Project: ROCKwall
What's The Big Idea?
This project is a small, low-power computer that acts as a gateway for my whole home network. Its main job is to do two cool things:
1. Block ads and trackers on EVERY device. (Yes, even on smart TVs and phones!)
2. Encrypt all my internet traffic for privacy and security.
Here it is! The mighty ROCK 4C+ that runs the whole show.
🛠️ What's In The Box?
The Brains: ROCK 4C+
This is the single-board computer, kind of like a super-charged Raspberry Pi. It's powerful enough to handle all the network traffic without slowing things down.
The Ad Blocker: Pi-hole
This amazing software acts as a DNS sinkhole. When a device on my network tries to load an ad, Pi-hole intercepts the request and stops it before it ever reaches the device. The result? No more ads!
The Privacy Shield: A VPN
The VPN (Virtual Private Network) creates a secure, encrypted "tunnel" to the internet. This hides my real IP address and prevents my internet provider (or anyone on a public Wi-Fi network) from seeing what I'm doing online.
🤔 But How Does It Work?
It's like an assembly line for your internet traffic. Here is a super scientific diagram I made:
🏆 Why Is This So Cool?
- Bye-Bye Ads: Web pages load faster and are cleaner without all the ad clutter.
- Total Privacy: My browsing is secure, even if I'm on a sketchy coffee shop Wi-Fi.
- Network-Wide Protection: I only had to set it up once, and it protects every single device connected to my Wi-Fi. No special apps needed on my phone or computer!
- I Made It Myself! It was a fun project and I learned a ton about networking and Linux.