What is DNS? Your Guide to DNS Filtering

DNS stands for Domain Name System. It acts like the address book of the internet, translating website names (like shomerdns.com) into IP addresses your computer understands.

For example, when you type shomerdns.com into your browser, your device contacts a DNS server and asks for its IP address. The DNS server responds with the correct IP, and then your browser connects directly to that address to load the site.

Every time you visit a website, a DNS server is involved behind the scenes.

DNS filtering is a method of blocking access to websites that are harmful, inappropriate, or otherwise unwanted. It works by stopping the DNS resolution of blocked domains so your device can’t reach them in the first place.

This is how ShomerDNS protects you online.

ShomerDNS is a free, community-based DNS filtering service designed to help Internet users browse the internet more safely and in line with Jewish values.

By simply updating the DNS settings on your devices, ShomerDNS filters out inappropriate content and known threats without tracking you or collecting your data.

ShomerDNS acts like a protective barrier between your devices and the internet.

• Automatically blocks unwanted content on all connected devices
• Can speed up your internet browsing
• Increases cyber security and reduces exposure to online threats

Risks / Limitations:

• Can be bypassed by tech-savvy children without supervision
• May not block inappropriate content within some apps
• Should be used as part of a layered approach to digital safety

Normally, your device asks a DNS server (often run by your ISP or Big Tech) to find websites, and they might log or sell that data. ShomerDNS keeps your DNS private and filtered, prioritizing your security and control.

• Pornographic websites
• Advertisements
• Websites with adult chat, stories, or dating
• Malware and ransomware sites
• Scam, phishing, and fraudulent websites
• Sites related to drugs, gambling, and harmful behavior
• Proxies and anonymizers
• Artificial Intelligence sites
• And many many more

Yes! You can apply unique rules per device. Block social media on a child's tablet, allow YouTube on your laptop, all with custom profiles.

If you can not access your devices DNS settings or you want custom profiles then you will need to use WireGuard VPN. Use the contact form to request VPN access.

Using ShomerDNS helps prevent threats like:

• Ransomware
• Phishing attacks
• Spyware
• Viruses
• Malware

It also helps protect your device and personal data by keeping you away from dangerous sources online.

Yes. The service is completely free. There are:

• No ads
• No tracking
• No hidden fees
• No affiliations or commercial goals

All we ask is that you share the service with others if you find it helpful. And if you spot any issues, please let us know so we can improve.

No. ShomerDNS does not log your internet activity. DNS queries are processed in real time without saving logs or user data.

It's a fair question, but "nothing to hide" mixes up privacy with secrecy. Privacy isn't about hiding wrongdoing — it's about dignity. Think about taking a shower: everybody knows what a body looks like, and you're not doing anything wrong in there, but you still close the door. That's not because you have something to hide. It's because some things don't need an audience, even when they're completely normal.

Browsing the internet is the same. You're not necessarily hiding anything by not wanting your ISP, a hotel or café WiFi network, or a stranger on the same connection to see, log, and build a record of every site you visit, every question you look up, and every mistake you almost make. Privacy is what lets you live and learn with the same dignity you'd expect anywhere else — without someone standing over your shoulder cataloguing it.

ShomerDNS protects that dignity two ways at once: your DNS requests are encrypted so nobody in between can see or log what you're looking up, and harmful content is filtered out before it ever reaches your device — privacy and protection together, not one instead of the other.

Absolutely. ShomerDNS supports encrypted DNS via DNS-over-TLS (DoT), and VPN tunneling. Your traffic stays secure and private. We don't use any personally identifiable information on our DNS systems. If you are not using ShomerDNS encrypted technology then your requests are in the clear for all to see.

Any internet connected device that can set a custom DNS or use a VPN can be protected by ShomerDNS.

Traditional DNS (what you'd set as a "primary" and "secondary" server) runs unencrypted over port 53, so it's like mailing postcards — anyone handling the connection along the way (your ISP, hotel or café Wi-Fi, or a criminal on the network) can read exactly which sites you're visiting, log it, or even swap the reply to redirect you somewhere malicious, and apps or your device can quietly slip over to that secondary server without you noticing. Private DNS (DNS-over-TLS, port 853) instead forces everything through one sealed, authenticated, encrypted channel — more like sending mail in a locked, armored envelope where nobody can read the contents, tamper with them, forge a reply, or swap the destination. That's why ShomerDNS over Private DNS beats plain port-53 DNS across the board: it's private instead of exposed, encrypted instead of plaintext, resistant to spoofing and hijacking instead of an easy target, unable to be silently bypassed by apps or overridden by your ISP or router, and reliable because there's exactly one secure path with no insecure fallback to quietly slip through.

Some online payment systems enforce strict telemetry and behavioral data collection as part of their fraud prevention and risk analysis processes. These systems may block or fail to process transactions when ShomerDNS is enabled.

If you encounter issues while making a payment, it may be due to the payment provider’s strict data collection requirements. To proceed, you can temporarily disable ShomerDNS VPN or Android Private DNS mode. Don’t forget to re-enable it once your transaction is complete to maintain your privacy and security.

NFC based contactless payments (Google Pay, Apple Pay at physical terminals) are not affected and will continue to function normally with ShomerDNS enabled.