Which is better, using Hostsman to update my HOSTS file, or using something like ClearCloud DNS? A DNS server seems like it would be easier for my neighbors and family to deal with than updating the HOSTS file, but I want to know if it is as good as updating the HOSTS file.
You are talking about two different things and you need to learn a bit about what you are trying to do.
Read about the HOSTS file:
Blocking Unwanted Parasites with a Hosts File
http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm
Well but they both stop you from getting to the bad site. The HOSTS file tells your computer the files for the site are on your computer, and it sounds like the DNS server will give you a page from their site instead of a bad site on their database.
I have no idea of what you are saying ???
What do you want to do ???
Do you want to use the ClearCloud DNS instead of the HOSTS file ???
HostsMan automatically keeps the HOSTS file up to date with the latest definitions that it supports.
I use OpenDNS as well as the HOSTS file.
I just want to know which one would block more bad sites, with the least user interaction. Which would be easier for computer illiterate people.
Probably neither since both requires dome changes. For one you’ll need to change your default Host file, for the other you need to set up the proper
routing to take advantage of that service.
I personally like openDNS 
I’d go for a good DNS service if i were you. There are many out there. I also used to use OpenDNS until i switched to ClearCloud, the reason i switched was because of the added malware protection. You have to pay OpenDNS in order to get malware site protection. You don’t have to pay ClearCloud, Comodo or Symantec for that feature so i suggest you check those out.
http://www.avinashtech.com/internet/alternative-global-domain-system/
That is not true!
In fact I use OpenDNS Updater
http://www.opendns.com/support/dynamic_ip_windows
Same here.
I’ve never had to pay for openDNS and I’ve used it for years.
Of course it’s true, the malware site blocking feature is only available with the OpenDNS Enterprise service and that ain’t free.
With the basic OpenDNS service(the free one) you get the phishing protection and botnet protection but NOT malware site protection.
Why would I need malware protection as I run Malawarebytes Anti-Malware (MBAM) with its Website Blocking ???
What a silly reply, quite frankly i don’t care what you need, that is not what this topic is about.
@Brandonn2010: You can use this program to measure DNS servers responsiveness(Google DNS is fastest for me closely followed by Norton DNS and OpenDNS): http://www.grc.com/dns/benchmark.htm
Comodo Secure DNS, Norton DNS and ClearCloud DNS are the DNS services that are more focused on security, personally i switched to Norton DNS from ClearCloud as i get better speeds with Norton DNS.
Clear cloud couldn’t serve for many of the websites i tried to visit so switched back to opendns. I use hostsman to keep my hosts updated. I use malware domain list, hphosts ad and track server list, mvps hosts and peter lowe’s list.
@ Mike
Hi,
Have you read the lines under the “Information that we collect about you” in this link : http://nortondns.com/privacy.html ?
I see
To provide Norton DNS, we partner with Ask.com.so that is enough to not make me use Norton DNS.
See:
Products with Ask Toolbar
1. Symantec did not only add Ask.com Search Assistant in its installer for new installations or re-install (if the user downloaded the new installer with Ask.com Search Assistant) but also pushed the Ask.com Search Assistant together as or with a “patch” or “program update” to existing Norton users. No option to remove the Ask.com Search Assistant. They originally enabled Ask.com Search Assistant by default and later decided to disable it by default but again, no option to remove the unnecessary Ask.com Search Assistant.
http://www.calendarofupdates.com/updates/index.php?app=calendar&module=calendar&cal_id=1&do=showevent&event_id=44516
@Dart.Mikey
Of course it's true, the malware site blocking feature is only available with the OpenDNS Enterprise service and that ain't free. With the basic OpenDNS service(the free one) you get the phishing protection and botnet protection but NOT malware site protection.My experience is that openDNS free does block malware sites, not all but many as i have to disable it in my router to be able to download malware samples ;)
also in the contorl panel, where you can check the log, there are som filters and one say
FILTER: view - only requests that where blocked as malware
Strange but right now I’m trying the Norton DNS service and I received no toolbar Ask or any other.
I used NortonDNS for a while. When a page wouldn’t load (such as sometimes avast forums at times) I would get the ask search bar (not a toolbar), the ask search bar wasn’t downloaded onto my computer. I’m probably not explaining it well.
When a page wont load with OpenDNS you get something similar but it isn’t “ask search”.
Norton Safe Search uses the ask.com search engine, the DNS service(btw the DNS service is powered by DynDNS) doesn’t display the Safe Search page so you get no Safe Search results displayed if you go to a page that doesn’t exist. All you get is this:
http://www.shrani.si/t/e/Oq/3HwFQxwB/capture.jpg
If you would be using Norton Safe Web toolbar however, then you would have the Safe Search included with it. Can be disabled though.
@rdmaloyjr: When Norton DNS was in beta it DID display the Safe Search web page but they removed that later, people were complaining about it.
@YoKenny: That’s irrelevant, your link is talking about installable programs from Symantec, not the DNS service(which isn’t something you install, you just set the DNS servers). Like i said, the DNS service doesn’t display any Safe Search results.
Same as me. ;D
Re: ClearCloud DNS
Effective September 1, 2011, GFI’s ClearCloud DNS service will be discontinued and no longer available for consumer use…
you will need to reconfigure your network connection [removing ClearCloud]. If this is not done prior to September 1, 2011, your Internet connectivity will be interrupted.
http://forums.clearclouddns.com/messageview.aspx?catid=274&threadid=7955