The Challenge: Network-Wide Privacy Protection

The AdGuard project addresses a fundamental privacy concern: “How can we protect our entire network from tracking, ads, and malicious content?” This isn’t just about browser extensions - it’s about implementing DNS-level protection that works across all devices and applications.

🛡️ What I Built

AdGuard provides comprehensive network protection:

  • DNS Filtering: Block ads and trackers at the DNS level
  • Privacy Protection: Prevent data collection and tracking
  • Malware Protection: Block malicious domains and content
  • Parental Control: Filter inappropriate content
  • Custom Rules: Create personalized filtering rules

🛠️ Technical Implementation

Docker Deployment

version: '3.8'
services:
  adguard:
    image: adguard/adguardhome:latest
    container_name: adguard
    restart: unless-stopped
    ports:
      - "53:53/tcp"
      - "53:53/udp"
      - "3000:3000"
    volumes:
      - ./work:/opt/adguardhome/work
      - ./conf:/opt/adguardhome/conf

DNS Configuration

  • Custom DNS server setup
  • Upstream DNS provider selection
  • Filter list management
  • Query logging and analytics

🎯 Key Benefits

  • Network-Wide Protection: Works on all devices
  • Performance: Minimal latency impact
  • Customization: Flexible filtering rules
  • Privacy: No data collection or logging
  • Reliability: High availability setup

💡 What I Learned

  • DNS protocol and filtering techniques
  • Network security and privacy protection
  • Docker container management
  • Custom rule creation and management
  • Performance monitoring and optimization

The AdGuard setup provides essential privacy protection while maintaining network performance and reliability.