In this article

Welcome to DNSFilter! This guide helps you decide what deployment option is right for you and links to all the support content you'll need to start protecting your home, office, or enterprise network from internet threats.

Prep your network

A few configurations can interfere with DNS forwarding. Review the following to confirm the environment is ready for deployment.

• Complete a network check to confirm old DNS settings are cleared and VPN settings are configured for deployment
• Confirm the Internet Service Provider (ISP) is not using Carrier-Grade NAT or transparent proxying DNS traffic
• Confirm any existing firewall, VPN, and security application rules or settings are set to allow traffic to the correct IP addresses 
• Confirm all IP addresses are accounted for. This includes:
  • All primary external IP addresses
  • Secondary addresses on another ISP
  • Failover WAN links

Pick your deployment(s)

Review the deployment options and select what fits the protection goals for the environment. You can deploy more than one option depending on your protection goals, and if you're not sure where to start, try setting up a single device's DNS Forwarding and Roaming Client. This is a simple way to see DNSFilter's threat protection and reporting capabilities.

For a detailed comparison of each deployment's strengths, limitations, and best use cases, see DNSFilter Deployment Options.

These articles are ordered for a straightforward deployment. Start at the top and follow the guides in order. 

• Protection goals

  • Protection on your network
  • No need for offsite protection

  • Public Wi-Fi

    e.g. short term rental; small businesses like cafes and restaurants 

  Follow these guides

  1. Create a Filtering Policy
  2. Set a Block Page
  3. Add a Site
  4. Test the connection
  5. Configure the network

• Protection goals

  • Protection on your network and when traveling or remote

    e.g. home office, coffee shops, airports

  • Easily set or change policies for large groups of computers with tags

    e.g. teachers/students, corporate departments, public/private computers

  • Granular per device/user reporting

  Follow these guides

  1. Create a Filtering Policy
  2. Set a Block Page
  3. Add a Site
  4. Set up the Roaming Client:
     • macOS
     • Windows
     • Chromebook
     • iOS
     • Android
  5. Set up Zapier integrations (optional; reconfigure at any time)

  Linux Roaming Client

  ✍️ Roaming Clients are not available for Linux environments. To protect off-site Linux machines, deploy a Relay.

• Protection goals

  • Apply filtering policies by IP or subnet on your network
  • Protects devices when Roaming Clients cannot be installed
  • Desire for per-machine reporting

  Follow these guides

  1. Create a Filtering Policy
  2. Set a Block Page
  3. Add a Site
  4. Set up Relay
  5. Set up Zapier integrations (optional; reconfigure at any time)

Explore more from DNSFilter

All the extras

Get the most out of your DNSFilter account:

• Join our Community to ask questions, request features, or contribute to discussions
• Schedule reports to stay up to date on traffic, requests, and blocked threats
• Set up data exports to customize analytics, simplify compliance and reporting, and improve operations
• Enter billing information before the trial period ends to maintain continuous threat protection

Troubleshooting

For help resolving issues, see DNSFilter troubleshooting. 

Support content

The following topics provide additional support content:

• Reporting
• Tools
• Integrations
• Migrating to DNSFilter
• Get to know DNS

Related to links appear at the end of each page and list all related content across the help center by topic. Use these links to explore integration-related deployment content or additional DNSFilter features.