OpenDNS

cestlavie

Someone at work recommended this site, does anyone have any comments - or even better info on what it actually does! many thanks

Figment

What made the person at work recommend it ?

-TangleFoot-

A quick primer:

Every system on the 'net - like buildings in a street - is assigned a number. A Domain Name System server keeps track of these numbers and their associated domain names. When you browse the web, your computer asks its designated DNS server "where is it?" and the server provides the actual address.

Every so often the computer will forget the address and will again consult the DNS server. If however the server doesn't reply, the computer simply tells you it can't find what you were looking for.

In such cases you are basically stuffed unless you have alternative servers to call upon, which is where services like OpenDNS come in. These are independent of your ISP and are more likely to provide a continuous service.

Pugwash69

I have used OpenDNS for several years now, They automatically block malware sites and let me block every computer in the house from dodgy sites. Just look on their web site if you want to know how to do it and why you might want to.

Normally your ISP will resolve domain names into IP addresses, but if you use OpenDNS they will do it instead. You have control over which domains you will allow access to, and if you do it for all machines in your house you can stop the kids watching illegal streaming movies, !!!!!!, anonymizers, etc.

-TangleFoot-

I like to use this when the BT servers are on the blink.

alanrowell

2 page article on it in the July 2012 Computer Shopper

LucianH

Is it really free or do you get bombarded with advertising? I got to the sign-up page where it said "Sign-up for Free for the premium version". I'm always suspicious of "sign up for free" or "Download for free" statements since it's only that bit that is normally free. You get either a free trial period (or free download but then have to register and pay for it once it's downloaded); or, if it really IS free, you normally have to "pay" for it by being bombarded with adverts or reminders to sign up for the "full delux" versions.

Excuse the cynic in me (and I know I shouldn't be so grumpy at the start of the weekend) but apart from some of the true open source software (Linux, Open Office, etc) there are few exampes where you truely do get a free lunch. Hopefully I'll be bombarded with examples where this is not the case and that OpenDNS is (as there website states) they are "the good guys" by providing a truely free (and ad free) service to the public funded from their business customers.

Figment

You don't have to sign up at all if you only want to use their DNS.

spannerzone

No catches

As Figment says above - it's free without any ads - you set your DNS settings in the modem router to use OpenDNS and all traffic is routed via their service. It's an invisible change and your regular programs (internet, email etc) are unnaffected.

it's a really easy thing to change, in fact there's no need to sign up , you just enter the OpenDNS server into your modem.

You go into your modem router setup page, enter openDNS's numbers, save and reboot modem. If you don't want to continue to use their DNS service then simply remove the numbers you entered.

No need to install any software on any PC.

Make the change on the modem (not each computer) and one simple change affects all computers on your home network

23n1th

There is one flaw here, if the computer user has administrator/root rights on their computers then it doesn't matter what settings are in the router/modem they are easily bypassed.

Mondez

Ahh, but you could just block DNS requests out to the internet for everything except the router with the routers firewall and have it act as a caching DNS itself. Of course that depends on being able to configure the firewall on the router with that level of sophistication so you may need a custom firmware for your router like openwrt if you have kids that clever