Encrypted connection blocked

Steven Shank Hi Steven, just out of interest have to tried to setup your Router to use NextDNS? 

I agree that Windows is a nightmare with this but by configuring your Router or WIFI unit's that can support DNS configs' my windows system is now fully protected. 

What i have also done is setup two wifi DNS config's the Primary is protected by NextDNS and the 2nd is not allowing raw access and testing of addresses, services etc. 

Kind Regards,
Richard

RJWaring  No, I didn't try installing new software in my router to make NextDNS work. Perhaps that is a route I should go down, but am more likely to simply switch to a Unify Dream Machine if I become unhappy with my Asus router.

Steven Shank It's worth a try, I moved from ASUS Router's (not due to any problems) but due to a major home upgrade.

What ASUS Router model do you currently use? and Do you use ASUSs OEM Firmware? or have you tried  Asuswrt-Merlin?

My current setup is TPLink OMADA Cloud Controller, Firewall, Switch and two WIFI Mesh Units. 
Each room has Gigabit Ports for Ethernet into a QOS Switch and each Port is allocated for ease of identification. 

Using the Firewall Router Bind Mac Addresses for all ethernet devices so PS4, TV'S, SKY Box, PC's etc. 

The Wifi is brilliant, really cant fault it but I don't bind mobile devices to an IP and despite having NextDNS on the router, each Mobile Device has it's own NextDNS setup and settings.

RJWaring Not going to happen. The Asus is just a old AC 66U with default firmware. I support a lot of very small business clients and some home systems (usually business owners). What I use is what I want to support and put into those locations. If it was just me, I might experiment with that software like I experimented with NextDNS. I loved NextDNS and even wrote an article on it for my newsletter which I ended up not being able to publish because I can no longer recommend it even for more techy clients because it is not stable. 

Again, I really like what they are trying to do. I still use it on my android devices. I purchased a year license. But, I don't want to stick it into a pet shop or 4 person law firm or 3 person accounting office etc. I also tried AdGuard, which I really liked until it also was too hard to keep going in all circumstances.

Quad9 works flawlessly for my clients, and I have to be satisfied with that. It wasn't that NextDNS just had trouble. It was that when  I turned it off, my Internet still didn't work. My clients need to be able to flip a switch and go back to functional when something goes wrong. If they can't download a tax form or whatever, they've got to be able to not need to troubleshoot, but just flip it off, let me know and continue with their work.

For me, when NextDNS failed, turning it off did not help. I had to uninstall the software and reset the router and computer for Quad9. I tried both its setup and also the YogaDNS setup and both failed me and both required complete uninstall to continue to use the Internet. 

To be fair, it worked fine for about 3 months. No issues. That is why I thought I could recommend it and spent the time writing an article recommending it. I think the issue was Windows 10 20H2 update.  Regardless, it isn't stable enough for my clients.

Steven Shank Thanks Steven for taking the time to help explain the background and your reasoning. I can see what you mean and fully understand and agree with it! From a personal prospective NextDNS does its job but on a large scale and areas where a simple Off/On is required for the likes of customer's then it presents some challenges that currently just are not easily addressed. 

I was going to suggest trying something like https://adhole.org/ its a free to use service that implements AdGaurd and uses OISD for their privacy , tracking filtering etc You dont get your own stats page or configuration page like NextDNS so again might be a deal breaker.

If you manage to find an alternative then please let me know!

PS that ASUS Router was one of the ones I had for my Garage , so i could get wifi in the garden and it lasted many years no major fuss but the hardware version was no longer supported which is why i went with opensource community software. As you stated, you wouldnt do this due to the very nature of the work you do so fair enough. 

Kind Regards,

Richard