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Educational articles on DNS filtering, content filtering, online safety, and how to protect your network.
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Protect your family online — step by step. Set up free DNS filtering, enforce SafeSearch, child-proof devices, and prevent your kids from bypassing your filters.
- Set up free filtering in minutes
- Lock down iPhones, iPads, and PCs
- Stop kids from bypassing filters
Deploy CleanBrowsing across your network. Bind IPs, configure routers, enforce DNS with firewall rules, block VPNs and Tor, and manage multi-site deployments.
- Network-wide DNS deployment
- Enforce DNS & block bypass methods
- CIPA compliance & MSP management
Understanding Filtering
What is DNS Filtering?
Learn how DNS filtering works, its advantages over other filtering methods, and why it is the most effective approach for families, schools, and businesses.
What is Content Filtering?
Understand the different types of content filtering: network-based, browser-based, application-based, and service-based.
What is URL Filtering?
Learn how URL filtering works, how it compares to DNS filtering, and which approach is right for your organization.
What is Encrypted DNS?
Understand DNS-over-HTTPS (DoH), DNS-over-TLS (DoT), and DNSCrypt. Learn why encrypting DNS queries matters.
What is SafeSearch?
Learn what SafeSearch is, how it works across Google, Bing, YouTube, and how to enforce it on your network.
What Does DNS Stand For?
A simple guide to the Domain Name System — the internet's phonebook that translates domain names into IP addresses.
Domain vs URL vs IP Address
Understand the differences between domains, URLs, and IP addresses — and how DNS resolvers use each.
Why DNS Can't Block Keywords
Learn why DNS filtering cannot block specific keywords or images on search engines, and what you can do instead.
Why DNS Can't See Device Traffic
Understand why DNS services can't identify which device accessed specific content on a shared network.
Why DNS Can't Block IP Addresses
Learn why DNS filtering can't block direct IP connections and how firewalls complement DNS filtering.
DNS Record Types Explained
Learn about A, AAAA, CNAME, MX, TXT, NS records and how they relate to DNS filtering.
What is Domain TTL?
Understand how Time-to-Live controls DNS caching and why it affects how quickly filtering changes take effect.
Services That Conflict with DNS Filtering
Comcast xFi, Avast, AT&T routers, Eero, and T-Mobile can break DNS filtering. Workarounds for every case.
How-To Guides
How to Block Pornography
Step-by-step guide to blocking pornographic and explicit content on any device using DNS-based content filtering.
How to Block VPN Access
Learn how VPNs bypass content filters and practical steps to prevent VPN usage on your network.
Configure DNS on Windows
Step-by-step guide to changing DNS settings on Windows 10 and Windows 11, including DNS-over-HTTPS.
How to Disable DoH in Browsers
Prevent browser-level DNS-over-HTTPS from bypassing your content filters in Chrome, Firefox, and Edge.
How Kids Bypass Content Filters
Learn the common methods children use to bypass parental controls — and how to stay ahead.
How to Lock DNS Settings
Prevent users from changing DNS on your network using forced DNS redirection and firewall rules.
Router Won't Allow DNS Changes
ISP router locks DNS settings? Learn workarounds including adding your own router.
Device vs Router Deployment
Should you configure DNS filtering on your router or on individual devices? Learn when to use both.
Prevent DNS Filter Bypass
Block DNS evasion via local changes, DoH/DoT, and VPNs with firewall rules and strategies.
Enforce SafeSearch on Google, Bing & YouTube
Force SafeSearch at the network level by mapping Google, Bing, and YouTube to their safe VIPs.
How to Block Tor on Your Network
DNS filtering alone can't block Tor. Learn 6 methods using firewalls, DPI, and endpoint controls.
How to Block Facebook with DNS
Block Facebook on your network using DNS filtering or hosts file rules with the full domain list.
Verify Your DNS Configuration
Confirm CleanBrowsing DNS is working with browser-based and command-line verification methods.
Child-Proof an iPhone or iPad
Lock down iOS devices before giving them to kids. Screen Time, admin access, and DNS filtering setup.
Advanced Topics
What is a VPN?
Understand how VPN tunneling works, common VPN protocols, and why VPNs bypass DNS-based content filters.
What is DNS Poisoning?
Learn how DNS spoofing attacks corrupt DNS records to redirect users to malicious sites, and how to defend against them.
What is CGNAT?
Understand Carrier-Grade NAT, why ISPs use shared public IPs, and how it impacts DNS filtering and network services.
Why Your Public IP Matters
Learn how public IPs affect DNS filtering, how to handle dynamic IPs, and when IP-based identification isn't needed.
Product Guides
Is CleanBrowsing Effective?
How CleanBrowsing's filtering technology works, independent testing results, and what makes it effective.
Free vs Paid Plans
Compare CleanBrowsing's free community filters with paid plans — customization, reporting, and more.
Create a Whitelist Environment
Restrict access to only approved websites using CleanBrowsing's block-all-allow-few approach.
Standard User on Windows
Create a non-admin Windows account to prevent unauthorized DNS changes and app installations.
How Categorify Works
Learn how CleanBrowsing's ML-powered engine categorizes domains for accurate content filtering.
23+ Predefined Content Filters
Explore all CleanBrowsing content filters — from adult content and malware to gaming, VPNs, and AI chatbots.
MSP & Partner Account Management
Use CleanBrowsing's multi-tenant dashboard to manage multiple customer accounts and centralize billing.
Set Up Your Paid Account
Step-by-step guide to configuring your paid CleanBrowsing account — bind your IP, set DNS, and customize filters.
Set Up Free DNS Filters
Set up CleanBrowsing's free DNS filtering in 3 steps. Choose from Security, Adult, or Family filters.
Related Resources
Content Filtering Service
Learn about CleanBrowsing's content filtering service and how it can protect your network.
DNS Filter
Explore CleanBrowsing's DNS filtering features for businesses, schools, and families.
DNS Security
Learn how CleanBrowsing protects against malware, phishing, and other DNS-based threats.
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