Use Opendns to Cross the Great Firewall in China

once upon a time

  • we can log in facebook and google directly
  • but nowadays we can not
  • and because DNS hijacking and DNS cache posioning, we can not log in directly anymore

what is DNS hikacking?

  • DNS hijacking(劫持)
  • to simplifiy the idea
    • when you type in google.com, you will not attach the google.com
      • you will be direct to the baidu.com
    • and this is the DNS hijacking
  • and the reason why this will happen is that the DNS server is cracked and the domain name will be parse to the wrong ip.
  • and recently the govenment is using this kind of strategy

what is DNS cache posioning?

  • DNS污染
  • this idea used to be used to block the youtube, facebook website
  • this is on the protocol layer
  • and the mechisim is that when you want to launch the particular website
    • the port 53 UDP is check and when they found that you want to attach particular website, they will change the domain name parse DNS server into a wrong one and then you will not be able to get the correct ip.
    • then you will not be able to get to the website.

How dns works?

  • first, when we use some domain name like “www.facebook.com”
    • and when we type the domain name into the website
      • the website will send the name to the dns server to check the ip
      • then return the ip the our computer
      • then we will know the ip of the target website
        • and we will be able to get to the website

why can we use this in China?

  • Because in China when you type “www.google.com”
  • they block the dns parse not the connection
    • so we will be able to break through the wall if we use the other dns server to help use parse the domain name

how to use opendns

  • change the dns settings in the PC or laptop
    • if you want to use the google dns
      • set “8.8.8.8” and “8.8.4.4”
    • if you want to use the opendns
      • set “208.67.222.222” and “208.67.220.220”
      • or set “42.120.21.30” and “221.10.251.52”
  • then if you are using Max 10.8 or above
    • you can renew the dns setting using
      • “sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder”

when not to use opendns

  • when you are using the payment or something private
    • do not use opendns
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