Dangerous to change DNS settings in router?

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matt17

92 posts

Master Geek

#198794 22-Jul-2016 22:42

I'm having trouble configuring my ATV4 to permit access to Rugby Pass (via the app) to stream geo-blocked content to my TV. I've got a post about that, however thought I'd start a new thread here, to hopefully get a better understanding of the dangers I'm possibly exposing myself to by changing the DNS settings of the various devices, in order to access the geo-blocked content. I have little (ok, none!) understanding of how the traffic/data moves to/from the router/computer - but my concern is (possible unwarranted) that I'm exposing myself to danger by routing traffic through DNS4me's servers.

1. What impact does changing the DNS server addresses in the router, to the DNS entries supplied by DNS4me, actually have? Does this mean ALL traffic is routed through their servers?

2. If the answer to the above is "yes" - isn't that bad? Doesn't it mean slower transfer speeds and possible security issues given that DNS4me can potentially observe any data I pass through the router?

3. Could I avoid the above situation by establishing a static route in the router, using the guide on DNS4me?

4. Or do I have totally the wrong end of the stick? Maybe the DNS server doesn't actually route data - and is merely a directory type service???

Any help much appreciated - even if it's to point me in the direction of a guide so I can educate myself about this network thing and therefore better understand it! I don't really understand what the various IP addresses are, DNS entries, how data gets from device to device etc etc.

Matthew

Lias

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#1597083 22-Jul-2016 23:21

1. No, it simply means DNS queries go to their servers. DNS is what turns human readable domain names into machine readable IP addresses.

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blakamin

4431 posts

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Inactive user

#1597096 23-Jul-2016 00:01

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domain_Name_System

matt17

92 posts

Master Geek

#1597099 23-Jul-2016 01:32

Thanks - will have a read.

robjg63

4096 posts

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#1597157 23-Jul-2016 09:40

Dns4me (like any dns server) could potentially log all the places you have visited - the dns lookups.
I doubt they would want the overhead of doing that.
Every time you try and access a site it needs a dns server to find the correct iP addresses.
Once that's done your traffic pretty much comes direct from the website you are accessing.

In the case of their unblocking, they will pass some geo information along to the website you are trying to access that says you are actually in the UK or USA etc.

A VPN certainly passes all your traffic through a pipe. The dns unblockers don't an the bandwidth costs of doing that would be huge.

Setting the dns in the router means your whole home is 'unblocked' and you don't need to shag about with dns settings on each and every device in the house.

Nothing is impossible for the man who doesn't have to do it himself - A. H. Weiler