I'm terrible with piracy, even after all this reading. Something about computers just goes over my head and I'm left with a sore head, so I'm sorry if this is an obvious/easy question.
Can you install a DNS wrong? And if so, what are the risks/damages? I'm thinking of using NextDNS because it sounds like it'll be the most beneficial. I'm only going to be using it on my shitty chromebook to watch stuff (mostly old films I miss from my childhood or cant seem to find anywhere else) since subscriptions are getting too damn expensive for me.
Thanks in advance for any help =]
You can’t really “install” DNS wrong. The worst that usually happens is your internet won’t load until you switch back to the default settings. There’s no real damage.
NextDNS is safe, and if something breaks, just remove it and everything goes back to normal.
changing your dns and messing it up wouldnt really affect you since youll notice it immediately. since youre using nextdns, make sure to copy the dns given and paste it then.
if you somehow mess up, just change it to 8.8.8.8 (googles dns) or 1.1.1.1 (cloudflares dns)
Ah, thank you so much! Glad to know it won't be, like, detrimental for my computer
DNS is just the thing that translates your url addresses (those that usually end in .com, like www.google.com) into an IP address (something like 142.250.218.228). Changing DNS can add some privacy or block some ads, so you can choose one from many public ones.
It won't block or break anything else. If, after changing it, you can't connect to a website you could before, you can easily change it back to what it was or use another.
Just write down your current DNS (if it is set, most of times it'll simply be set to automatic) and a few of the public ones, and you can change them as you will.
I set up Adguard dns on my phone and opened a banking app trying to do a transaction , the app didn't function . Figured that whatever Adguard was doing affected the app . Changed it and it worked
Why do you believe that you need to set up a custom dns?
I thought it would be added protection since a lot of the sites can be a bit sketchy. Do i not need one for that?
a good VPN also provides some dns protection
Ah, thank you! I'll have a good google around for those =]
There are 3 main purposes to change your DNS :
1- Anti censorship. In most Western countries, court orders are issued to block pirate sites (among other sites). ISP use the cheapest way to do it because they don't care, they just comply with the minimum effort : DNS blocking. They censor their own DNS, the one you use by default.
2 - Adblocking. Some DNS (adguard, nextdns...) include adblocking. It's an efficient way to block most ads system wide. But it is coarse. It can't block first party nor advanced ads. For example, Youtube ads won't be blocked.
3 - Encryption. The least important. But in some countries, ISP can hijack or sell your DNS requests. They can't do that if you encrypt your DNS. Now, the third party DNS can also sell your data, for example if you choose Google DNS.
Everyone should change its DNS, especially pirates. It takes 5s and it has no downsides.
I use Google's dns
8.8.8.8
8.8.4.4
Thank you!
You need to keep reading.
You are mixing up dns and a firewall, they are 2 different things
Sorry, I didn't realise I did. I'm just going by what the privacy guide the megathread offers has said and what it personally suggests for DNS.
Just install Cloudflare WARP (it's free). You'll get their DNS as well as a their free VPN. I use it 100% of the time on my PC. Been using it for at least a couple of years now, it does the job and does it well. You don't have to configure anything, just install and run it. It updates periodically in the background when necessary.