Roaming Clients Overview

Updated March 29, 2023 20:00

DNSFilter Roaming Clients

In this documentation, we will touch base on each operating system that we provide to our DNSFilter customers. Our Roaming Agents is an endpoint software which provides off-network protection, as well as allowing per-machine granularity when using DNSFilter.

Where is the policy stored?

Policies are defined and stored within the DNSFilter infrastructure. Policy settings never exist locally on any device. All policy processing is done ‘in the cloud’. This ensures that policy changes are instant and do NOT require the Roaming Client to sync these changes.

Our Windows Client, Mac Client and DNSFilter Relay support any DHCP Search Domain (you can have multiple!) being sent to the original DNS resolver that was configured before our agent took over.

Predefined local domain lists, DHCP Search Domains and requests without any TLD, (Ex: Jordans-laptop) go to the original DNS server addresses. Additionally, at install time you can specify a list of local domains you wish to be forwarded to your local resolver.

Specifying a local domain in DNSFilter Roaming Clients communicates to the client which domains should be sent to the DNS server configured before the DNSFilter Roaming Client takes over?

We also have initial local domain support in our latest internal Android build and we’re working to add this support to our iOS beta.

Windows Roaming Client

The Windows User agent is endpoint software which provides off-network protection and allows per-machine granularity when using DNSFilter. It is also a good alternative if your ISP uses Carrier-Grade NAT.

The DNSFilter Windows Roaming Client is a Microsoft Installer (MSI) package, and can be installed in a variety of methods. The supported Operating Systems are Windows 8, 8.1, 10 (64-bit only) /w .NET Framework 4.5 It can also be installed via Active Directory.

Click here to be taken to the Windows Roaming Client documentation!

Android & Chromebook Roaming Client

The DNSFilter Android App allows you to protect roaming mobile clients on and off network. This is similar to how the Windows User Agent functions. The app operates a special VPN which forwards DNS queries to DNSFilter, but avoids forwarding the rest of your traffic to our servers. Thus, the privacy of your data is ensured.

The DNSFilter Chrome Extension Roaming Client allows you to protect Chrome devices like managed Chromebooks and Chrome browsers.

The agent can be downloaded from the Google Play Store.

Click here to be taken to the Android Roaming Client documentation!

Click here to be taken to the Chromebook & ChromeOS Roaming Client documentation!

MacOS Roaming Client

The MacOS Roaming Client is endpoint software which provides off-network protection and allows per-machine granularity when using DNSFilter. It is also a good alternative if your ISP uses Carrier-Grade NAT. The DNSFilter MacOS Roaming Client is downloaded as a Package Installer. The supported Operating Systems are MacOS Catalina, Mojave, High Sierra, Sierra, Big Sur, Monterey, and Ventura. It can be downloaded here:

Click here to be taken to the MacOS Roaming Client documentation!

iOS Roaming Client

The DNSFilter iOS App allows you to protect roaming mobile clients on and off network. This is similar to how the Windows User Agent functions. The app operates a special VPN which forwards DNS queries to DNSFilter, but avoids forwarding the rest of your traffic to our servers. Thus, the privacy of your data is ensured.

Click here to be taken to the iOS Roaming Client documentation!

Linux Roaming Client

For Linux computers which roaming between locations (such as a Linux based laptop), you may use our Relay binaries to ensure DNS filtering occurs when these devices leave your site.

Uninstalling Roaming Clients

Roaming Clients can be uninstalled by running the respective uninstall commands (depending on operating system). Simply removing a Roaming Client from your Dashboard will not force it to be uninstalled from the device and will result in the Roaming Client re-appearing on the Dashboard the next time the computer or Roaming Client is restarted.