SmartDNS Project

Project Concluded:   TBD

DB Reference:   dc_net_pdns

Last Updated: April 04, 2023

picture of DNS system

Introduction

DNS is a crucial component of internet services. While free services such as HE free DNS are sufficient for most general purposes, they may not be sophisticated enough when it comes to resolving IP addresses based on the geographical locations of visitors. In such cases, a more intelligent solution may be required.

At present, there are few service providers available for this kind of solution. One such provider that I'm aware of is CloudXNS. However, since the company is based in China, this can present problems due to regulatory restrictions.

Our plan is to self-host a DNS server using software like PowerDNS and customize rules for specific domains based on geographical locations. We'll still use public providers as the primary service due to reliability concerns, and utilize CNAME records for specific domains. Anycast is another option, but it poses challenges for IP or host providers due to its complexity.