Your devices have been talking behind your back
Ouzel is a small box that instantly blocks your devices from connecting to advertisers, trackers, and other unwanted content.
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Ouzel has two responsibilities:
Blocks Ads, Trackers, and More
Ouzel uses crowd-sourced data to block advertisements, trackers, and any other internet traffic you don't want to allow. It works out of the box, and allows configuration.
Shows You Its Work
Ouzel tallies what it blocked and learns what each connected device tries to access. Ouzel tells you what each device is trying to do and whether or not it was blocked.
So easy to use, anybody can do it.
Plug it in
One ethernet cable between your router and Ouzel, and a power adapter. In five minutes, it’s online and ready to use.
Connect to it
Ouzel acts as a Wifi router. Connect to its secure network on any device you want protected.
Forget about it
Now, Ouzel blocks unwanted traffic. Check what your devices are doing, tinker with advanced features, or forget about it.
How does Ouzel work?
Ouzel works between your devices and your router, intercepting and blocking internet traffic you don't want.
Whether it's trackers, ads, NSFW, gambling, or anything else, Ouzel lets you choose what you want to allow.
Tech that watches your devices, not you.
- What it can see
Envelopes, not contents.
Ouzel sees what services each connected device talks to, but not the contents of the messages they send. Devices you don't connect will not be visible to Ouzel.
- What it stores
A tally for each device.
Ouzel counts what ads & trackers it blocked so the dashboard shows you its impact. Optionally, these tallies are used to make Ouzel’s blocking algorithms better for everybody.
- What we are sent
Device profiles, not your data.
Ouzel optionally sends us reports: a smart device's make and model and the services it tried to reach. The reports are stored without any link to you, and we never sell any of this data. These tallies build the profiles every Ouzel runs on. Opt out at any time and retain full functionality.
Privacy for people who’d rather not worry about it.
The tools that do this today assume you are an engineer, and will happily spend your weekends doing maintenance. Most people won't, and you shouldn't have to.
Ouzel is made by and for people who believe privacy is something everybody should be able to enjoy.
Learn more about us here.
What else?
Is it hard to install?
No. If you can connect to WiFi, you can set up Ouzel. No advanced setup is required. There is a dashboard if you’re curious what it’s been blocking, but you don’t have to check it. Advanced features are available but never required.
Will it break my devices?
Ouzel is supposed to only block connections that devices don’t need. There is the chance that necessary traffic will be accidentally blocked, but it is always one-click to reverse. Casting and AirPlay are supported between isolated devices and your regular network.
Isn’t this what Pi-hole, NextDNS, and AdGuard do?
Those are DNS filters for people with lots of time on their hands. Ouzel is a plug-and-play blocker that isolates devices from the rest of your network. Ouzel can block via more than just DNS, which most other solutions can’t do.
Does Ouzel collect data about me?
The data we receive authenticates your Ouzel and contains smart device type, what hostnames / IPs it has connected to, and timestamps. Data is only used to authenticate you, update your Ouzel, and optionally improve device profiles. You can always opt out with a couple clicks, and we will never sell this data. Any further collection will be a manual opt-in with clear explanations.
What about my phone, laptop, and desktop?
Ouzel is compatible with all devices that connect via WiFi, with ethernet coming soon. Just connect any device to Ouzel’s secure network and the ad blocking functionality will work the same.
Does it slow down my internet?
Not noticeably for most users. Ouzel is already fast enough for a 4K smart TV, several cameras, and a house full of smart devices with no perceivable slowdown. We expect production hardware to be even faster.
Do any ads get past Ouzel
Certain ads are designed to be very difficult to block. In our tests, Ouzel already blocks over 90% of all ads, and we expect that number to get higher as we continue development.
When can I get one?
Ouzel is an early prototype. Joining the waitlist gets you first access to hardware and a say in what we build next. We expect production units to be available in late 2027.
Be first in line.
Leave your email and we'll reach out when Ouzel is ready to try.
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