Setup guide · Smart TVs, streaming boxes, consoles
How to block ads on your smart TV
Many smart TVs show ads on the home screen and collect viewing data. Set Seawall as the TV’s DNS, and it stops reaching known ad and tracking servers. No app to install.
In short
Open the TV’s network settings, switch DNS to manual and enter the two Seawall addresses. On Roku and other TVs without a DNS setting, set Seawall on your router.
- Settings
- Network
- DNS
Block ads on a smart TV with Seawall DNS
Menu names differ between brands. The table below shows where to look on popular TVs, streaming boxes and consoles.
Get your Seawall DNS addresses
Sign in to your Seawall account, click Add device and choose Smart TV: you’ll find two DNS addresses there. Link your home network from a phone or computer on the same Wi-Fi.
Seawall DNS addresses
192.0.2.53198.51.100.53These are examples. Yours appear in your account after you sign up, next to the button that links your home network. Get yours
Open the TV’s network settings
Find your TV in the table below. Menu names differ between brands and models.
Enter the Seawall addresses
Choose manual DNS and enter both Seawall addresses. Some TVs ask for the whole network setup at once: then also enter the IP address, gateway and prefix your TV already uses.
Save and restart the TV
Save the settings and turn the TV off and on, so its apps pick up the new DNS.
Check that it works
If your TV has a browser, open seawalldns.com/test in it. All 24 addresses should show “blocked”.
Where DNS settings are on your TV
Menu names differ between models and software versions. Look for Network, IP settings or DNS.
| Device | Where DNS is |
|---|---|
| Samsung |
|
| LG |
|
| Android TV, Google TV |
|
| Amazon Fire TV |
|
| Apple TV |
|
| PlayStation 5 |
|
| Xbox |
|
| Roku | No DNS setting: use the router guide |
Some Android TV and Google TV models also have Private DNS in their network settings. If yours does, enter your personal Seawall address there instead.
If something doesn’t work
Your TV has no DNS setting
Roku and some other TVs don’t have one. Set Seawall on your router instead: it covers the TV and every other device on your Wi-Fi.
Ads on the TV home screen
Seawall blocks the ad servers TV makers use. Banners that come from the same servers as the TV’s menus can stay.
Ads in YouTube and other streaming apps
These apps serve ads from the same servers as the video, so DNS can’t tell them apart.
An app stopped working
Some TV apps don’t start when their ad or analytics servers are blocked. Allow the app’s address in your account or pause protection for 10 minutes.
Ads came back after a while
Your internet provider changed your home IP address. Use the update link in your account to link the network again.
The TV lost its internet connection
Check that both Seawall addresses are typed exactly. If the TV asked for a static IP address, check the IP address, gateway and prefix too, or switch back to automatic and set Seawall on your router.
Smart TV ad blocking questions
Can Seawall block ads on a smart TV?
Yes, ads and tracking from ad servers on the TV and in many of its apps. Ads that come from the same servers as the video, as in YouTube, stay.
How do I block ads on Roku?
Roku has no DNS setting, so set Seawall on your router. It then covers the Roku and every other device on your Wi-Fi.
How do I block ads on a Fire TV Stick?
Open Settings › Network, forget your Wi-Fi, connect again and choose Advanced. Enter the network details and the Seawall addresses as DNS 1 and DNS 2. Or set Seawall on your router.
Does it work on game consoles?
Yes. PlayStation and Xbox both let you set DNS manually: see the table above.
Will it slow down streaming?
No. Seawall only answers DNS lookups. The video itself doesn’t go through Seawall.
How do I undo it?
Switch DNS back to automatic in the TV’s network settings. To let everything through for a moment instead, pause protection for 10 minutes in your account.
Set up your other devices
Get your Seawall addresses
Then follow the steps above. It takes a couple of minutes.