Anyone using Adguard/PiHole or any other DNS blocking tool?

[carmoda]

Hi,

I have recently started using a DNS filtering service (AdGuard Home) on my local network. With it enabled both our UnityStar and Muso2 will not stream Qobuz or Digital Radio even though each of their IPs have no queries being blocked and otherwise look like they are having no issues.

Has anyone had this experience of found a workaround besides just giving both exceptions.

I might add, its seems really really sloppy that both devices make endless calls to ap.spotify.com, apresolve.spotify.com, api.tidal.com when I do not use, and have not enabled either of these services.

[robert_h]

If you read the specifications published by Spotify here Technical Requirements | Spotify for Developers you will see that it is mandatory for a Spotify capable device to communicate with Spotify regardless of the state of a Spotify “input”.
In other words, you can’t switch off Spotify. You might mark the option as disabled, but it is mandatory that communication still occurs.

I suspect Tidal place the same requirements on a device supporting tidal connect.

These devices were never designed to completely function “off grid”; hence paranoia apparently occurs when someone discovers their streamer is trying to reach the outside world when they (the owner) are trying to lock it down.
ND5XS2 - Tuned off but reaching out to WAN over TCP? - #4 by chrisgtl

[GadgetMan]

@carmoda

ap.spotify.com, apresolve.spotify.com

I dont use Spotify, so I just tried blocking these on my NDX2 via a router config. Thankfully it still steams Tidal OK. Lets see if Spotify contact me to complain "hey Gadgetman, we cant see what you are up to anymore - please switch us back on as we may not be able to pay our Christmas bonuses out of our data sales)

[skiptonjim]

Hi,

Yes, I use a Pi-Hole on my home network. Brilliant bit of kit.

For my Uniti Atom and TV I use static IP configurations and set an external, ‘normal’ DNS address. Only devices from which we browse the net use the Pi-Hole. Everything works without problem.

(As an aside, as an additional security measure, I recently tried using a permanent VPN direct from my router, using a UK based VPN server. This caused all kinds of problems, so I have now abandoned this set up.)

Jim.

[GadgetMan]

As I understand it, both Firefox and Safari (when use with iCloud plus) use their own DNS servers rather than the default configured on your PC. So you would need to turn iCloud Relay off for Safari, and/or set the DNS settings in Firefox

[chrisgtl]

Correction; I didn’t try lock it down, I did lock it down.

Strange thing is, once I locked it down my random internet radio drops are no longer

Also, nothing to do with paranoia with the greatest respect! It is to do with transparency, understanding and security.

[robert_h]

It’s pretty anonymous activity, I don’t believe there’s any of your personal data that is there to be leaked. It’s simply the device trying to operate as it’s designed. There’s no gdpr data anywhere, none of our streamers are connected with us as individuals. They are just looking for new firmware, handshaking with Spotify etc.

[carmoda]

Ha, yes. I am well aware it’s become ‘normal’ for customers privacy and network resources to be treated like big tech owns it.

[carmoda]

what i am using does basically the same thing as PiHole. I’m running FreeBSD on my Pi and Adguardhome was an easier choice …although it’s blocking just about everything if it’s configured as the DNS server.