How to Enable DNS over HTTPS in Firefox

Web site domain names, like endurtech.com, are simply a human friendly representation of Internet Protocol Address (IP Address). Rather than typing in or memorizing the four sets of three numbers (IP4) for Google.com, developers came up with the Domain Name Server (DNS) protocol. When you type in any domain name, this protocol looks up the associated numerical address and tells your browser where to go. Think of it as a hidden operator directing traffic on the world wide web.

The DNS over HTTPS (DoH) protocol works similarly to how the normal DNS protocol works. The major difference is the added privacy that it provides by encrypting your web related request and traffic. DoH takes your DNS query and sends it to a DoH-compatible DNS server via the encrypted HTTPS connection.

This way, DoH “hides” your DNS queries inside regular HTTPS encrypted traffic and bypasses the default DNS settings that exist at the operating system level. In most cases these are the ones set by your local internet service provider (ISP). What this means is that third-party “observers” won’t be able to “sniff” your web traffic and tell what DNS queries you have run and discover what web site(s) you are accessing. Best of all, the DoH protocol works at the App level as well!

Currently, only Mozilla’s Firefox browser has released instructions for enabling use of this protocol, but you’ll have to manual enable it. See instructions below on how to do just that.

 

Enabling DNS over HTTPS in Firefox

Follow the instructions below to begin benefiting from the enhanced privacy and security that this new DoH protocol provides.

1. Open your Firefox browser and, within the address bar, enter in: about:config
2. Click the “I accept the risk!” button to enter Firefox’s hidden configuration panel.
3. Within the Search bar, at the top, enter network.trr.mode
   • This setting supports the following values:
     • 0 – This is the usually the default value in Firefox.
     • 1 – DoH is enabled, but Firefox picks if it uses DoH or regular DNS based on which returns faster query responses.
     • 2 – DoH is enabled, and regular DNS works as a backup (recommended setting).
     • 3 – DoH is enabled, and regular DNS is disabled.
     • 5 – DoH is disabled.
4. Next, within the same window lets search for and check to ensure we have a DNS server established. At the top, search for: network.trr.uri
   • This is the URL of the DoH-compatible DNS server where Firefox will send DoH queries. By default, Firefox uses Cloudflare’s DoH server: https://mozilla.cloudflare-dns.com/dns-query
   • You can choose your own DoH server URL. Here is a handy list of alternative DoH servers.

That’s it! Now, normally these settings will take effect immediately. However, we recommend restarting your Firefox browser.

We will post another article once DoH is made available from within Google’s Chrome browser.

 

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