Are you using OpenDNS yet?

DON’T RUN AWAY FROM THE TECHNICAL STUFF

You may not know it (depending on your e-geekitude), but if you have a home network, that network has to turn web names (http://www.google.com/) into IP numbers (192.168.1.1), and that requires a DNS.

By default, of course, your service provider bundles access to this. There is a free alternative that is seriously better called OpenDNS.

I use it. You should use it. If this is way beyond your skillz, ask a friend to set it up on your router, and that’s all you have to do – it’s transparent, just like your ISP, but more reliable. It’s easy.

Some of the reasons it is better:

BOTNET PROTECTION. Currently, OpenDNS blocks the Conficker virus, with plans to block additional botnet viruses. This is huge, to me.

Stats. At any time, you can look up what domains have been looked at from your home network. Good for people with kids, and good for seeing if anyone is riding your waves.

Parental Controls. Unlike most parental controls, this is highly granular (with more than 50 categories), is award winning, and is free.

Typo correction. Ever type in “Google.cmo” and get some weird spam site? OpenDNS automatically fixes obvious errors (if you so select in the admin tool).

Shortcuts. you can add shortcuts in the web-based admin tool so that any computer on your network can type “mail” into any browser, and it’ll go to http://mail.google.com. Or wherever.

~ by Skennedy on February 12, 2009.

Posted in Uncategorized

9 Responses to “Are you using OpenDNS yet?”

  1. Did you set this up on my router?

    blue_lucy said this on February 12, 2009 at 11:07 pm

  2. If only I could remember the password on my router. :-P

    plasmonicgrid said this on February 13, 2009 at 12:14 am

    • 50 passwords later, I decided to try a different username. Only needed to try another dozen before I got it. :-)

      plasmonicgrid said this on February 13, 2009 at 1:17 am

      • *laugh* Congrats! I did the same thing with one of my routers before I realized that I -can’t- change the user name. It’s always “admin”.

        I really wish I could use that open source router software. Here I have two routers I’m not using, and I could set them up to be -awesome- … if they had just a little bit more space on them.

        Anonymous said this on February 13, 2009 at 2:22 pm

      • *laugh* Congrats! I did the same thing with one of my routers before I realized that I -can’t- change the user name. It’s always “admin”.

        I really wish I could use that open source router software. Here I have two routers I’m not using, and I could set them up to be -awesome- … if they had just a little bit more space on them.

        atdt1991 said this on February 13, 2009 at 2:22 pm

  3. Of course I’m using OpenDNS, silly.

    rbradakis said this on February 13, 2009 at 12:16 am

  4. Thanks for the tip!

    caspian_x said this on February 13, 2009 at 5:23 am

  5. Interesting. I remember reading a while back about some guys that wanted to make a better version of DNS, by adding the kinds of features this has. Wonder if it’s those guys.

    ranger_d said this on February 13, 2009 at 3:58 pm

Comments are closed.