, and even says 0 installed fonts. Again where is the list of hosts. To some it says installed a few minutes ago, to another updated for a few minutes. Or it simply does not load the total. I mean, for example, Steven font and leaves a number for example 250k and this number removes it.

I have already tried rebooting, reinstalling Adaway and backup, Adaway without backup and putting one by one the lists. Clearing cache, etc ... And always the same.

And it is not a failure of the mobile or wifi. Because everything goes well on wiffi 5 ghz. That's browser without problems, fdroid without problems, etc ... I tested it on a Nexus 6p with lineageos and Magisk in its latest version. And on Samsung S9 + also with lineageos magisk updated. And Adaway in its latest version 5.8.0. And this before I did not do that I realize. And I have not changed anything on the phone.

Device
  • AdAway version: 5.8.0
  • Device: Huawei Nexus 6p and Samsung S9+ and Nexus 5
  • Android version: Lineageos 17.1 and lineageos 18.1
  • Root version: Magisk 23 and systemless active
Hello, I've seen earlier you reported the same (I think) but there was no feedback

Actually, it was interesting but e.g. I thought it was about the non-root version (non-root does have some issues with reconnections hence I thought it was the reason for your troubles with WiFi 5G)

But you say now that you have issues with 5G but with the root version?

I have WiFi 5G at my work (with many APs all around the building) and I have never observed any issue

Reading more closely now how you described the problem (related to updates) I could think of the following scenario:

Open Preferences and disable autonatic updates (you can always manually update every few days) and check would it help.
Maybe you have problems that AdAway attempts to update (hosts sources or the app itself) and due to certain problems with 5G (shorter range, more often jumping from one AP/channel to another) it results with that unexpected behavior

Btw, if I'm not wrong, AdAway might be trigerred to re-try the previous broken update every time you reconnect from one AP to another (you might be sitting between two of them, and the phone often jumps from one to another), repeating the troubles and making it just worse for you
 
Last edited:

PerfectSlayer

Senior Member
Hi all,

A small update after few months aside from the project, mainly to keep it up to date.
For root ad-blocking users, web server certificate was updated to reduce its validity time. No need to remove and reinstall it if your apss don't encounter issues with it.

The next update should focus on Android 12 migration, mongoose upgrade, and may be some UI improvements too. Will see how much energy I can find to work on it.

I also recently switched to a non rooted Pixel 6 (thanks for Google making it "affordable"), so the non-root ad-blocking method might receive some love too. I use it for a week now and it feels stable enough when you enable the watchdog option. (I'm reading Androids from Chet Haase and you can understand how much pain is was for engineers to maintain stable connection to servers compared to just writing applications. I guess it is the same kind of issue I have trying to keep the VPN connection up compared to just using the VPN API...)

Changelog:
  • Improve update activity to add support links and open from notification
  • Update web server certificate to comply with maximum validity time
  • Update dependencies
  • Update Android gradle plugin
  • Update NDK

Thanks:

Special thanks to rany2 for its helpful bug report.

Download:

AdAway 5.9.0
 

Kolyei

Senior Member
Jul 11, 2016
77
9
For now, 5.9.0 has issues with saving my hosts file even though systemless modules is installed on my phone. S20 fe 5g (sm-781u1 rooted)
Screenshot_20211105-130442_AdAway.jpg
Screenshot_20211105-130448_AdAway.jpg
Screenshot_20211105-130542_AdAway.jpg
Screenshot_20211105-131019.jpg

{Mod edit: Spoiler added for better reading and scrolling experience. - Oswald Boelcke}
 
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  • 1
    Non root uses VPN, hence make sure you don't run another VPN in parallel
    If it helps, an example of that mistake of trying to run (non-rootable) two VPNs at a time would be to try to use both of these at the same time.

    AdAway (non-root system-wide hosts-based ad blocking)
    NetGuard (non-root system-wide hosts-based ad blocking)
    adblocker_netguard_vpn.jpg
    1
    I've been using the app for many years now, but have had massive problems in the last few weeks. Latest Android 14 with February patches. Network connection suddenly stops working after a while and only works again after manually stopping/starting the app. Notifications are not delivered. Restarting / reinstalling or updating the sources only fixes the problem temporarily. Problem occurs on several devices.

    Found some Bug reports on devs github, but no solution.

    Non-rooted Devices...
    1
    So what do you suggest for 'not rooted' devices?
    For developers to fix it?

    Tik Tok has connection problems...
    Screenshot_2024-02-28-20-36-58-088_com.zhiliaoapp.musically.jpg
    1
    1. Yesterday I installed AdAway and set it up as my VPN app.
    2. Today I installed an app that SAID it has no ads but it has ads.
    • <ht tps://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.quantum.updater>
    AdAway does NOT block those ads.
    • AdAway doesn't block the full-page ads
    • AdAway doesn't block the bar ads
    Why not?
    What did I do wrong in my setup?
    1
    Do it by logDNS. Check the Wiki:

    Start the log and open your preferred site.
    Whitelist what has to be whitelisted.
    Followed the guide. It's simple enough until I try to find the hostname I am supposed to white list - there are probably 50 entries just clicking on one article. Plus the names don't give any clue what they are related to. I tried white-listing about a dozen different entries but none allowed the comments to be read. At this point it's still easier to turn off Adaway and scroll the articles then turn it back on when I'm done.

    Thanks for the guide though.
  • 3363
    icon.png
    AdAway

    AdAway is an open source ad blocker for Android using the hosts file.


    Google Play Store notice

    According the Google Play Developer Policy, especially the "Device and Network Abuse" section, ad blocker like AdAway violates the "Apps that block or interfere with another app displaying ads." rule and can't be distributed on distributed on the Play Store.
    As Free and Open Source Software, AdAway is available from F-Droid Store or this XDA thread :good:


    Requirements

    This application requires Android 8 or above and does no more require root.

    For older Android versions, a rooted device is required.


    Changelog

    If you don't want to read each announce post of this thread, you can:


    Downloads

    Stable versions are available on GitHub releases and F-Droid Store:
    Beta versions are available on GitHub releases only: AdAway 6.0.2b

    The app provides an in-app updater for both GitHub and F-Droid builds.
    Keep in mind beta channel is limited to GitHub builds, and F-Droid releases usually have a several days latency.


    Problem? Read this

    * If you use Chrome and still see ads on web pages, remember to disable the "data saver" or "reduced data usage" browser option.
    * Check your APN settings for any proxy, the proxy itself could be allowing ads. Disable the proxy.
    * After you install or make any change to AdAway, you must reboot for those changes to take effect.
    * If you are still having issues please read and understand all the info in the wiki before asking for help here.

    Otherwise, this is the right thread to discuss about it or file a bug report here.


    Contributors

    PerfectSlayer, Vankog, jawz101
    Source Code: https://github.com/AdAway/AdAway
    170
    Hi all,

    A new year is coming and I wish you all to have nice holidays :victory:

    Just few words about this ending year. There was about 12 releases in 2019 which brings you a new UI, a lot of bug fixes, Android 10 support, Gist and GitLab hosting support and better Magisk support.
    All of this is possible thanks to the community to help users to discover the app, learn how to use it and report any new bug and also your moral, nice words and thanks you can send to me, and financial support.
    Thanks a lot for all donators, GitHub sponsor and the Pixel 2 you sent me to test Android 10 support.

    For the next year, I hope to release the next version (V5), at least in beta to start. It's been 9 months since its first lines of code and things are working quite nicely.
    It aims to make the app simpler to use for the main use cases, support rooted and non rooted devices and remove old hacks/workaround which are no more needed on recent setups.

    But before this big next update, I still have time to fix current issue with a new release :p

    Changelog:
    • Fix GitLab hosting support (commit date parsing failed)
    • Translation update

    Thanks:

    Special thanks to @gallegonovato for its helpful bug report and @Vankog for translation update.

    Download:

    AdAway 4.3.2 on AndroidFileHost (md5: 78fde09a0e92044c45e901bb1cec8e2e)
    159
    Hi all,

    Long time no see! It's been more than two months since the last update.
    I can't say I was not active on the project as I start working on a new version (5.x.y) as a side project.
    I won't share the source code yet as it is not ready at all and I don't want to give an ETA but this new version targets the following goals:
    • 1. Revamp the UI
    • 2. Clean up old support
    • 3. Address one of the main drawback of the app

    1. The card based UI does not feel right. Welcome card takes too much space, update button / status has a lot of critic. I guess I can do better.
    I started a new simpler and lighter design which provide the most useful information on home screen and all main actions to trigger in one tap (no more burger menu).
    It is still under heavy development but I hopefully get a friend onboard, specialized in graphics and design, to help me :highfive:

    2. In order to simplify the development, I clean up the app and remove support for old features.
    I bump target SDK version so I finally get Java 8 language feature (it was released 5y ago…) and move to topjohnwu root library (instead of home made one). It means systemless support is now handled by Magisk and other root solutions will still work.

    3. Think of what prevent most of users to use AdAway? Now it's gone!
    It's not gone forever. It's still here but there will be a fallback to workaround it.
    I won't tell more until the first public beta but I guess you get the point :fingers-crossed:

    In the meanwhile, here is a new version!

    Feedback:

    Is anyone using a hosts list hosted on Gitlab? It keeps showing "Unknown update status".
    GitLab, like GitHub do not set LastModified HTTP header so update status is not supported... yet!

    Changelog:
    • Add Gist and GitLab hosting support for hosts file
    • Add option to set default IPv6 redirection
    • Improve reboot command
    • Improve UI for overlays
    • Update translations

    Thanks:

    Special thanks to @MSF Jarvis and ralayax for theirs contributions and @andy356 for its helpful bug report.

    Download:

    AdAway 4.2.5 on AndroidFileHost (md5: ab81225745afaaa7646024109de299c0)
    148
    Hi all,

    Feedback:

    Hmm, not working for me for this URL, v4.1.0 shows something like not updated in -360 days (some large negative value). Can you please see if you can reproduce?
    https://raw.githubusercontent.com/StevenBlack/hosts/master/alternates/fakenews-gambling-porn/hosts
    It works well here. I failed to reproduce as I change the HTTP client library and how I use it.
    But update date for the source you link definitely works now.

    All the F-Droid apps I know of have manual push updates to the store.

    Isn't automatic build basically for nightlies?
    Not really. You could choose a lot of different mode.
    For example, F-Droid server watches AdAway GitHub repository to find tags which match a specific versioning pattern.

    I exist still... do you know what i have to do to transfer ownership? if i edit project it doesn't let me change the primary author so i assume i have to PM some higher up to make this happen?
    Thank you so much! :highfive:

    This is now done, @PerfectSlayer is the OP of this thread.
    Thank you too!


    Changelog:
    • Add hosts source download cache
    • Add snackbar notification to update host from DNS request listing
    • Update UI from Material Design to Material Theming
    • Update gradle, plugins and dependencies
    • Fix crash parsing not defined host source last modified date
    • Fix native modules build script (required for F-Droid build server)
    • Fix Transifex issues

    Thanks:

    Special thanks to all recent donators! Your help is really appreciated :good:

    Download:

    AdAway 4.2.0 on AndroidFileHost (md5: 023169e7c345ef7297095793024f8478)
    144
    Hi all,

    I talked enough about it the past weeks and here it is: the first beta for the next version of AdAway.
    As you know, the main feature is the removal of root requirement but it also comes with a lot of improvements like an easier to use UI, a builtin updater, new cache and databases to improve reliability or even a quick pause/resume adblocking button that 3rd party apps can control.

    It took me literally a year and 330+ commits to build it (the first commit of this branch was April the 7th) and I hope it will be worth it.
    It should allow the app to be viable in the future with root being more and more difficult to achieve at each new Android release and Google hardening SafetyNet checks.

    I will try to answer to the most expected questions here so you still can post a link to this FAQ later to lost users.

    FAQ:

    Does this version replace the v4.x versions?
    No. This is still a preview version and does not replace the stable one.
    It is available to test it and report issues and feedback before being promoted to stable.

    Can I upgrade and revert safely?
    Yes. Both v4 and v5 use the same settings export format.

    Why does this version targets Android 8+ Oreo only?
    Like the v4, v5 is expected to offer support for latest devices.
    Android 8 and above represent more than 60% of device distribution and will grew through time.
    If you use an older device, root solutions work very well and v4 is here for you (like v2 and v3 stayed for legacy devices).

    How the hell does it work without root?
    This version provides two adblocking methods: the usual root one using hosts file and a new one using local VPN.
    The VPN solution allows to filter and alter connections of your devices without root access.

    Is using a VPN safe?
    In the case of AdAway, yes. It uses VPN API but does not connect to a VPN server.
    In the case of VPN client app, it depends.
    To give you more details, a VPN client app uses the VPN API to create a virtual network interface on your device and redirect all your traffic into it.
    If you imaginge the VPN like a pipe (the right word is tunnel), client VPN app outputs all your traffic on a VPN server which is able to check what you are doing on the Internet.
    With AdAway, your network is not redirected to a VPN server but your device internet connection (same as no VPN). VPN API is only used to get traffic into it to break the connections to ad servers.

    Is VPN use battery?
    Yes, like everything you do on device.
    Witouth root, a VPN service will be running permanently to filter your traffic.
    Good news is it will only filter DNS traffic. Not all traffic is redirected into it so it won't be as expensive as you can fear.

    Did you come up with this idea alone?
    Absolutely not! I spent a lot of hours trying to find altenatives to hosts based adblocking (like routes or private DNS). But nothing was better than VPN based adblocking.
    So we (MrRobinson and I) approched Julian Klode, developer of DNS66 more than three years ago to see if we can merge our apps. It wasn't that easy as we don't develop our apps the same way so I ended up by integrating the DNS66 adblocking method into AdAway. It is fine for Julian, his app is Open Source and he himself built it from the core code of AdBuster app (an VPN based adblocking app).

    Should we stop using DNS66 for AdAway?
    Not at all. DNS66 is a great app and provides some features that AdAway doesn't have (yet?), like DNS settings.
    DNS66 is a great app, keep using it if you like it!
    If both apps used the same adblocking method a year ago when I start this version, I keep adding feature to the VPN adblocking method and most of them won't be in DNS66.
    If Julian ports them back to DNS66, it's great if it can help his app and users!

    Is it me or the app put on weight?
    Yes, the app significantly grew due to new libraries like VPN related ones and Android Jetpack.
    It also stores more data on device: a http cache, a host database, a hosts copy, etc...
    I think 15~20mo of storage is still fine.

    Changelog:

    Without further ado, check the summarized changelog (it was hard to summarize a one year development)

    • Add new home screen
      • Provides all main controls from one screen
      • Displays currently blocked, allowed and redirected domains
      • Displays current hosts sources status and control to force apply
    • Add non root ad-blocking feature
      • Uses a builtin local VPN to filter DNS request to blocked domains
      • Based on the work of dns66 by julian-klode
      • Allows to excluded system applications and per user applications
    • Add builtin updater with changelog display
    • Add feature to quickly pause and resume ad-blocking
    • Add wizard screen for first run setup
    • Add feature to display and filter all blocked, allowed, redirect domains
    • Improve preferences screen
    • Add broadcast receiver to control ad-blocking from third party applications
    • Update Android target to Android 10
    • Improve root and shell support
    • Split translation files to easier understand their context
    • Add GitHub action test and build tasks

    Download:

    AdAway 5.0.0 beta (sha2: 200fd7789b174735d3af5925b4e568b09475bb3f39a79d24d6617af4b19cd19d)

    If you like my work, feel free to support me. Check my sign for donation links. Thanks all! :highfive: