Ad remover

[Barefoot]

I used Ad Remover for a week (they offer a free "trial") and it seemed to remove a lot of ads.
The online newspaper was much easier to read.
It seemed to work well and leave all my passwords intact.
I'd like to now buy the yearly subscription which costs $40.00.
However I don't know what it is doing to the "brains" of my computer behind the scenes.
Anyone have any experience with Ad Remover?

[retiredguy123]

Try the Adguard Content Blocker app. It's free.

[Barefoot]

Try the Adguard Content Blocker app. It's free.Thanks for your suggestion - free is way better than $40 per year.

[champion6]

Bare, I have been using Adblock Plus (ABP) for years with all my browsers. I love it and it's free, too.

[John_W]

...

[Barefoot]

Bare, I have been using Adblock Plus (ABP) for years with all my browsers. I love it and it's free, too.

You didn't mention which browser you have. For Chrome use 'Ad Blocker Plus', it's free with over 10 million users. I haven't seen an ad on this website in four years.
Thanks Champion, much appreciated. I'll definitely download Adblock Plus.
Sorry John, I should have specified that I've been using Google Chrome since I switched from Rogers to Gmail.
I have no idea what a pop up is, but I downloaded the pop up blocker also.
Should I also download Easy Adblock Safesearch? Or is that overkill?

[ureout]

I use ABP with google chrome and it works great

[John_W]

...

[Barefoot]

I use ABP with google chrome and it works greatThanks Ureout and Champion. I've now dowloaded ABP and it's working - and it's free!
I'm glad I asked the question about Ad Remover.

[Barefoot]

Once in a great while you may be on a bank website or something like that and when you click on a link, you'll get a message that the popup blocker has blocked that, and do you want to allow it. Just go to the little yellow logo in the right and click, and then select 'allow popup'.
Thanks John, that's good to know.

[rexxfan]

I prefer uBlock Origin to AdblockPlus. It's free as well. Perhaps a bit more on the geeky side, but very effective, at least for me.
--
bc

[Barefoot]

Thanks everyone for your help. :ho:
Do I also need a virus blocker as well as adblock plus?
(I currently have Avast Premium because a guy from Tech Heads recommended it.)

[queasy27]

Legitimate ad blockers will not hurt your computer, but keep in mind that some website features/functions might not work. If a web page doesn't load correctly, if you can't see icons or links, videos won't play, the comment section isn't showing, etc., disabling the ad blocker for that site should be the first thing you check. There should be an icon for the ad blocker app displayed on your browser toolbar that you can access to enable/disable blocking on individual pages, or temporarily turn it all off.

Some sites don't allow ad blockers at all; those will typically show an onscreen message to that effect.

[rexxfan]

Thanks everyone for your help. :ho:
Do I also need a virus blocker as well as adblock plus?
(I currently have Avast Premium because a guy from Tech Heads recommended it.)
I find Windows Defender more than good enough as an anti virus. If you have Windows 10, it's built-in.
--
bc

[Barefoot]

I find Windows Defender more than good enough as an anti virus. If you have Windows 10, it's built-in. Thanks rexxfan, that's good to know.
I just looked for Windows Defender and I have it!

[bob47]

I find Windows Defender more than good enough as an anti virus. If you have Windows 10, it's built-in.
--
bc
Would you say Windows Defender is as good as, or maybe even a better choice than Avast Free?

[rjn5656]

Just installed Ad Blocker Plus, working fine.

[rexxfan]

Would you say Windows Defender is as good as, or maybe even a better choice than Avast Free?

Yes, but mostly because Defender is built-in and doesn't require the use of any tricks that other AV's use to inject themselves into the low levels of the operating system they need access to in order to do their job. Those same tricks can sometimes be exploited by malware to give the malware the same low level access. That's something you don't want to happen. Finally, now that Defender can be configured to run in a so-called "sandbox" (a software construct that prevents any malicious code that might get loose inside a process from having any access to things outside that process) you're going to be about as safe as you can realistically be. The sandboxing capability is relatively new. I don't know of any third party antivirus that offers it. Here's an article describing it in more detail:

Microsoft Sandboxes Windows Defender (https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/microsoft/microsoft-sandboxes-windows-defender/)

[Barefoot]

Yes, but mostly because Defender is built-in and doesn't require the use of any tricks that other AV's use to inject themselves into the low levels of the operating system they need access to in order to do their job. Those same tricks can sometimes be exploited by malware to give the malware the same low level access. That's something you don't want to happen. Finally, now that Defender can be configured to run in a so-called "sandbox" (a software construct that prevents any malicious code that might get loose inside a process from having any access to things outside that process) you're going to be about as safe as you can realistically be.
Rexxfan, you are obviously very knowledgeable about computers.
Will I have a problem if I have Windows Defender installed, and also Avast Premium, Norton, and Webroot.
Webroot was installed by the Geek Squad because we bought six appliances at Best Buy.
Should I deactivate those protections?

[rexxfan]

Rexxfan, you are obviously very knowledgeable about computers.
Will I have a problem if I have Windows Defender installed, and also Avast Premium, Norton, and Webroot.
Webroot was installed by the Geek Squad because we bought six appliances at Best Buy.
Should I deactivate those protections?
You definitely only want one anti-virus. Here's a quick explanation why.
https://www.kaspersky.com/resource-center/preemptive-safety/multiple-antivirus-products

[Barefoot]

You definitely only want one anti-virus. Here's a quick explanation why.
https://www.kaspersky.com/resource-center/preemptive-safety/multiple-antivirus-productsThanks. :ho: