OpenDNS: Teaching the DNS dog new tricks

Filed under: Internet, Web services, Freeware

OpenDNS: Teaching the DNS dog new tricks

by Jordan Running Jul 19th 2006

Every one of use uses DNS every time we connect to the internet, yet it's been decades since anyone has made any improvements to the end-user experience. In case you're scratching your head (or saying, "DNS? Isn't that the thing that happens when Internet Explorer can't connect?"), DNS is the system that, among other things, translates the addresses you type into your browser into the IP numbers that let your computer to connect to web (or e-mail, or IM, etc.) servers. So how can such a basic service be improved for the end-user? Direct your gaze toward OpenDNS, which adds some features to DNS that immediately make the lives of users easier. In particular, it adds phishing protection and address spell-checking to every web site request your browser makes, without you having to install any software. All you have to do is configure your browser or OS to point to OpenDNS' DNS servers, and the next time an email points you to a phishing site, OpenDNS will block it, and the next time you accidentally type downloadsquad.cmo, OpenDNS will automatically direct you to .com. On top of that, OpenDNS claims to be faster than other DNS servers. On top of that, you can configure which features you want to use (e.g. if you don't want phishing protection, turn it off) without even registering. It's also totally free to use--OpenDNS makes money by placing advertisements on those typo pages. WordPress developer Matt Mullenweg wrote a mini-review of the service and says it's "a great idea, well-executed" and "invisible in all the right ways." I'm sold.

Tags: dns, fast, free, internet, opendns, phishing, security, speed, spelling, typo

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Gil said 11:10AM on 7-19-2006

Sounds like a great tool for censorship.
Is it so hard to look out for phishing sites yourself?

andrew said 11:45AM on 7-19-2006

wow. this seems pretty cool..

my only concern is: who's paying for this?

David Ulevitch said 2:53AM on 7-20-2006

Andrew,

I'm one of the guys behind OpenDNS (it's my picture on the homepage that needs to be replaced by some supermodels or something). I also started and run one of the largest free DNS services on the Internet, EveryDNS.Net. About 100,000 people have trusted me for years to manage and run their DNS on my network. We run a tight ship at EveryDNS and an even tighter ship at OpenDNS. Where EveryDNS helps people manage their domains, OpenDNS is about letting people manage the DNS that comes into their network and computer. It's about reliability and control, as you see above.

EveryDNS has always been able to cover its costs. It's actually a really good story about how stopping malware and phishing sites helped to increase our income. While I took some investment to help bootstrap our network and hire the right people, I picked carefully who invested in the company. OpenDNS will make money in many of the same ways EveryDNS makes money. I can't talk about all the things we have in store but I assure you they are really cool and you can bet that I use the service too. I want the best experience possible, for me and for you. :-)

-david

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