Introduction
Ever wonder what your internet service provider (ISP) really knows about your online activities? Your default DNS (Domain Name System) often reveals your entire browsing history, opening the door to data collection and targeted advertising. But what if you could take back control? This article explores how NextDNS empowers you to reclaim your digital privacy and enhance security, especially for dedicated Linux users. Discover how this powerful cloud service acts as your internet’s intelligent gatekeeper, blocking threats and unwanted content before it even reaches your device, offering a superior alternative to your ISP’s basic DNS.
Taking Control of Your Digital Footprint with NextDNS
You might ask: “Don’t I already have DNS?”. The short answer is “Yes”, in most cases your ISP (the company that you buy your internet from) does give you a DNS which they own and can see and sell all of your data to third party companies. This gives your ISP a lot of knowledge about you that you might not want them to have. Where you go, what you search, and who you talk to. There is a much more private and secure way to take control over your DNS (Domain Name System – like the Internet’s phone book). It is a cloud service called NextDNS. We will be setting up NextDNS and learning what advantages it offers, making it an essential tool for any privacy-conscious Linux user.
The Privacy Imperative: Why Default DNS Isn’t Enough
NextDNS is a cloud service that you can configure right from your browser. It offers free and paid tiers, but the free tier is suitable for most people. If you want to help them out, it is only about $20 a year.
Getting Started: Seamless NextDNS Setup
Once you setup your account the first page that you see is the setup page. Scroll down to “setup guide”. Here you can see that there are many devices that you can configure. For Linux network configuration, NextDNS provides a dedicated command-line interface (CLI) tool, making setup incredibly straightforward for tech-savvy users. Simply download and run the installer script, and it handles the integration with systemd-resolved or your network manager. Alternatively, you can manually configure your DNS settings in files like /etc/resolv.conf or via graphical network tools. Once you do that you will see a green check mark in the “linked IP” field.
NextDNS is very configurable and you can tailor it to your needs and those of your family. I am going to go through the pages that you can modify things.
Fortifying Your Linux System with Advanced Security
After you setup your account, you can start to make it your own. The first place is the “Security Tab”. This is where we are going to start filtering out all of the bad stuff before we download it, providing an additional layer of defense for your robust Linux operating system.
Here are the choices:
- Threat Intelligence Feeds – This uses real-time threat intelligence to stop malware and other things and will stop you from seeing or downloading things that could be harmful. Turn this ON
- AI-Driven Threat Detection – This is officially in Beta, but it works very well in most cases.
- Google Safe Browsing – This is for malware and phishing domains. Unlike the one that comes with your browser, this one does not associate your public IP address to threats and does not allow bypassing the block. Turn this ON.
Customizing Your Web Experience with Deny Lists
There are also “Deny Lists” which you can personally use to deny certain things you do not wish to see or be tracked by. Here are a few that I have used as examples:
- *.safebrowsing.googleapis.com
- *.data.microsoft.com
- *.msftconnecttest.com
- *.activity.windows.com
- *.msedge.net
- *.edge.microsoft.com
I am sure that you will come across others that you can add to the list.
As you can see, having a secure DNS like NextDNS has many advantages and will help you to filter out and take back control of your Internet experience. You can also make other DNS choices for your family to keep them safer when they are on the internet. Take the time to signup and experience how good it can be to take back some control of your browsing experience again.
FAQ
- Question 1: How does NextDNS enhance privacy for Linux users specifically?
NextDNS significantly boosts privacy for Linux users by encrypting DNS queries (via DNS-over-HTTPS or DNS-over-TLS), preventing ISPs from logging your browsing history. It also allows you to block trackers, ads, and malicious domains at the network level, offering a comprehensive shield that complements Linux’s inherent security features. - Question 2: Can I use NextDNS with my Linux distribution’s default network manager?
Yes, absolutely. Most modern Linux distributions use systemd-resolved or NetworkManager. NextDNS provides a simple CLI tool that automatically configures these services. For more advanced users, manual configuration is straightforward by editing /etc/resolv.conf or directly within NetworkManager’s settings, making it highly compatible with any Linux DNS setup. - Question 3: What’s a recent example of a Linux-related DNS privacy initiative?
A great recent example is the increasing adoption of DNS over HTTPS (DoH) and DNS over TLS (DoT) as default or easily configurable options within popular Linux web browsers (like Firefox and Chrome) and even at the system level via systemd-resolved. Many Linux distributions are now making it simpler to enable encrypted DNS, showcasing the community’s strong push for enhanced privacy and security, aligning perfectly with what NextDNS offers.