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NextDNS, iCloud private relay and safari tracking protection - still unsolved issues?

Could it be that NextDNS still does not work correctly with Apple's private relay and the Safari browser even with iOS 17.1? Safari setting under privacy & security > hide IP address > trackers and websites. When accessing the installation site on NextDNS.io with Safari browser, the display of the server used switches back and forth between Cloudflare and NextDNS. If the Safari option is set to "Trackers only" instead of "Trackers and websites", only NextDNS is used and there is no switching between Cloudflaire and NextDNS.

Is NextDNS not usable with Safari's Tracking Protection (private relay for websites AND trackers) enabled? If so- does NextDNS officially recommend turning off Safari tracking protection for websites?

Regards, Tom

12 replies

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    • NextDNs
    • 1 yr ago
    • Reported - view

    It should work if you disable the block page feature. By « work » I mean it will block domains, but some features like rewrite or safe search won’t work as expected. NextDNS or any other DNS will likely never fully work with Apple private relay due to the way they implemented it.

      • GardenHulk
      • 1 yr ago
      • Reported - view

      Thank you! By "block page feature" you mean the Safari setting under privacy & security > hide IP address > Trackers only (instead of "Websites and Trackers")?

      • First_and_Last_Name
      • 1 yr ago
      • Reported - view

       Hey, would you please respond to my request for a refund? Unable to reach anyone in months.

      • iOS Developer
      • Rob
      • 11 mths ago
      • Reported - view

       I’m on a iCloud+ trial this month, so I now want to try iCloud Private Relay combined with NextDNS (normally I only use NextDNS), but when I do that I do see ads that get blocked when I only use NextDNS, so the blocking does not seem to work for me (while your reply indicates that blocking should work?).

      Is there a setting/log I should check?

      • GardenHulk
      • 11 mths ago
      • Reported - view

       NextDNS blocking will work with iCloud+ when you set privacy & security > hide IP address to  "trackers only" in Safari. If you also enable "websites" resp. "website & trackers", your system won't use the NextDNS servers but Apple/Cloudflare instead. This is also indicated on your NextDNS status page 

      • iOS Developer
      • Rob
      • 11 mths ago
      • Reported - view

       Which URL is the status page you’re referring to?

      • GardenHulk
      • 11 mths ago
      • Reported - view

      you can check here: https://test.nextdns.io/ - "status" should be "ok". Alternatively log in to NextDNS, head to the "Installation" tab and check the indicator light on top of this page (light should be green).

      • iOS Developer
      • Rob
      • 11 mths ago
      • Reported - view

       The status is only “ok” with Private Relay turned off. With PR turned on the status is “unconfigured” (no matter whether I hide IP addresses for trackers only or for trackers and websites in Safari).

      • GardenHulk
      • 11 mths ago
      • Reported - view

       I configured to use NextDNS for DOT in the DNS section of my router. This is how I set it up on MacOS and in Safari (OS is in German):

      MacOS settings (above), Safari settings (below), test page result at the bottom

      • GardenHulk
      • 11 mths ago
      • Reported - view

      These settings should bring the same results on your side. If not maybe someone from NextDNS could assist further

      • iOS Developer
      • Rob
      • 11 mths ago
      • Reported - view

       I have essentially the same settings as you, but there are some differences:

      • I use the NextDNS CLI on my router (instead of the DNS settings entry in the router’s web GUI)
      • I tested with Safari Mobile on iPhone/iPad

      Hope to experiment a bit more later this week.

      • ntelas
      • 11 mths ago
      • Reported - view

       I don’t know if I completely understand your problem but I came here from a google search about nextdns not working on safari. What worked for me and made the ads go away was to set “hide ip address”to off, rather than trackers only. 

Content aside

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