Smoothwall Linux: How do I stop ads?

FreeFrag · 24th February 2002, 3:15 PM

I have heard that using Smoothwall, you can block ads like doubleclick coming through the web proxy. Can anyone tell me how this is done?

saba · 24th February 2002, 3:58 PM

You could always add bogus entries to the smoothwalls hosts file in /etc/hosts.

mpot · 24th February 2002, 4:26 PM

You can do what saba suggests (that's what I do), or alternatively, you could install Ad-Zapper for Squid.

Cheers,
Martin.

FreeFrag · 24th February 2002, 6:08 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by saba
You could always add bogus entries to the smoothwalls hosts file in /etc/hosts.

And that does what? I'm a linux newbie, so I dont know what /etc/hosts is.

Thanks for your help guys

mpot · 24th February 2002, 6:54 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by FreeFrag
And that does what? I'm a linux newbie, so I dont know what /etc/hosts is.

A hosts file is a text file which a computer uses to perform name lookups.

On Linux, the hosts file is located in /etc/hosts and on NT4/Win2K it's in c:\winnt\system32\drivers\etc\hosts while on Win9x, it's in c:\windows\hosts

The format of the file is as follows:
<ip_address> <alias1> <alias2> ...
ie,
127.0.0.1 ads.doubleclick.com ads.preferences.com
where there's a tab between the ip address and the first alias (a space works fine on Windoze), and spaces between the subsequent aliases.

Adding a line like the above means it'll resolve ads.doubleclick.com to my local IP address (127.0.0.1 = localhost), so it won't/can't download the real ad.

You can either edit the hosts file on your smoothie, which will affect all client PCs surfing thru it, or alternatively, edit the hosts file on your desktop PC.

Cheers,
Martin.

FreeFrag · 24th February 2002, 7:07 PM

Well, my Smoothwall box doesn't have /etc/hosts, so I'll have to have a go with adzapper

Epoch · 24th February 2002, 7:11 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by FreeFrag
Well, my Smoothwall box doesn't have /etc/hosts, so I'll have to have a go with adzapper

/etc/hosts is standard on all Linux distros. Just because it isn't there doesn't mean it won't work.

FreeFrag · 24th February 2002, 7:14 PM

ok, so i create the folder. What do i put in it though? a file named "hosts" with no extension? Then just follow what mpot said?

Epoch · 24th February 2002, 7:28 PM

Create a file in /etc/ called 'hosts' and follow mpot's instructions, yep.

FreeFrag · 24th February 2002, 7:39 PM

I'm trying to install AdZapper.....I've got the script in /usr/adzap, but i'm trying to find the squid executable....can someone tell me where it is?

Geo · 24th February 2002, 7:58 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by FreeFrag
I'm trying to install AdZapper.....I've got the script in /usr/adzap, but i'm trying to find the squid executable....can someone tell me where it is?

try /usr/bin

I suggest you read up on basic linux usage before you go hacking around. The Newbised Help Files are always a good place to start:

http://www.linuxnewbie.org/nhf/intel/index.html

lucaz · 24th February 2002, 8:06 PM

i could post a hosts file, but i might get flamed for doing so, veeerry long,
try here this will get u started

http://www.accs-net.com/hosts/get_hosts.html

and get a program called winscp, it is your friend, with it u can move the hosts file to ur linux box

ssh say no more

Epoch · 24th February 2002, 8:08 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by FreeFrag
I'm trying to install AdZapper.....I've got the script in /usr/adzap, but i'm trying to find the squid executable....can someone tell me where it is?

Should be in /usr/local/squid/bin/squid, if you've installed it to the default directories. The config file will be /usr/local/squid/etc/squid.conf .

Oh, and it works great. Took me about five seconds to install, and I'm staring at a "this ad zapped" banner right now.

FreeFrag · 24th February 2002, 8:20 PM

5 seconds to install....geez i'd love to know linux better. I've been fscking around for about 30 minutes. I accidently renamed a file to sf thanks for SSH Client, and D_Web in irc helped me out.

FreeFrag · 24th February 2002, 9:43 PM

Ok Guys, a few questions about AdZapper.

1) How do I change the images it uses? I dont actually have a web space handy, can I get it to use images out of it's directory? (/usr/adzap)

2) How do I modify the list of ads it blocks? I want to add a couple on Altavista, and I want to allow the OCAU Forum ads (which it's currently blocking)

Thanks muchly for your help

24th February 2002, 3:15 PM	#1
FreeFrag Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Shepparton, Vic. Posts: 2,538	Smoothwall Linux: How do I stop ads? I have heard that using Smoothwall, you can block ads like doubleclick coming through the web proxy. Can anyone tell me how this is done? __________________ ..::imagestore.ugbox.net::.. ..::quotes.ugbox.net::.. "Could we be on the way to that Holy Grail of a busy forum with almost all threads being quality ones?" - Agg "Are you sure its the standard of administration that is declining, or is it the standard of users?" - Baker

24th February 2002, 3:58 PM	#2
saba Evil Vizier Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Melbourne Posts: 2,711	You could always add bogus entries to the smoothwalls hosts file in /etc/hosts. __________________ i7 920 ; Asus P6T Deluxe ; 12Gb DDR3-1333 ; nVidia 260 GTX powering 230" LCDs ; 315k SAS RAID-0 and 5*1.5TB WD EARS RAID-5 on a Adaptec 5805 ; Windows 2008 Server and Gentoo Linux ; RME Fireface 800 56-channel 24bit/192kHz soundcard

24th February 2002, 4:26 PM	#3
mpot <blank> Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Perth, WA Posts: 5,345	You can do what saba suggests (that's what I do), or alternatively, you could install Ad-Zapper for Squid. Cheers, Martin. __________________ [ photography blog \| redbubble \| flickr ]

24th February 2002, 7:07 PM	#6
FreeFrag Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Shepparton, Vic. Posts: 2,538	Well, my Smoothwall box doesn't have /etc/hosts, so I'll have to have a go with adzapper __________________ ..::imagestore.ugbox.net::.. ..::quotes.ugbox.net::.. "Could we be on the way to that Holy Grail of a busy forum with almost all threads being quality ones?" - Agg "Are you sure its the standard of administration that is declining, or is it the standard of users?" - Baker

24th February 2002, 7:14 PM	#8
FreeFrag Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Shepparton, Vic. Posts: 2,538	ok, so i create the folder. What do i put in it though? a file named "hosts" with no extension? Then just follow what mpot said? __________________ ..::imagestore.ugbox.net::.. ..::quotes.ugbox.net::.. "Could we be on the way to that Holy Grail of a busy forum with almost all threads being quality ones?" - Agg "Are you sure its the standard of administration that is declining, or is it the standard of users?" - Baker

24th February 2002, 7:28 PM	#9
Epoch 41p4x0r Join Date: Jun 2001 Posts: 760	Create a file in /etc/ called 'hosts' and follow mpot's instructions, yep.

24th February 2002, 7:39 PM	#10
FreeFrag Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Shepparton, Vic. Posts: 2,538	I'm trying to install AdZapper.....I've got the script in /usr/adzap, but i'm trying to find the squid executable....can someone tell me where it is? __________________ ..::imagestore.ugbox.net::.. ..::quotes.ugbox.net::.. "Could we be on the way to that Holy Grail of a busy forum with almost all threads being quality ones?" - Agg "Are you sure its the standard of administration that is declining, or is it the standard of users?" - Baker

24th February 2002, 8:06 PM	#12
lucaz Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: annerley, brisbane Posts: 191	i could post a hosts file, but i might get flamed for doing so, veeerry long, try here this will get u started http://www.accs-net.com/hosts/get_hosts.html and get a program called winscp, it is your friend, with it u can move the hosts file to ur linux box ssh say no more

24th February 2002, 8:20 PM	#14
FreeFrag Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Shepparton, Vic. Posts: 2,538	5 seconds to install....geez i'd love to know linux better. I've been fscking around for about 30 minutes. I accidently renamed a file to sf thanks for SSH Client, and D_Web in irc helped me out. __________________ ..::imagestore.ugbox.net::.. ..::quotes.ugbox.net::.. "Could we be on the way to that Holy Grail of a busy forum with almost all threads being quality ones?" - Agg "Are you sure its the standard of administration that is declining, or is it the standard of users?" - Baker

24th February 2002, 9:43 PM	#15
FreeFrag Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Shepparton, Vic. Posts: 2,538	Ok Guys, a few questions about AdZapper. 1) How do I change the images it uses? I dont actually have a web space handy, can I get it to use images out of it's directory? (/usr/adzap) 2) How do I modify the list of ads it blocks? I want to add a couple on Altavista, and I want to allow the OCAU Forum ads (which it's currently blocking) Thanks muchly for your help __________________ ..::imagestore.ugbox.net::.. ..::quotes.ugbox.net::.. "Could we be on the way to that Holy Grail of a busy forum with almost all threads being quality ones?" - Agg "Are you sure its the standard of administration that is declining, or is it the standard of users?" - Baker