The VidarDNS Blog

A Deep Dive into DNS: What It Is and Where It Came From

Published April 2025 • 5 min read

The Domain Name System (DNS) is often called the "phonebook of the internet" — and for good reason. It converts human-friendly domain names like example.com into IP addresses like 93.184.216.34 that machines use to communicate.

The Origins: ARPANET & HOSTS.TXT

In the 1970s, before DNS existed, a file called `HOSTS.TXT` maintained at the Stanford Research Institute listed every known host on ARPANET. This list was manually updated and downloaded by all nodes — a cumbersome and non-scalable solution.

Birth of DNS in 1983

Paul Mockapetris proposed DNS in 1983, documented in RFC 882 and 883. It introduced a hierarchical, distributed database with domain levels (like `.com`, `.org`, etc.) that could scale with the growing internet.

How DNS Works Today

Today, DNS is still built on those same principles. Queries go from a local resolver (like your computer) to recursive resolvers (like Google DNS or Cloudflare), which then query authoritative servers to resolve a domain.

Digital Distractions, Dopamine, and DNS: Blocking Your Way to Focus

Published April 2025 • 5 min read

Social media platforms are engineered to hijack your attention. Every like, share, and notification fires off a dopamine hit, training your brain to crave more. But what happens to your productivity?

The Research is Clear

A study from NIH links excessive social media use with impaired attention spans. Another Harvard Business Review article shows employees waste up to 32% of work hours due to digital distractions.

How DNS Can Help

DNS Servers can block access to time-consuming, distracting and addictive domains at the network level, allowing users to focus without needing browser extensions or self-control. It's like having a firewall for your brain — and it works across all your devices.

Start Small, Reclaim Focus

Try blocking social media for just 3 days using VidarDNS. You might be surprised by the mental clarity that returns. From deep work to sleep quality — cutting the noise changes everything.

DNS vs VPN: What’s the Difference and Which Should You Use?

Published April 2025 • 8 min read

Both DNS and VPNs are tools that affect your online experience, but they serve very different purposes. DNS controls where your traffic goes. VPNs control how it travels.

What DNS Does

DNS translates domain names into IP addresses. With services like Adguard DNS or Cloudflare DNS, you can filter out unwanted domains before a connection is even made. Think of DNS as the gatekeeper — allowing or denying requests before they reach the network.

What VPNs Do

VPNs (Virtual Private Networks) encrypt your internet traffic and tunnel it through a remote server. This masks your IP address and location, adding privacy — but usually at the cost of speed.

DNS vs VPN: Use Cases

• Use DNS (like Adguard, Cloudflare, VidarDNS) for content blocking, parental controls, or productivity filters.
• Use VPN when privacy is critical — like on public Wi-Fi or bypassing geo-restrictions.
• Use both for layered protection — VPN handles encryption; DNS handles access control.

Bottom line: DNS is lightweight, fast, and perfect for everyday discipline and safety. VPNs are heavy-duty tools for privacy and location masking. Know the difference, use them wisely.

What is Unbound ?

Published April 2025 • 7 min read

Unbound is a modern, validating, recursive DNS resolver developed by NLnet Labs. It's designed to be lightweight, secure, and blazing fast — which is why many DNS resolvers are built on top of it.

Why Recursive DNS Matters

Recursive resolvers take on the task of querying multiple DNS servers to resolve a domain name. Instead of relying on upstream services (like your ISP), Unbound does it all locally — ensuring privacy and performance.

Key Features of Unbound

• DNSSEC Validation: Authenticates DNS data to prevent tampering.
• Minimal Resource Use: Great for home servers, Raspberry Pis, and cloud VMs.
• Blocklists + Custom Rules: Easily integrates with public blocklists (like ours!) for social media and ad filtering.
• QNAME Minimization: A privacy feature that reduces data leakage during DNS queries.

For Many DNS servers, Unbound is the core engine behind the recursive resolver. It allows the server to block harmful domains, serve clean responses fast, and give you full control over your digital habits.

Want to roll your own? Unbound is open-source and well-documented. But if you’d rather plug and play — VidarDNS has your back.

What is dnsmasq and How It's Used in DNS Filtering

Published April 2025 • 6 min read

`dnsmasq` is a lightweight DNS forwarder and DHCP server that’s been a favorite in home and small-office setups for years. It’s simple, efficient, and perfect for redirecting or blocking DNS queries on a local network — which makes it a stealthy powerhouse in the world of DNS filtering.

What dnsmasq Does

At its core, `dnsmasq` takes DNS requests from your devices and forwards them to an upstream DNS server of your choice — like VidarDNS or a local Unbound resolver. But it can do much more:

• DNS Caching: Speeds up repeat requests by caching responses.
• DHCP Serving: Assigns IPs to devices on your LAN (great for routers).
• Local DNS Overrides: You can define fake domains or redirect sites to `0.0.0.0` to block them.
• Custom Blocklists: Easily integrate ad/social media blocklists for DNS filtering.

Why It’s Popular

It’s incredibly fast to set up, works on virtually any Linux distro, and uses minimal resources. It’s especially common in OpenWRT and DD-WRT router firmware, as well as Raspberry Pi setups.

How It Can Be Used with VidarDNS

Want a hybrid setup? Use `dnsmasq` on your router or Pi-hole as a local DNS forwarder and point it to VidarDNS as the upstream server. This gives you:

• DNS filtering at the source — before requests ever leave your network
• Local overrides for blocking or whitelisting
• Improved response time thanks to local caching

If you're building a self-hosted DNS setup, `dnsmasq` is one of the simplest yet most flexible tools to keep in your toolbox.