topic Re: Can I get around OpenDNS with a VPN or Proxy server? in OpenDNS

Can I get around OpenDNS with a VPN or Proxy server?

darrenstevenboice — Wed, 16 Sep 2015 14:28:07 GMT

I have a very tech savvy 14 year old son. He got caught last year looking at porn. I was wondering if he can get around OpenDNS by using a VPN or a Proxy server?

Re: Can I get around OpenDNS with a VPN or Proxy server?

rotblitz — Wed, 16 Sep 2015 14:42:29 GMT

Yes, one can circumvent OpenDNS with VPNs or proxies in standard home networks unless the network admin blocked the "Proxy/Anonymizer" category and possibly blocked VPN and proxy ports and domains or IP addresses outgoing on the router too, or unless the network uses its own proxy server where all traffic must go through and can be investigated as used e.g. by corporations.

Re: Can I get around OpenDNS with a VPN or Proxy server?

wesunderwood — Fri, 11 Dec 2015 15:26:22 GMT

I joined OpenDNS to block porn to all devices surfing the net. Now I have someone looking at porn through a "proxy server" even though as the network admin I do have blocked the "Proxy/Anonymizer" category. WHAT? I am very upset! How do we stop people from this devastating habit on my house network? Personally I don't believe him that he is getting around OpenDNS! He is using Linux Mint 17.1 and I have installed at the browser level another web filter FoxFilter. I don't believe a "proxy" server gets around all this! I will prove it tonight by having him show me, even if I have to see naughty porn!

Re: Can I get around OpenDNS with a VPN or Proxy server?

rotblitz — Fri, 11 Dec 2015 16:24:30 GMT

"Now I have someone looking at porn through a "proxy server" even though as the network admin I do have blocked the "Proxy/Anonymizer" category."

Tagging/categorization is a community effort. If you find web proxies (and also porn sites) still not being categorized, simply submit them!
https://community.opendns.com/domaintagging/submit/

"How do we stop people from this devastating habit on my house network?"

You also want to block port 53 passthrough on the router, so that people cannot configure their devices to use another DNS service than the one configured on the router (OpenDNS).

"I don't believe a "proxy" server gets around all this!"

You didn't say what exact proxy this is, a web proxy (a website acting as proxy) or a proxy configured in the browser settings or locally installed proxy software (VPN or similar). Only web proxies can be blocked by OpenDNS, else it may not be possible to block it with DNS methods, but you would have to use also other methods as I have listed above back in September.