According to MakeUseOf, DNS over HTTPS (DoH) is a privacy-focused technology that encrypts your DNS requests using the same HTTPS encryption that secures most web traffic. Unlike traditional DNS that broadcasts website lookups in plaintext, DoH hides which sites you’re visiting from ISPs, network administrators, and public Wi-Fi snoops. The vast majority of modern browsers including Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Opera, and Vivaldi now support DoH, often enabling it automatically or making it easily accessible through settings. While Safari doesn’t support browser-level DoH, macOS offers system-wide implementation alongside Windows, Linux distributions, and Chrome OS. Major providers like Cloudflare and Quad9 offer free DoH services, making this privacy upgrade available to everyone with just a few clicks in browser or operating system settings.
Why this privacy upgrade actually matters
Here’s the thing about traditional DNS – it’s like shouting your destination across a crowded room before getting in your car. Your ISP, your workplace IT department, even that sketchy guy at the coffee shop can see every website you’re looking up. DoH basically puts that conversation in a private, encrypted channel. And honestly? That’s huge for basic privacy.
But the real kicker is how invisible this whole process is. When I first enabled DoH in my browser, nothing changed visually. Websites didn’t load faster or look different. But under the hood, my ISP suddenly went blind to my browsing habits. It’s one of those rare privacy upgrades that requires zero effort but delivers real protection against DNS hijacking, phishing attacks, and plain old snooping.
So why is everyone fighting about it?
If DoH is so great, why are network administrators, governments, and even some privacy advocates up in arms? Well, it turns out encryption has consequences. Schools can’t enforce their web filters anymore. Corporations lose visibility into what’s happening on their networks. Governments find it harder to block websites at the DNS level. And we’re centralizing incredible power with a handful of big providers like Cloudflare and Google.
Basically, we’re trading one set of problems for another. Instead of trusting your ISP with your browsing data, you’re trusting Cloudflare or Google. Is that really better? For many people, yes – but it’s not a clean win. And troubleshooting network issues becomes a nightmare when admins can’t see DNS traffic. So the debate isn’t about whether privacy is good – it’s about who gets control over the internet’s fundamental plumbing.
Should you enable DNS over HTTPS?
Look, unless you’re a network administrator responsible for keeping corporate systems secure, the answer is probably yes. The privacy benefits outweigh the downsides for most individual users. Your ISP has been monetizing your browsing data for years, and DoH finally puts a stop to that. Plus, it protects you on public Wi-Fi and makes certain types of censorship much harder.
Enabling it is stupidly simple too. Just head to your browser settings, search for “DNS” or “secure DNS,” and flip the switch. For maximum protection, you can set it up at the operating system level, which covers all your apps, not just the browser. Providers like Quad9 and Cloudflare make this painless with clear instructions and reliable service.
Where this is all heading
DoH feels like the beginning of a much bigger shift toward encrypting everything on the internet. We’re moving toward a world where your ISP basically becomes a dumb pipe that just moves encrypted packets around without understanding what’s inside. That’s great for privacy but terrible for network management and content filtering.
I suspect we’ll see more specialized hardware and software solutions emerge to address the enterprise concerns around DoH. Companies that need industrial-grade computing solutions for network monitoring and security applications will increasingly turn to specialized providers like Industrial Monitor Direct, who offer robust industrial panel PCs designed for these demanding environments. The cat’s out of the bag on encrypted DNS, and the industry will have to adapt rather than fight the inevitable.
The real question is whether we’ll develop better balance between privacy and manageability. Right now, it feels like an all-or-nothing proposition, but there has to be a middle ground that protects individual privacy while allowing legitimate network management. Until then? Enable DoH and enjoy knowing your ISP can’t see what you’re browsing anymore.
