
OpenDNS vs Google DNS: Which is Better ? - vijaydev
http://www.manu-j.com/blog/opendns-vs-google-dns-which-is-better/405/
======
mseebach
I was running a mailserver in a network where OpenDNS was the default.
Outgoing e-mail where the domain-name was misspelled would linger in the queue
for five days, instead of failing immediately, while the SMTP server attempted
to deliver to OpenDNS' catch-all host. Apparently, if there isn't a MX record,
it's standard to attempt delivery to the A record.

------
jeff18
After watching the CEO of OpenDNS spread tons of FUD on Hacker News itself, I
will be switching to Google.

Pro-tip: compete by being better, not by spreading FUD about your competition
the second they appear.

~~~
PStamatiou
I politely disagree and do not think David spread any FUD, but rather shared
his opinion where other techies would see it- here on HN. Switching services
not because you think one or the other is better for your needs, but only
because you don't agree with the CEO's views/actions is a bit thick IMO. I
might not think highly of certain things Steve Jobs does but that doesn't mean
I'm switching to Windows 7..

~~~
tptacek
When you say that _your service_ , which intercepts and manipulates requests
to get ad dollars, is better than _their service_ , which does not --- for the
sole reason that _their service_ is owned by an ad company --- you are coming
pretty close to objectively spreading FUD.

It's almost _prima facie_.

~~~
davidu
If you think that their service, being Google itself, does not redirect and
manipulate requests (regardless of layer), you are being delusional.

But we've had this discussion for years Thomas, so I doubt I'll change your
opinion now.

~~~
wglb
Here is one example. Google does not redirect the NXDOMAIN request, nor does
it manipulate that level.

------
tptacek
I posted a comparison here, from AT&T in IL:
<http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=977389>

Short summary:

    
    
      nsping -z amazon.com 208.67.222.222
      nsping -z amazon.com 8.8.8.8
      nsping -h www.amazon.com 208.67.222.222
      nsping -h www.amazon.com 8.8.8.8
    

Pretty straightforward (-h tests a single A record, -z, the default, tests
random labels under a zone).

OpenDNS was faster than Google for me, but slower than my own ISP. However,
the numbers are under the noise floor; Google DNS is plenty fast, and bound to
be more reliable than your ISP. It also doesn't break the DNS like OpenDNS
does.

My point isn't that I know which is faster, but that it's really easy to just
test for yourself.

------
bretthoerner
Google returns NXDOMAIN by default, without having to setup every IP I might
be making queries from. That's "better" for me.

~~~
PStamatiou
I was able to disable this in OpenDNS:

<http://pstam.com/i/00130041dfa557f4a17323cbcb63d090.png>

Then click apply to all networks. So you don't have to "setup every IP I might
be making queries from"

~~~
tptacek
Did you have to sign up for an account, tying your DNS requests to personal
information in their backend, to do it? Because Google "just works".

~~~
davidu
As discussed many times, (1) we do not do anything like that and (2) nothing
stops you from using johndoe@gmail.com

~~~
tptacek
The irony here is pretty rich. You don't do it, although your privacy says you
might do it for as long as the account is open. Meanwhile, Google (a) _can't_
do it, and (b) specifically states they won't do it in their privacy policy.

But _Google's_ the one we should be worried about.

I didn't give a crap about the redirector until you started making privacy vis
a vis Google DNS an issue on Hacker News.

------
known
tracert 8.8.8.8

    
    
          17 hops, 132 ms

tracert 4.2.2.4

    
    
          12 hops, 239 ms

tracert 208.67.222.222

    
    
          11 hops, 186 ms
    

I'm going with 8.8.8.8

------
Tichy
I thought the consensus was that OpenDNS is evil, censorship and all.

------
TrevorBramble
Off-topic perhaps, but that is an atrocious use of blogging for affiliate
marketing dollars.

Maybe it's time to hunt down an ad blocking extension for Chrome.

