ISP automatic forums » Skype → Block Ads in Skype

You can block visual ads in Skype by blocking the IP addresses of the related ad servers.

I doubt this will block the crappy new audio ads, but I can't be sure until I run into them.

For US users, Skype currently pulls ads from these servers over port 80.

75.98.29.0/26, adlegend ad servers
65.54.93.0/24, msecn.net ad servers
8.19.18.0/24, dimestore ad servers
4.26.45.0/24, adexpose/scorecardresearch
74.217.34.0/24, adlegend ad servers
74.217.59.0/24, adlegend ad servers
173.194.37.27/32 google ad server
173.194.37.28/32 google ad server

204.9.163.247/32 is the Skype Upgrade Server (block skype updates, not ads)

The Microsoft Block (65.54.93.0/24) provides some legit services over https (port 443).
The ads are all over HTTP, so only block port 80.

I'll try to isolate MS's ad serving IPs in the near future and update the list.

One way to block by IP in windows, is to use IPSec.
It's tougher to learn than blocking by host file, but it can be more effective.

Here's a guide to IP Blocking, using IPSec in WinXP/2003. Vista/7 is similar.
»www.serverintellect.com/ ··· kip.aspx

Also: You can't block IPs using a hosts file, just domains.

(subnet notes for newbie networkers:
/24=255.255.255.0
/26=255.255.255.192
/32=255.255.255.255
and/or
65.54.93.0/24 = 65.54.93.0 - 65.54.93.255
75.98.29.0/26 = 75.98.29.0 - 75.98.29.63
173.194.37.27/32 = 173.194.37.27 - 173.194.37.27)

quote:

---

...
In call advertising

In this release we have introduced in-call advertising, which will appear to some of our non-paying customers, during Skype audio calls. Users who have either Skype Credit or any of our subscriptions will not see advertising. Users have the option to hide the ad while on the call by simply clicking on the "Close ad" button.

...

---

More @ »blogs.skype.com/garage/2 ··· tes.html

Users who benefit from ad blocking techniques will also not see advertising.

If time allows, I'll see if I can put together a targeted hosts file updater; for Skype users.
It'd be a double-click-and-it's-installed solution.

The latest Skype Ad Block / IP list is at the below url.
It'll get updated as new ad servers are discovered.

»dl.dropbox.com/u/7147722 ··· dads.txt

I use the list in pfSense as an alias. I'd guess it could be used w/ Smoothwall, MonoWall, IPFire, etc.
It should work with IPTables (*nix/BSD) and IPSec (Windows).

The CIDR format can be converted to IP ranges for PeerGuardian / PeerBlock apps.
Drop me a note if you want help figuring that out - or if you want hosts file entries instead.


Here's what's in the list today 7/7/2012.

4.26.45.0/24 #adexpose scorecardresearch
8.19.18.0/24 #dimestore ad servers
12.129.199.110/32 #amch.questionmarket.com
65.54.93.4/31 #msecn.net ads2.msads.net
65.54.93.10/32 #msecn.net ads2.msads.net
65.54.93.12/30 #msecn.net ads2.msads.net
65.54.93.16/28 #msecn.net ads2.msads.net
65.54.93.32/29 #msecn.net ads2.msads.net
65.54.93.40/32 #msecn.net ads2.msads.net
65.54.93.42/32 #msecn.net ads2.msads.net
65.54.93.44/30 #msecn.net ads2.msads.net
65.54.93.48/31 #msecn.net ads2.msads.net
65.54.93.51/32 #msecn.net ads2.msads.net
65.54.93.52/30 #msecn.net ads2.msads.net
65.54.93.56/29 #msecn.net ads2.msads.net
65.54.93.64/32 #msecn.net ads2.msads.net
65.54.93.66/31 #msecn.net ads2.msads.net
65.54.93.68/30 #msecn.net ads2.msads.net
65.54.93.72/29 #msecn.net ads2.msads.net
65.54.93.81/32 #msecn.net ads2.msads.net
65.54.93.82/31 #msecn.net ads2.msads.net
65.54.93.84/31 #msecn.net ads2.msads.net
65.54.93.86/32 #msecn.net ads2.msads.net
65.54.93.88/29 #msecn.net ads2.msads.net
65.54.93.96/30 #msecn.net ads2.msads.net
65.54.93.100/31 #msecn.net ads2.msads.net
65.54.93.102/32 #msecn.net ads2.msads.net
65.54.93.104/30 #msecn.net ads2.msads.net
65.54.93.108/31 #msecn.net ads2.msads.net
65.54.93.110/32 #msecn.net ads2.msads.net
65.54.93.112/29 #msecn.net ads2.msads.net
65.54.93.120/31 #msecn.net ads2.msads.net
65.54.93.123/32 #msecn.net ads2.msads.net
65.54.93.124/31 #msecn.net ads2.msads.net
65.54.93.126/32 #msecn.net ads2.msads.net
65.54.93.132/30 #msecn.net ads2.msads.net
65.54.93.136/30 #msecn.net ads2.msads.net
65.54.93.140/30 #msecn.net ads2.msads.net
65.55.8.8/32 #aidps.atdmt.com aidps.msn.com
65.55.87.6/31 #msecn.net ads2.msads.net
65.55.87.8/31 #msecn.net ads2.msads.net
65.55.87.11/32 #msecn.net ads2.msads.net
65.55.87.12/32 #msecn.net ads2.msads.net
65.55.87.14/31 #msecn.net ads2.msads.net
65.55.87.16/28 #msecn.net ads2.msads.net
65.55.87.32/27 #msecn.net ads2.msads.net
65.55.87.64/28 #msecn.net ads2.msads.net
65.55.87.80/30 #msecn.net ads2.msads.net
65.55.87.84/32 #msecn.net ads2.msads.net
65.55.87.86/31 #msecn.net ads2.msads.net
65.55.87.88/29 #msecn.net ads2.msads.net
65.55.87.96/27 #msecn.net ads2.msads.net
65.55.87.128/27 #msecn.net ads2.msads.net
65.55.87.160/28 #msecn.net ads2.msads.net
65.55.87.176/29 #msecn.net ads2.msads.net
65.55.87.184/30 #msecn.net ads2.msads.net
65.55.87.188/31 #msecn.net ads2.msads.net
65.55.87.190/32 #msecn.net ads2.msads.net
65.55.121.231/32 #rad.msn.com
65.55.121.241/32 #rad.msn.com
74.217.34.0/24 #adlegend
74.217.59.0/24 #adlegend
75.98.29.0/26 #adlegend.com ad servers
173.194.37.27/32 #google - ad server
173.194.37.28/32 #google - ad server
204.9.163.247/32 #Skype Upgrade Server
216.38.160.132/32 #creativeby1.unicast.com w7.b.cap-mii.net
216.38.163.139/32 #ping1.unicast.net w14.b.cap-mii.net
216.38.170.132/32 #creativeby1.unicast.com w7.b.cap-mii.net
216.38.170.139/32 #ping1.unicast.net w14.b.cap-mii.net
 

Notes:
This week, I see Skype connecting to ad servers over HTTP and HTTPS.

To build this list, I wrote a couple of bash shell scripts.
One continually builds a list of MS ad server IPs.
The other compiles a list of MS Web Service (ie Hotmail) IPs, so they don't get blocked by mistake.

As new ad servers show up, they'll get added to the list; linked to at the above url.

how can i block skype ads on my ipod?

Get and Android phone.

very funny

What I did was just put $10 in skype credit on my account and I haven't seen ads since.

interesting