Security DNS? (1.1.1.2 vs. 208.67.222.123)

[Diggs]

When tasked in the past with adding security for home or SOHO at the DNS level I've always used OpenDNS (208.67.222.123). I see Cloudflare (1.1.1.2) is out with a similar offering. Anyone here used them both and can make a comparison?

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

Quad9 seems to be the most effective free safe DNS service...
Years ago I used to use OpenDNS all over the place..but when Cisco bought them up...like any other IT product/service, as soon as a big company buys them out, features get removed and price goes up. OpenDNS "free" lost a lot of effective filtering, which were saved for the pay for servers.

While we use cloudflare for our registrar and DNS management, we use DNS Filter for all our clients on managed plans, but if I'm setting someone up with a free solution, I always use Quad9. Which is 9.9.9.9

There's a video that Tom Lawrence put out a couple of years ago reviewing DNS services. I had already been turned onto Quad 9 before seeing that but it reenforced by view on it.

 

[Metanis]

Interesting timing on this article today covering 4 popular DNS servers.

TLR -- Cloudflare for fastest, Quad9 for maximal protection.

https://www.makeuseof.com/stopped-treating-dns-server-the-same-after-comparing-popular-options/

 

[GTP]

I have several scripts to keep track of my internet "stability." I use:

Cloudflare 1.1.1.1
Quad 9 9.9.9.9
OpenDNS 208.67.222.222
Google 8.8.8.8
Steam (Sydney) 103.10.125.36

and several others that are pinged on a schedule with cron.

I use the scripts to get reports on my internet stability and performance.

Sample Report:


2026-04-28 08:05:39 INTERNET UP RTT=27 ms SPIKE: 9.9.9.9(117 ms)
2026-04-28 08:05:58 INTERNET UP RTT=19 ms SPIKE: 103.10.125.36(103 ms)
2026-04-28 08:06:36 INTERNET UP RTT=37 ms SPIKE: 8.8.8.8(110 ms)
2026-04-28 08:06:43 INTERNET UP RTT=23 ms SPIKE: 9.9.9.9(104 ms)
2026-04-28 08:07:21 INTERNET UP RTT=36 ms SPIKE: 1.1.1.1(131 ms)
2026-04-28 08:07:33 INTERNET UP RTT=29 ms SPIKE: 103.10.125.36(123 ms)
2026-04-28 08:07:40 INTERNET UP RTT=39 ms SPIKE: 103.10.125.36(101 ms)
2026-04-28 08:07:59 INTERNET UP RTT=24 ms SPIKE: 208.67.222.222(112 ms)
2026-04-28 08:10:18 INTERNET UP RTT=33 ms SPIKE: 103.10.125.36(101 ms)
2026-04-28 08:10:37 INTERNET UP RTT=22 ms SPIKE: 8.8.8.8(106 ms)
2026-04-28 08:10:43 INTERNET UP RTT=36 ms SPIKE: 8.8.8.8(107 ms)
2026-04-28 08:11:02 INTERNET UP RTT=28 ms SPIKE: 103.10.125.36(122 ms)
2026-04-28 08:11:40 INTERNET UP RTT=21 ms SPIKE: 8.8.8.8(110 ms)
2026-04-28 08:12:30 INTERNET UP RTT=32 ms SPIKE: 1.1.1.1(127 ms)
2026-04-28 08:12:49 INTERNET UP RTT=37 ms SPIKE: 8.8.8.8(105 ms)
2026-04-28 08:14:30 INTERNET UP RTT=23 ms SPIKE: 103.10.125.36(119 ms)
2026-04-28 08:15:14 INTERNET UP RTT=49 ms SPIKE: 208.67.222.222(103 ms)
2026-04-28 08:15:33 INTERNET UP RTT=78 ms SPIKE: 9.9.9.9(107 ms)
2026-04-28 08:15:58 INTERNET UP RTT=26 ms SPIKE: 103.10.125.36(102 ms)
2026-04-28 08:16:36 INTERNET UP RTT=53 ms SPIKE: 1.1.1.1(112 ms) 8.8.8.8(108 ms)
2026-04-28 08:16:49 INTERNET UP RTT=18 ms SPIKE: 103.10.125.36(104 ms)
2026-04-28 08:16:55 INTERNET UP RTT=56 ms SPIKE: 8.8.8.8(111 ms)
2026-04-28 08:17:08 INTERNET UP RTT=30 ms SPIKE: 208.67.222.222(112 ms)
2026-04-28 08:17:14 INTERNET UP RTT=24 ms SPIKE: 208.67.222.222(110 ms)
2026-04-28 08:17:21 INTERNET UP RTT=37 ms SPIKE: 8.8.8.8(109 ms)
2026-04-28 08:18:24 INTERNET UP RTT=39 ms SPIKE: 208.67.222.222(117 ms)
2026-04-28 08:19:02 INTERNET UP RTT=51 ms SPIKE: 1.1.1.1(106 ms)
2026-04-28 08:20:11 INTERNET UP RTT=26 ms SPIKE: 9.9.9.9(105 ms)
2026-04-28 08:20:43 INTERNET UP RTT=27 ms SPIKE: 103.10.125.36(111 ms)
2026-04-28 08:20:49 INTERNET UP RTT=28 ms SPIKE: 103.10.125.36(126 ms)
2026-04-28 08:21:08 INTERNET UP RTT=24 ms SPIKE: 8.8.8.8(114 ms)
2026-04-28 08:22:04 INTERNET UP RTT=18 ms SPIKE: 103.10.125.36(107 ms)
2026-04-28 08:22:11 INTERNET UP RTT=36 ms SPIKE: 1.1.1.1(115 ms)
2026-04-28 08:22:49 INTERNET UP RTT=40 ms SPIKE: 1.1.1.1(102 ms)
2026-04-28 08:23:01 INTERNET UP RTT=33 ms SPIKE: 1.1.1.1(100 ms)
2026-04-28 08:23:14 INTERNET UP RTT=40 ms SPIKE: 103.10.125.36(122 ms)
2026-04-28 08:23:33 INTERNET UP RTT=23 ms SPIKE: 8.8.8.8(116 ms)
2026-04-28 08:26:22 INTERNET UP RTT=22 ms SPIKE: 103.10.125.36(124 ms)
2026-04-28 08:30:24 INTERNET UP RTT=14 ms SPIKE: 9.9.9.9(101 ms)
2026-04-28 08:34:34 INTERNET UP RTT=19 ms SPIKE: 9.9.9.9(102 ms)
2026-04-28 08:35:43 INTERNET UP RTT=31 ms SPIKE: 9.9.9.9(103 ms)
2026-04-28 08:36:27 INTERNET UP RTT=27 ms SPIKE: 1.1.1.1(126 ms)


Telstra sucks!!

I also have Quad 9 (Malware Blocking) set in all my Librewolf instances
.