Hello everyone,
There are a few basic things in my current setup that I’m not very comfortable with. Since we’re on blackfriday -> cybermonday I think it would be a nice season to make some changes [cloud - e-mail - calendar - cloud - DNS] Here’s the deal:
What would be ideal:
I’d like a solution to have all traffic filtered (malware, ads) system wide on my laptop/desktop I have used adguard in the past; open to all other possibilities. I also have mullvadVPN; wouldn’t using a different DNS defeat the purpose of the VPN? Or when VPN is on, the DNS is always the one of the VPN? Possibilities:
I have a linux desktop and macOS laptop. My doubts are regarding macOS. I’ve seen so many new antivirus ads that it almost makes me think that I should have one. I have malwarebytes installed for occasional runs and CleanMyMacX (I have doubts regarding its security claims - I use more for system management)
This time of the year is when I can gear up, since financially I haven’t been at the top.
For those that will answer, thank you so much in advance!!!
Privacy has become a very important issue in modern society, with companies and governments constantly abusing their power, more and more people are waking up to the importance of digital privacy.
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[Matrix/Element]Dead
much thanks to @gary_host_laptop for the logo design :)
I’m still trying to figure out the storage thing. The vast majority of solutions tend to have pitfalls on Android, where apps that integrate with the native loading/saving dialogs (AKA the Storage Management Framework) are hard to come by, and don’t work very well. I’m eyeing Filen, which is just past tolerable on the Android front.
Regarding DNS, generally VPN providers advise you against setting your own. An exception might be if:
Portmaster also exists. It’s several things in a single app, and it allows you to simultaneously filter traffic and use a VPN, but you’d have to use their VPN.
Thank you!! Regarding cloud it could be something that can have a cryptomator container. I wouldn’t have much requirement regarding mobile app except for being able to upload backup of photos
Regarding DNS:
Right now I have it by default, so it goes through my ISP.
I use the VPN mostly when on the high seas… Having the DNS as default value wouldn’t be the same as using any other DNS address? When VPN is on, how is the dns at the netwoek settings behaving? I never quite understood this part!
PS: sorry for bad formatting. I wrote original post in computer, not on mobile the app is having formatting issues (Memmy)
Even before anything else, you should change your DNS from your ISP to one of the many third party, respected, fast resolvers. Clooudflare 1.1.1.1, Quad9 9.9.9.9, both do not log and are free. There are many others.
I use the paid $1.99 USD/mo NextDNS with malware-only blocking on my router, and malware, ads, trackers blocking on my Android devices, Linux desktop and Windows desktop.
Thanks for insights!! I was unsure if changing default settings on DNS would have any effect when using VPN. So it’s ok right? I’ll go for NextDNS, which makes me clear one of the issues in the list. Thank you!!!