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Adguard Review
#1
Adguard Review
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Adguard is a popular advance filter and ad blocker which helps in blocking ads, phishing sites, online threats, etc. It support fully operating versions for Windows and OS X, Android and iOS-based devices, and also browser extensions for all wide-spread and most popular browsers.

Features:

Filters ads for all supported apps and programs
Extension support all well-known browsers including IE and Maxathon
Stealth mode for making you more anonymous (it is not a vpn service)
Customised filters and user-scripts load for user’s convenience
Support other extension integrated install support
Protection from not only from ads, but also viruses and frauds and dangerous websites
Parental control to config system for kids

Details:

Websitewww.adguard.com
Platform – Windows, iOS, Mac, Android
Download Link - https://download.adguard.com/d/18672/adg...taller.exe
Installer Type – Online installer (170 KB)
Price - $24.95 for 1 year (1 PC + 1 Android device)
            $59.95 for lifetime licence (1 PC + 1 Android device)
Latest Version - 6.1.298.1564

Review:

With the more use of internet, there comes different types of danger. Fraud, phishing and dangerous websites are on the internet in abundance. Thus it is necessary to protect ourselves from such threats. Before starting the review I want to give you a advice to be aware of such scams or install some program/extension like adguard to help fight against the threats.

Adguard which is quiet popular not only for its ad blocking and internet filtering capabilities but also for blocking dangerous and fraud websites. Since adguard is a binary installation rather than general browser extension thus providing you the one stop solution to block ads from all the programs including metro apps for windows 8/8.1/10. Browser extension for all widely used and popular web-browsers are supported. Adguard rely on the filters and userscripts developed especially in extensions to make it more customisable for you.
Now, to install the adguard download the online installer and it will download the complete binary package first or you can get the complete binary package from here for offline installation.

After the install, main window is nice divided into many sections (every section is for monitoring and status of the respective module) which looks good and user-intuitive. Hovering the mouse over the desired section will show you the current status of that module. You can get the idea from the gif below:

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Now let’s walk through each tab module

“Protection tab” – Gives you the statistics about how many ads, trackers and dangerous threats are successfully blocked on the system to keep you safe online. Adguard checks for the recent addition/update of the filters and userscripts. Recent updated filters status will be shown after the update verification.

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Second Module is of Ad Blocker which monitor the ad blocking module of Adguard. The settings will take you to the ad-block settings section which will be discussed later.
Similarly, other modules monitoring is done from main window while to tweak them goto settings of each module.

Coming to the settings tab, it has 7 tabs divided according to the functional purpose and marked with the numbering labels that define the order I will go through

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“General Settings”: From here, you can control the Adguard App behaviour like changing start-up behaviour, updates control, language of the app, etc. Also, at the bottom there are settings to change the filtering behaviour of all outgoing/incoming connections. Since now-a-days most of the websites uses http/s connection for communication, adguard allows you to detect and filter them at your end. For such kind of filtering, adguard need to install certificates. If you don’t want adguard sites with EV (extended validation, it is the highest protection level provided in HTTPS connection) certification, you can disable/enable it too. WFP driver filtering allow to manage ads on the metro apps for Windows 8 or later.

Many web domain rely on advertisements to let their website run, and block contains for ad blocking visitors. Thus, to open them without filtering, you can add them to HTTP exclusion list. To let you know, that filtering is better approach rather than simple only ad-blocking as it remove other types of threats like trackers, etc.

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“AD Blocker”: It has configuration and management related to ad blocking filters. As I told, some ads are useful and may not harm you in any way, thus to support the website for revenue you can allow ads. These ads are auto-checked and managed by adguard based on filters. One of the interesting feature of adguard is that it change and loads the specific language filter automatically based on the website you are visiting, i.e., if I open some site in foreign language (say .de domain website) then German filter will be activated automatically.

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Here, marked label “A” is Filter Editor where you can customise, create or change the filtering rules for any specific language filter. Also, you can add your own custom rule made filter. Based on the definitions, custom made rules are generally given more priority than the defined one.

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Label marked “B” opens the logs of the filtered content for your reference.

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Also, based on the already developed filters available online, you can add the filters explicitly like some desired language filter, spyware filter, etc. This can be done inside label “C”.

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“Stealth Mode”: In short, Stealth mode allows you to stay safe online by hiding your original identity which can be achieved with many measures. Many web browsers, especially Google Chrome, uses various methods to collect details and data so Removing x-Client data header from chrome helps in preventing such data. Also, with WebRTC enabled, our original IP can be leaked online even if you are using VPN thus blocking of it helps in check for such threats. Along with these, you can hide your user browser agent and can change custom referrer and IP address to the desired one.

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“Browsing Security”: This module helps in protecting from online phishing and malicious web content to avoid frauds, system/browser hijack, etc.

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Thus, whenever you visit malicious website, adguard block the access to that request with a notification and sound. If you want to really want to open that website, you can go by using proceed to site in Advanced options at that page to go that unsafe site.

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“Filtered Apps”: Here, you can manage the apps for which you want adguard to monitor and block ads and trackers. Note that to filter content of new modern UI app, adguard need WFP drivers to be installed, otherwise they won’t be filtered even if added in the list.

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“Parental Control”: Manage and protect your children activities online and keep your system safe.

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Manage the apps that you explicitly want to block or allow overriding the default rule created in the filter rules/scripts.

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“Extensions”: To extend the functionality of the adguard to work as a cross-browser user-script manager, this module is used. Adguard 
assistant (helps in managing filtering from browser itself) and pop-up blocker (block the pop-up automatically) can be enable/disable from here. Popular website rating extension WoT (web of trust) is also installed with adguard but after some data leak controversy of WoT, adguard decided to keep it disable by default, so that user can choose according to their choice of enabling it.

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“My Account” tab at bottom will open the adguard login page in the default browser.

Now coming to the licence management tab where the details for the licence along with expiry details are given.

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From “Support” window, if you face some problem while using adguard, you can directly send a feedback message to the developers.

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From “About” tab, you can check for the adguard version and if update is pending or not along with some important links of Adguard.

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The system tray icon for adguard is nice with monitoring status mark and right click menu allows us to access many functions directly.

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Final Verdict:
In today’s internet dependent world, threats are spanning and growing at a faster rate than before and it is now a need to check from these malicious activities. Adguard provides more comprehensive solution with website protection and parental control which is really interesting. It is worth every penny as ads/trackers are more annoying than one time investment. The customised filters and user-scripts compatible integration makes it the favourite choice for the customers.
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#2
Thanks much I really enjoyed reading the review. Great job gdant.
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#3
Thanks for the informative review gdant
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#4
Thanks for the perfect review, gdant.
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#5
Good review. Thanks
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#6
nice review thank you very much Heart
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#7
Excellent Review gdant, great work Thumb
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#8
Very good review. Thanks
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#9
Thanks for the review.
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#10
Thanks , good review .
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