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DNS stands for Domain Name Service, and it is at the heart of the Internet. DNS makes it so that you don’t have to type in an IP address to get where you want to go. Without DNS, you’d have to remember an address like 142.251.16.100 instead of just typing google.com into your browser’s address bar. In other words, DNS makes the Internet user-friendly. Your desktop, laptop, tablet, and even phone require DNS to function properly.
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Everything you do on your connected device starts with a DNS query. So, when you search in the address bar of your web browser or use any app on your mobile device, DNS is at work.
The problem is that standard DNS is not secure, which means that all your queries are sent over the network as plain text.
Why is that a problem? Let’s say you’re on a public network (such as a coffee shop), and you start searching for miscellaneous things on your Android device. Or maybe you have to use a CMS or other work tool and don’t want the public to know what you’re typing. If someone else is on the same network and has the skills, they can catch your search query (or the URLs you visit) and know exactly what you’re looking for. It can be harmless, or it can be harmful. Either way, why take the risk?
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This is where Private DNS mode comes into play. Once you enable this feature, all your DNS queries are encrypted, so no bad actors will be able to see them (even if they capture those packets). In other words, Private DNS mode should be a must for anyone who values their privacy and security.
But how do you enable private DNS mode on Android? It is really quite simple. let me tell you how.
How to Enable Private DNS Mode on Android
what you’ll need: All you need is an Android device running at least version 9 (which was released in 2018) of the operating system to enable Private DNS mode. Almost every modern Android phone is capable of enabling this feature.
Open the Settings app (either from the notification shade or the app drawer) and then tap on Network & Internet.
You’ll find an entry for Private DNS at the bottom of the Network and Internet window. If you don’t find it, go back to the main Settings page and search for Private DNS.
The private DNS entry is in the Network & Internet section of the Settings app. Image: Jack Wallen/ZDNET
This is where it can get a little tricky. You must have the address of a provider that provides private DNS. Here’s my provider of choice:
1dot1dot1dot1dot1.cloudflare-dns.com
Some other possible hostnames you can use:
- Google DNS: dns.google
- Quad9: dns.quad9.net
- CleanBrowsing DNS: security-filter-dns.cleanbrowsing.org
- open dns: 208.67.222.222
- NextDNS: 45.90.28.0
- Comodo Secure 8.26.56.26
- OpenNIC: 192.95.54.3
Note: Although each of the above free DNS services are worth a try, I would recommend going with Cloudflare (1dot1dot1dot1.cloudflare-dns.com). I find it the fastest and most secure of the bunch. On top of speed, Cloudflare adds DNS filtering to the mix, which can help prevent email from being sent from malicious IP addresses.
A new pop-up will appear when you tap on Private DNS. Tap Private DNS provider hostname, and then type the hostname for the DNS provider of your choice.
Figure 2: Adding a private DNS provider to Android. Image: Jack Wallen/ZDNET
You can also choose Automatic, which will automatically switch to Google’s private DNS when one is available. For those not so quick to trust Google for such a feature, I would recommend selecting Private DNS and then typing in the address of the provider of your choice. Tap Save to save the new setting and close the Settings app.
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And that’s all. Once you enable Private DNS on Android, you can be sure that all your DNS queries are encrypted. Enjoy that extra privacy and security.
