Home & Personal

DNS Resolver Addresses#

Point your device or router at DNSAFE to start filtering. Your filtering policy is applied based on the connections and devices registered in your account.

Standard DNS (port 53)

Use the pair for your region and set both addresses: the primary and the secondary.

More on where our servers are: Network and locations.

Encrypted DNS

Quick Start Guide#

Get DNSAFE filtering active on your device in under three minutes.

1. 1
   Create a free accountGo to my.dnsafe.net and sign up. No payment required for the Free plan.
2. 2
   Register your home connectionIn the portal, go to Devices and find Add a home connection. Your current public IP is filled in for you. Give it a name and click Add.
3. 3
   Configure DNS on your deviceSet your DNS servers to your region's primary and secondary (see Resolver addresses). In the Americas, that's 3.12.124.91 and 3.11.62.44. The platform guides below have step-by-step instructions.
4. 4
   Verify filtering is workingRun the DNS leak test: it should show DNSAFE as your resolver. Or look up blocktest.dnsafe.net in your browser: you should get the DNSAFE block page.

Platform Setup Guides#

Choose your platform for step-by-step DNS configuration instructions.

DNS-over-HTTPS (DoH)#

DNS-over-HTTPS encrypts your DNS queries, preventing ISPs and network observers from seeing which domains you're looking up. DNSAFE supports DoH for all plans.

Browser Configuration

Windows 11

Windows 11 supports DoH for the whole system. The easiest way is my.dnsafe.net → Devices → Add a phone, tablet or laptop → Windows, which gives the laptop its own DoH address.

DNS-over-TLS (DoT)#

DNS-over-TLS provides encrypted DNS on port 853. It's ideal for routers and operating systems that support it natively.

Supported Platforms

Custom Allow & Block Rules#

In addition to the default DNSAFE filtering, you can create your own rules to block or allow specific domains. Custom rules apply to all registered devices on your account.

Adding a Rule

1. 1
   Go to Advanced rulesLog in to my.dnsafe.net, open the account menu (your name, top right) → Advanced rules.
2. 2
   Click + Add RuleEnter the domain and select Block or Allow.
3. 3
   Wait for propagationRules take effect in about a minute. Flush your DNS cache if you need it immediately.

Block Rules

A block rule prevents any device on your account from resolving the domain. Enter just the bare domain, with no http:// prefix or path:

• ✓ tiktok.com: blocks the domain and all its subdomains
• ✓ ads.example.com: blocks only this subdomain
• ✗ https://tiktok.com/for-you: paths are ignored; enter domain only

Allow Rules

Allow rules let you whitelist a domain that would otherwise be blocked by DNSAFE's default filtering. This is useful if a legitimate site you use has been incorrectly flagged.

Flushing Your DNS Cache

After adding a rule, you may need to flush your device's DNS cache before the change takes effect:

Protection#

The Protection page in my.dnsafe.net has two tabs: Everyone and Kids profile. Changes reach your devices in about a minute.

Everyone

Applies to every connection and device on your account:

• Always on: malware and phishing, and known threat servers. Included on every plan.
• What else to block: ads & trackers and SafeSearch & YouTube Restricted (Personal and up), plus adult content, social media, online games and gambling (Family and Pro).

Kids profile

On Family and Pro. Pick which connections or devices use it on the Devices page. On Kids connections:

• Adult content is always blocked and SafeSearch & YouTube Restricted is always on.
• You choose whether to block social media, online games and gambling.
• Pause the internet: nothing loads until you turn it back on.
• Bedtime & homework time: a bedtime turns the internet off overnight; homework time blocks just games and social media. Schedules use the time zone in your account settings.

Bandwidth-sharing apps

Apps like Honeygain let strangers send traffic through your internet connection. That can get your address flagged by websites and services. DNSAFE blocks them on every plan, free. If you use one on purpose, switch off Bandwidth-sharing apps on the Protection page (Everyone tab).

The block page#

When DNSAFE blocks a site, the browser shows the block page. It says why the site was blocked on your connection: a threat, the Kids profile, a category you switched on, your block list, ads & trackers, bedtime, homework time or a pause. It shows when the internet comes back on, and a link for the account owner to change the setting. If a site that’s no longer blocked still shows the page, it says This site should work now: close the tab and open the site again.

The page shows your household name as “Set by …”, never your email. Set it in Settings → Protection → Block page. Leave it empty to show “your home”.

Ask a parent

For sites blocked by the Kids profile, a family category (social media, games, gambling) or your block list, the block page offers Ask a parent. Your child adds their name and a reason, and you get an email with three buttons:

• Allow for 1 hour: the site works for an hour, then the block comes back by itself.
• Always allow: adds the site to your allow list (for that device, if it was a Kids profile block).
• Keep blocked: nothing changes.

Each button opens a page to confirm and works for 24 hours. Requests also appear in the bell in my.dnsafe.net. Adult content, bedtime, homework time and a pause can’t be requested. To stop requests, switch off Let family members ask for access in Settings → Protection; to stop just the emails, use Settings → Notifications.

Plans#

DNSAFE has four Home plans. Each plan adds to the one before it.

• Bandwidth-sharing apps are blocked on every plan, free. See Protection.
• Secure Wi-Fi is a $3.99/mo add-on on Personal and Family, and included with Pro.
• Every plan supports DNS-over-HTTPS and DNS-over-TLS.

Full plan comparison: dnsafe.net/pricing.

Upgrading or downgrading

Go to my.dnsafe.net → Plan & billing and select a new plan. Upgrades take effect immediately. Downgrades take effect at the end of your current billing period.

Secure Wi-Fi#

Secure Wi-Fi is an encrypted VPN (WireGuard) for café, hotel and airport Wi-Fi and mobile data. Your DNSAFE protection (threat blocking, your Protection settings and custom rules) stays on while it’s connected.

Who gets it

• Included with Pro
• $3.99 a month add-on for Personal and Family
• Not available on Free
• Up to 5 devices and 200 GB a month of fair use per account

Set up a device

1. Go to my.dnsafe.net → Secure Wi-Fi. On Personal or Family, choose Add to my plan first.
2. Enter a name, choose the device type and click Add device.
3. Phone or tablet: install the free WireGuard app, tap +, then Scan from QR code. Computer: install WireGuard, download the setup file and choose Import tunnel(s) from file.
4. Switch it on whenever you’re on public Wi-Fi, or leave it on.

Good to know

• To give a child’s device the Kids rules, choose Kids under Rules when you add it (needs a connection on the Kids profile).
• Websites see our server in Germany, not your own address.
• While it’s on, browser secure-DNS settings and iCloud Private Relay can’t bypass DNSAFE.
• Lookups appear in Activity with “· Secure Wi-Fi” after the device name.
• Reaching 200 GB in a month pauses Secure Wi-Fi until the 1st; your normal protection carries on.

Referral Programme#

Earn account credit by referring friends and family to DNSAFE. For each friend who signs up with your link and starts a paid plan, you get a $5 credit, applied to your next bill automatically.

How it works

1. 1
   Get your referral linkLog in to my.dnsafe.net and open the account menu (your name, top right) → Invite friends. Your referral link is shown there. Copy it to share.
2. 2
   Share the linkSend it to anyone who might benefit from DNS filtering. When they click your link and sign up, they're linked to your account automatically.
3. 3
   Earn creditOnce your friend starts a paid plan, a $5 credit is added to your account automatically. There's no limit to how many referrals you can make.

Referral FAQ

Troubleshooting#

Is it working?

Run the DNS leak test: it should show DNSAFE as your resolver. Or look up blocktest.dnsafe.net in your browser: you should get the DNSAFE block page.

DNS check shows “Not protected”

Your device is either not using DNSAFE, or your IP isn't registered. Check both:

1. Confirm DNS is set to your region's primary and secondary on your device or router (see Resolver addresses and the platform guides above)
2. Log in to my.dnsafe.net → Devices and check that your current public IP is listed. If not, add it.

A site I blocked is still loading

1. Check the rule exists in my.dnsafe.net → account menu → Advanced rules
2. Rules take effect in about a minute
3. Flush your DNS cache (see the table in the Custom Rules section)
4. Try opening the site in a private/incognito browser window

A legitimate site is being blocked

The site may be flagged by DNSAFE's threat protection. You can check any site at dnsafe.net/check. To allow it:

1. Go to my.dnsafe.net → account menu → Advanced rules → + Add Rule
2. Enter the domain and select Allow
3. The site should load again in about a minute

If you believe a domain is incorrectly flagged, report it at dnsafe.net/contact?topic=report so we can review it.

My IP address changed

If your internet provider gave you a new IP address, websites stop loading at home until DNSAFE knows the new one. Your dashboard at my.dnsafe.net always loads, even when your IP is out of date. Go to Devices and use Change IP on your home connection, or accept the prompt to use your new address. To stop this happening again, turn on Auto-update or install the DNSAFE IP Updater. See When your IP changes.

Filtering stopped working after a router restart

Some routers reset DNS settings on reboot. Check that your router still has your region's primary and secondary DNSAFE addresses after restarting (see Resolver addresses). If this keeps happening, check your router's DNS settings persistence and save the configuration.

Still need help?

Open Help in your dashboard at my.dnsafe.net, use dnsafe.net/contact?topic=support, or email support@dnsafe.net.