Why NextDNS?
NextDNS served as the private DNS server across all devices at KnausDev — a lighter, cloud-hosted alternative to running Pi-hole or a self-hosted DNS solution for large-scale networks. For my use case it was the right scope: blocking unwanted traffic, controlling what can resolve and what cannot, and marking suspicious DNS activity across every device on my network.
How I Used It
I ran NextDNS combined with Tailscale so that every device on my mesh VPN — laptop, phone, servers on Hetzner — resolved DNS through the same filtered pipeline regardless of which network they were on.
What it handled
- Ad and tracker blocking: network-level filtering without browser extensions
- DNS control: deciding which domains could resolve and which couldn’t
- Suspicious activity monitoring: flagging unusual DNS queries across all devices
- Cross-device coverage: consistent DNS filtering whether at home, on mobile, or connected to a client network via Tailscale
Status
Inactive: no longer in use, but an excellent tool for the scope it covers.