Android smartphone: how to activate private DNS mode

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Quad9 Connect Mobile App

Setup: Android Private DNS With Quad9

Overview

Android 9 and Higher Comes with the “private dns” feature, which allows you to connect to dns servers using dns over tls (dot). It is important to note, that the private dns function does not work if the quad9 connect app is installed and enabled. To configure your Android Device to use quad9 in this way, follow the steps below.

Step1

Open Settings on your Android Device.

Step 2

Select Network & Internet from the menu

Step 3

Select Advanced at the Bottom of the Network & Internet Screen.

Step 4

Select Private DNS.

Step 5

For more information on which tls_auth_name is right for you, please visit our quad9 ips and other setings page.

Quad9
C/O Switch
Werdstrasse 2
8004 Zürich
Switzerland

Android smartphone: how to activate private DNS mode

Practical: here is how to protect prying eyes your research and other DNS requests on your mobile.

By Jack Wallen | Tuesday April 25, 2023

DNS is the acronym of Domain Name System (domain name system) and is at the heart of the Internet. Thanks to the DNS, it is not necessary to type an IP address of a site to get there. Without DNS, instead of typing, for example, “www.Google.fr “In your browser, you should remember an address such as 142.251.16.100. In other words, the DNS makes the Internet user -friendly. Your desktop computer, laptop, tablet and even your phone need DNS to work properly.

Almost everything you do on your connected devices starts with a DNS query. So when you do a search in the address bar of your web browser or from any application on your mobile device, the DNS is at work.

The problem is that the standard DNS is not secure, which means that all your requests are sent to the clear text network.

Why is it a problem ? Imagine that you are on a public network (like a Wi-Fi network in a cafe) and that you are starting to look for various things on your Android device. For example, you need to access a CMS or another working tool and you don’t want everyone to know the address you type. If someone else is on the same network and has the necessary skills, they can intercept your search requests (or the URLs you visit) and know exactly what you are looking for. This can be harmless, or very damaging. In any case, why take the risk ?

This is where private DNS mode comes into play. When you activate this feature, all your DNS requests are encrypted, so that malicious actors cannot see them (even if they capture these packages). In other words, private DNS mode should be an absolute necessity for all those who attach importance to their privacy and security.

But how to activate the private DNS mode on Android ? It’s actually quite simple.

The necessary to activate the private DNS mode on Android

The only thing you need to activate private DNS mode is an Android device working at least with version 9 of the operating system (which was published in 2018). Thus, almost all modern Android smartphones are able to activate this functionality.

How to activate private DNS mode on Android

1. Open network and internet

In menu Settings open Network and internet.