Configure Cloudflare’s DNS resolvers on your computer to block access to sites offering malware or pornographic content.
Cloudflare has just expanded its range of DNS servers by launching two new resolvers capable of automatically filtering access to potentially risky sites for your machine.
1.1.1.1 for Families indeed offers two DNS servers capable for the first of blocking sites known to distribute malware, and for the second of blocking malware but also adult sites.
If in this specific case changing the native DNS provided by your ISP allows access to certain sites to be filtered, changing DNS servers has other virtues, such as accelerating the speed of access to the sites you are viewing, or even prevent your ISP from tracking your activity.
While it is possible with some Internet service providers to modify the DNS directly in the settings of the box, this is not the case for all offers. Fortunately, it is possible to modify the DNS used by default directly from your computer. Here’s how.
Change DNS on Windows
1. Open settings
Click on the Start menu and go to Windows Settings.
Then enter the Network and Internet menu, go to your connection settings by clicking on Wi-Fi or Ethernet in the side column, depending on the type of connection you are using.
2. Change the adapter options
Scroll through the options offered until you reach Associated Settings. Then click on Change adapter options.
In the window that opens, locate the network card used by your computer to connect to the Internet. Right click on its icon and navigate to its Properties.
3. Change the default DNS servers
In the window that opens, in the list of elements used by the connection, select Internet Protocol version 4 (TCP / IPv4) or Internet Protocol version 6 (TCP / IPv6), depending on the network protocol used by your Service Provider. Internet access.
In the new window that appears, look at the bottom part and select Use the following DNS server address.
Enter the address of the Preferred DNS Server, and of the Auxiliary DNS Server then validate by clicking on OK then on Close.
4. Check your DNS configuration
Now your PC should automatically use the Cloudflare DNS servers you just configured. To verify this, open a window of your web browser and go to https://1.1.1.1/help.
If everything went correctly, this test page should say Yes next to Connected to 1.1.1.1.
Change DNS on macOS
1. Open System Preferences
On your Mac, open macOS System Preferences and go to the Network section.
2. Access advanced settings
Select your connection mode, and click on the Advanced button …
In the window that appears, go to the DNS tab then, at the bottom of the left inset, click on the + button.
Depending on the TCP / IP protocol used by your ISP (IPv4 or IPv6), enter the address of the primary DNS server and press the Enter key on the keyboard. Repeat the operation for the secondary DNS server address.
Once this data has been entered, click on OK to validate, then on Apply and close System Preferences.
3. Check the DNS used
To verify that Cloudflare’s DNS setup was successful on your Mac, open your web browser and go to https://1.1.1.1/help.
This Cloudflare test service should say Yes opposite Connected to 1.1.1.1, confirming that you are using its DNS servers.