In a previous post I've described how today's smartphones and tablets take Wi-Fi connectivity as an invitation for downloading large amounts of data for software updates and other things without user interaction. This is particularly problematic in Wi-Fi tethering scenarios and when using slow hotel Wi-Fi networks when traveling. But at least in the later case I can fix things by adding banned URLs in the 'hosts' file on my Raspberry Pi based VPN Wi-Fi Travel Router. After changing the hosts file, a quick restart of the DNS server on the router via 'sudo service dnsmasq restart' is required.
Over time, my hosts file has grown quite a bit since I first started to use it as a line of defense against unwanted advertising, privacy invasions and software downloads. Here's my current list:
127.0.0.1 localhost
#Prevent the device to contact Google all the time
127.0.0.1 mtalk.google.com
127.0.0.1 reports.crashlytics.com
127.0.0.1 settings.crashlytics.com
127.0.0.1 android.clients.google.com
127.0.0.1 www.googleapis.com
127.0.0.1 www.googleadservices.com
127.0.0.1 clients3.google.com
127.0.0.1 play.googleapis.com
127.0.0.1 www.gstatic.com
127.0.0.1 ssl.google-analytics.com
127.0.0.1 id.google.com
127.0.0.1 clients1.google.com
127.0.0.1 clients2.google.com
#Amazon is really nosy, too…
127.0.0.1 www.amazon.com
127.0.0.1 s.amazon-adsystem.com
127.0.0.1 api.amazon.com
127.0.0.1 device-metrics-us.amazon.com
127.0.0.1 device-metrics-us-1.amazon.com
127.0.0.1 device-metrics-us-2.amazon.com
127.0.0.1 device-metrics-us-3.amazon.com
127.0.0.1 device-metrics-us-4.amazon.com
127.0.0.1 device-metrics-us-5.amazon.com
127.0.0.1 device-metrics-us-6.amazon.com
127.0.0.1 device-metrics-us-7.amazon.com
127.0.0.1 device-metrics-us-8.amazon.com
127.0.0.1 device-metrics-us-9.amazon.com
127.0.0.1 device-metrics-us-10.amazon.com
127.0.0.1 device-metrics-us-11.amazon.com
127.0.0.1 device-metrics-us-12.amazon.com
127.0.0.1 mads.amazon.com
127.0.0.1 aax-us-east.amazon-adsystem.com
127.0.0.1 aax-us-west.amazon-adsystem.com
127.0.0.1 aax-eu.amazon-adsystem.com
#No need for Opera to call home all the time
127.0.0.1 mini5-1.opera-mini.net
127.0.0.1 sitecheck1.opera.com
127.0.0.1 sitecheck2.opera.com
127.0.0.1 thumbnails.opera.com
#Some more 'services' I don't need
127.0.0.1 audioscrobbler.com
127.0.0.1 weather.yahooapis.com
127.0.0.1 query.yahooapis.com
127.0.0.1 platform.twitter.com
127.0.0.1 linkedin.com
#Prevent automatic OS updates for a number of vendors
127.0.0.1 fota.cyngn.com
127.0.0.1 account.cyanogenmod.org
127.0.0.1 mdm.asus.com
127.0.0.1 mdmnotify1.asus.com
127.0.0.1 updatesec.sonymobile.com
#Ad blocking
127.0.0.1 ad8.adfarm1.adition.com
127.0.0.1 googleads.g.doubleclick.net
127.0.0.1 stats.g.doubleclick.net
127.0.0.1 mobile.smartadserver.com
127.0.0.1 www.google-analytics.com
127.0.0.1 pagead2.googlesyndication.com
127.0.0.1 ads.stickyadstv.com
127.0.0.1 pixel.rubiconproject.com
127.0.0.1 t1.visualrevenue.com
127.0.0.1 beacon.krxd.net
127.0.0.1 rtb.metrigo.com
127.0.0.1 c.metrigo.com
127.0.0.1 ad.zanox.com
127.0.0.1 cm.g.doubleclick.net
127.0.0.1 ib.adnxs.com
127.0.0.1 ih.adscale.de
127.0.0.1 ad.360yield.com
127.0.0.1 ssp-csynch.smartadserver.com
127.0.0.1 ad.yieldlab.net
127.0.0.1 dis.crieto.com
127.0.0.1 rtb.eanalyzer.de
127.0.0.1 connect.facebook.net
127.0.0.1 b.scorecardresearch.com
127.0.0.1 sb.scorecardresearch.com
127.0.0.1 ads.newtentionassets.net
127.0.0.1 ak.sascdn.com
127.0.0.1 fastly.bench.cedexis.com
127.0.0.1 probes.cedexis.com
127.0.0.1 x.ligatus.com
127.0.0.1 d.ligatus.com
127.0.0.1 a.visualrevenue.com
127.0.0.1 radar.cedexis.com
127.0.0.1 www.googletagservices.com
127.0.0.1 pubads.g.doubleclick.net
127.0.0.1 prophet.heise.de
127.0.0.1 farm.plista.com
127.0.0.1 static.plista.com
127.0.0.1 video.plista.com
127.0.0.1 tag.yoc-adserver.com