AdGuard DNS is a free Domain Name System service provided the AdGuard company. You can use this DNS service to block advertising and trackers. It works like this: when a website sends a request to an ad network, the DNS sends back a “null” response. For example, when a web page looks up the domain name “ads.facebook.com” the DNS will not find that name. This means all networks request are never loaded — this is the most efficient way to block them. This blocking may even speed up your web browser slightly.
Besides blocking advertising, AdGuard DNS will also blocks trackers and malware phishing sites.
You can find instruction on changing your DNS here. I recommend change your router’s DNS settings. This will means that all your devices will automatically make use of AdGuard DNS.
AdGuard DNS Addresses
Here are the addresses of the AdGuard servers:
Default Ad-Blocking DNS
Use these servers to block ads, tracking and phishing:
- 176.103.130.130
- 176.103.130.131
- 2a00:5a60::ad1:0ff
- 2a00:5a60::ad2:0ff
Family Protection DNS
- 176.103.130.132
- 176.103.130.134
- 2a00:5a60::bad1:0ff
- 2a00:5a60::bad2:0ff
DNS Privacy
In terms of privacy, AdGuard states that they do not log any personal data or DNS activity, and do not sell anything to third parties. For the full privacy policy, visit this page.
I also recommend using the DNSEncrypt option that AdGuard supports. DNSEncrypt ensures that your DNS requests are encrypted before they are sent to AdGuard, which protects you from eavesdropping. It also prevent DNS alteration, or more specifically:
- It guards your network from phishing attempts
- It guards against DNS Leaks and DNS Spoofing
- It help prevent man-in-the-middle attacks
You can find a DNSEncrypt configuration manual for each platform here. If you happen to have DD-WRT or Tomato firmware on your router, I recommend making use of the DNSEncrypt at the router level.
Why is the service free? Adguard says:
We will use AdGuard DNS functionality as a part of other AdGuard software, which will be distributed on a pay-to-use basis. We might also develop a paid version of AdGuard DNS based on the current one, more advanced and with more features.
Link: AdGuard DNS
