Long story short …
OpenDNS is really good, and I can’t draw.
Long Story
You need talent to draw, I don’t have it, other blog posters seem to have some. But is that going to stop me?
NO! (ummm, yes it did 🙂 ) Crap drawing on your right …
OpenDNS
I need to explain a few things first, about how your computer finds where a website is.
You use the website name (ie. blog.wisefaq.com).
Your computer needs an address. So it takes the name (blog.wisefaq.com) and asks the DNS for the number.
As a DNS is essentially just a directory, just like a phone book. Hence the name, Directory Name Server.
Here’s a picture of what happens when you ask for blog.wisefaq.com:
Now you can get another phone book. The same with your DNS.
A DNS service like OpenDNS. OpenDNS is a directory filtering service. So, if I wanted to block pornography or gambling sites, all I need to do is tell my computer to use OpenDNS.
OpenDNS allows you to selectively block the following type of content:
- Adult Themes
- Alcohol
- Drugs
- Gambling
- Hate/Discrimination
- P2P/File sharing
- Phishing Protection
- Pornography
- Visual search engines
- Webmail
(this isn’t all the categories that OpenDNS can block, full list here.)
Here’s a picture of what OpenDNS would do if I went to “badsite.com”
OpenDNS has detailed instructions on how to setup your computer to use OpenDNS.
I use it, and recommend it. So does Leo Laporte.
