Quad9

Quad9 is a nonprofit public DNS resolver operated by the Quad9 Foundation, offering free recursive DNS service at addresses such as 9.9.9.9 and 149.112.112.112. Rather than serving as a general-purpose website, it functions as behind-the-scenes infrastructure that translates domain names into IP addresses while filtering out domains associated with malware and phishing.

The core offering combines DNS resolution with threat-intelligence blocking drawn from multiple security partners, along with privacy protections such as no logging of personal data and support for DNSSEC validation. The site also publishes setup guides, a transparency report, a list of blocked domains, and information on global service locations and negative trust anchors.

It is aimed at individual users who want a simple security upgrade, as well as IT administrators, schools, and small organizations that prefer a free, nonprofit alternative to commercial DNS filtering. Privacy advocates and users in censored or high-risk environments are also part of its audience.

To get started, users configure their device or router with the published IPv4 or IPv6 addresses, following the platform-specific setup guides. Those in France should note the announced change taking effect November 24, 2026, when free service for users located there will no longer be offered following a court ruling. Overall, Quad9 is a practical, low-maintenance DNS security layer for users outside affected regions.