difference between public DNS and proxy server?

stanthemam · ‎11-10-2016

Is a public DNS like googles public DNS (8.8.8.8, 8.8.4.4) a proxy? Can anybody define the difference (if any) between a DNS service like google or OpenDNS and a proxy server?

rotblitz · ‎11-11-2016

DNS (Domain Name System) is the phone book of the internet, i.e. a directory where (domain) names are associated with numbers (IP addresses) and services (other information like text or service details). This directory can be queried by networking programs as they need.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domain_Name_System

A proxy server is a server where connections/requests are being made to instead of to the final destinations, and the proxy makes the connections/requests to the final destinations. Also the reponses go the same way back. That said, a proxy server is something like a "man in the middle", connecting the two end points.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proxy_server

"difference between public DNS and proxy server"

Everything is different between them, and there's nothing in common except that both are under networking technology. Or to say it the funny way: it's the same difference as between a car and a vacuum cleaner.

So, now tell me the difference between a tree and a cow! Why wouldn't you ask this question?

stanthemam · ‎11-11-2016

Ok thank you for clearing that up. I am having a little trouble understanding OpenDNS a little. Is OpenDNS a type of proxy?

rotblitz · ‎11-12-2016

As I already explained above, OpenDNS is a recursive DNS service, as the name indicates, not a proxy. And I suggest you follow the links I have posted which should explain everything.

It looks to me as if you hardly read my answers and follows my links, so I do not know why I answer at all. I think I will refrain from continuing answering to your repeated questions. It does not make sense and is very frustrating to me.

Everything is documented on the web. You must just search for what you want to know to find huge amounts of answers. This here is not a platform for IT starters. And repeating stuff here which has been answered hundred of thousands of times elsewhere does not make sense either.

stanthemam · ‎11-12-2016

My apologies! :(

msarband · ‎11-14-2016

Hi,

To simplify this more for you, DNS (the Domain Name System) is one of the most important protocols of the Internet’s infrastructure which make our lives easier. DNS allows people to connect to a website like “opendns.com”, without you having to know the website's IP address (67.215.92.218). So, we do not have to memorize the IP address of each site.

However, proxy is something different, a proxy server is a computer system that sits between you and the Internet. If you are wanting to surf the web anonymously then proxies can provide you with a means to hide your home IP address from the rest of the world.

I hope this help and do not hesitate to ask any questions you have!

Regards,

proto732 · ‎07-10-2017

I've had some recent discussions with my internal IT group recently regarding Google's DNS offering. It has come to our attention that Google does in fact proxy the DNS request. They do not directly provide your requesting client with a direct name server response. They make the request on your behalf and send back the name server result they got to you. In some cases this is interfering with our global load balancing; not returning the correct response for a specific geo location because they are making the request on the clients behalf. They do this so they can gain valuable meta data from your query.

In comparison, how does OpenDNS operate? Are you also acting as a DNS man in the middle?

rotblitz · ‎07-10-2017

Every recursive DNS service acts as man in the middle between the clients and the world of the authoritative nameserver hierarchy, starting with the 13 root servers, the gods of the internet. Recursive DNS services are e.g. Google's, OpenDNS' or your ISP's. They all use (or better: are fed with) the geolocation data of their location. In every case where you are far away from the recursive DNS service location you are using, you may receive suboptimal IP address information.

This is not to "gain valuable meta data from your query" and not specific to Google. DNS queries do not contain "meta data" unlike e.g. web traffic does. The DNS protocol is quite simple, containing source and destination IP addresses and UDP/TCP ports, the domain name being queried, the request type and a few flags, not more. Google or OpenDNS cannot gain more information as what you see e.g. in your OpenDNS stats.

"Are you also acting as a DNS man in the middle?"

No, I'm just a user like you. And I recommend to get your internal IT group trained better. They feed you with suboptimal information too, same as far distant recursive DNS services.