Blocking Advertising on Dashboard

[Demon_Skeith]

Inspired by an uprising of angry upvoters, a helpful Reddit user has compiled step-by-step instructions to block ads on your Xbox 360 Dashboard. Thousands of users expressed their distaste for the assaulting amount of advertising accompanying the recent Dashboard update, arguing it should offset the cost of Live subscriptions.

If you're tech savvy, blocking the Xbox ad server at rad.msn.com from your router will sever the ads path to your Xbox. (Certain routers allow this feature, and some don't, so check your model.) For those of us inclined not to tinker with our tech, following these steps is the fastest way to avoid seeing Chuck Norris' face and the World of Warcraft logo every time you slide through the menus:

• Sign up for an OpenDNS account (it's free).
  
• Add a network for your current IP address.
  
• Go to Advanced Settings and next to 'Domain Typos', check the box 'Enable typo correction' if it's not already checked and apply.
  
• Go to Web Content Filtering settings and set the filtering level to 'None', and under 'Manage individual domains', put rad.msn.com and select 'Always block' and then click 'Add domain'. Screenshot.
  
• On your Xbox, go to System Settings -> Network Settings -> (your connection) -> Configure Network -> DNS settings -> Manual, and enter the OpenDNS IP addresses for the primary and secondary DNS servers: 208.67.222.222 and 208.67.220.220.
  
• You may need to clear your hard drive cache before ads disappear entirely: System Settings -> Storage -> Hard Drive -> press Y -> Clear System Cache (note that you'll have to re-download any title updates for any games you play after doing this).

If you've successfully silenced the pesky promos, generic Xbox imagery (dancing or applauding avatars, appropriately) will replace the ad boxes.

Don't be surprised if Microsoft finds a workaround for the workaround with a system update. After all, companies are paying for their content to appear on the Dashboard, so Microsoft wants to make sure we're seeing it. For now, if you care enough to ignore the ads, enjoy the freedom while you can -- sans Walker: Texas Ranger.

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[froggyboy604]

Sadly, by using OpenDNS these users are supporting a company which puts Ads on "Page not found" 404 error pages on web browser windows when you use OpenDNS on computers with any web browsers like FireFox, IE, Chrome, and all other web browsers.

Plus, OpenDNS is known for Hijacking/redirecting internet searches to OpenDNS : http://www.labnol.org/software/browsers/prevent-opendns-google-redirects-firefox-address-bar-ie/2662/

OpenDNS is less trustworthy then other DNS providers like Google DNS: http://code.google.com/speed/public-dns/ which does not display ads on 404 page not found errors on web browsers, or hijacks any searches from web browsers' address bar.

Plus, I don't like how OpenDNS can be used to Censor the internet with its web filtering features which can censor harmless websites which they censor by accident because it mentions beers, chicks, or guns.

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20110215193746AAZFbQU

 

[Demon_Skeith]

so using google dsn is better?

 

[froggyboy604]

Yes, mainly because there are no Ads in web browser when you reach a 404 page not found error in Google DNS like OpenDNS which places Ads on 404 page not found errors to make money off of 404 errors.

Plus, I don't like using products from companies which make web censorship software like OpenDNS which tend to censor sites with nudity like DeviantArt which OpenDNS does block according to this post : http://forums.opendns.com/comments.php?DiscussionID=4030 if the OpenDNS account holder like a parent, work, or school decides to block sites with Nudity.