Configure CleanBrowsing with Merlin Firmware for ASUS

Step 1: Prevent Local DNS Changes

Navigate to LAN > DNSFilter settings in your Merlin firmware dashboard and configure the following:

• Enable "Enable DNS-based Filtering"
• Select "Router" as the filter mode
• Enter the DNS pairs from your CleanBrowsing dashboard
• Click "Apply" to save settings

This configuration redirects DNS requests through the router rather than blocking them, maintaining service continuity for all devices on your network.

Step 2: Configure DNS-over-TLS (DoT)

Access WAN > Internet Connection and scroll to the WAN DNS Setting section. Configure the following settings:

• "Connect to DNS Server automatically": Set to NO
• Enter your Primary and Secondary DNS IPs from your CleanBrowsing dashboard
• "Forward local domain queries to upstream": Set to YES
• "DNS Privacy Protocol": Select DNS-over-TLS (DoT)

Add your DoT server to the "Preset Servers" table, leaving the dropdown empty.

Step 3: Find Your DoT IP Address

Use the DoT stamp from your CleanBrowsing dashboard (labeled "DNS over TLS / Private DNS for Android"). To find the IP address, run the following command in your terminal:

host custom79xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx5.dot.cleanbrowsing.org

This returns the IP address needed for configuration. Note that this IP differs from your regular account IP.

For the free plan, use the following DNS addresses:

• Primary DNS: 185.228.168.168
• Secondary DNS: 185.228.169.168