ibDNS Reviews

Setting up the ibDNS service is pretty straightforward in most cases. All you have to do is change the DNS address of your machine to one that the company supplies to you. The DNS server’s address that you will swap to is a proxy server, providing a bit better security than a regular internet connection. For Windows, this is a simple process. In the control panel, access your network and internet connections. There, access the properties of your current internet connection by right clicking on it. Keep in mind, that all ibDNS servers run on the IPv4 protocol, so if you are using IPv6, make sure to assign your computer the older protocol’s address first. From then on, access the properties of the IPv4 address, and change the DNS address manually.

This might sound a little confusing, but do not worry: the company’s website offers informative guides for every kind of device you want to use ibDNS with. In reality, there is nothing unique or complicated about this, this is as simple as it gets when it comes to setting up a smart DNS connection. Thus, if you use the service by itself, it is quite easy to use. Proceed according to the above setup, and off you go. However, the VPN software also includes a smart DNS side. Work done there requires some additional steps, but it should not prove to be a challenge at all. If you are interested in how ibDNS functions together with its VPN counterpart.

For other OS and devices, the process is also quite similar. Therefore, the main difference between this and other standalone smart DNS services is that ibDNS feels a bit incomplete without the VPN working next to it. We presume this is the result of company’s smart arrangement of resources, at least from the perspective of them focusing on their core audience: VPN users.

As we’ll observe below, the country selection for streaming is not the most impressive thing seen in a smart DNS, but the most popular countries are included in turn. This means that you can get access to entertainment from the USA or the UK with ease. The supported content also includes sites of companies that are restricted to these places only, like Hulu or Amazon. However, if you are interested in watching shows, you still have to register and pay for the streaming service itself – a smart DNS only provides access to view the site, it cannot (and should not) hack into a streaming website. So overall, access is good in terms of the streaming content of the “western” cultures, but not much elsewhere. Coverage in these countries is also splendid by default.

Using the ibDNS service in itself does not get you to a lot of places (no pun intended). In fact, there are three pricing plans for the product, and both differ in the selection and the number of locations you can access. First and foremost there is the ibDNS/Smart DNS package that is suitable for “heavy streaming”. It provides access to the USA, the UK, Panama, Canada, the Netherlands, France, Germany, Finland, Brazil and Australia – these are the more popular streaming countries essentially. The other two, dubbed Ultimate VPN and Total VPN, include P2P support and access to servers in 39 countries for up to 3 devices. We consider both to be a slim collection, though it is quite obvious that the company focuses on VPN a bit more.

As mentioned before, the company also runs a VPN service. The ibVPN and ibDNS duo are strongly attached to one another; they are even offered in the same plan, but they can be purchased individually as well. We would go as far as to say that because the way Invisible Browsing arranged its services between the two, VPN gains the upper hand. This means that the DNS side of things does not have its own software in most cases (you can get an iOS app, though). So the main function of ibDNS is just the change of DNS addresses, your IP will stay the same if you use the product in itself. Protecting this unique network is mainly done by the VPN, aside from the DNS server being a proxy to begin with. There is an “all-in-one” software available though that supports both VPN and smart DNS – though it’s not that worthwhile to get it if you only wish to have ibDNS.

We must point out here that since ibDNS works on a basis that it is best used next to a VPN, you do not get any form of protection from the DNS side of service. It is the VPN that will encrypt your data traffic and hold the deceptive red cape against internet bullies while you stroll along in the background. In the case of Windows for example, it is merely assigning certain DNS addresses to your connection. In terms of privacy policy the same rules apply to the DNS side of service and the VPN side. The ib company – and here we quote the official text – “collects the time, date and the location of your established connection, the duration of your connection and the bandwidth used during this time.” However, they do not collect the website addresses you visited or anything similar. This is more or less in the midfield in terms of data collected, it is acceptable.

Device support for ibDNS is great. Windows 8, 7, Vista and XP are available from the list of operating systems, as well as Ubuntu Linux, Chrome OS and Mac OS. There is also an application available for a mobile device – iOS users can enjoy this service. Through a manual setup, you can also use ibDNS on Android and Kindle Fire. With ibDNS, you can also set up smart DNS connections on Apple TV, Sony Smart TV, LG Smart TV, PS4, PS3, PS Vita and Xbox 360 – providing additional support for video game enthusiasts. It is also worth noting that in the case of each and every single device or machine, you are provided with an appropriate setup guide, regardless of a client software or application being available or not.

If you venture onto the official website of ibVPN, you will at some point inevitably come across the vast pricing table of the company. The sheer variety of products you can lay your eyes on is pretty impressive; if you are concerned about online safety, you are bound to find a combination suitable for you here. The ibDNS par is just a slice of the action – it is presented next to the other services. Additionally, if you wish to go for the free trial first, there is a separate section reserved for that, always available on the top of every page. It is eligible for six hours of usage, meaning that the time you spend online actually using the service is what counts – the free trial won’t be disabled in just a quarter of a day after you singed up for it.

For the prices of ibDNS, there are some variations. These are divided based on intended usage: one with solely ibDNS for “heavy streaming” and a number of other options for P2P and torrent purposes. Both types of options are available for $4.95 a month, but if you invest in the service for a year, your payments will go down to $3.08/mo; this is a 38% off offer, meaning that longer term purchases are more favorable. However, it is worth nothing that while the streaming pack lets you access 10 countries, the P2P plan has 7, and only 2 of them match – Canada and the Netherlands. Both are good for torrenting and such, but oddly enough, Switzerland – probably the best P2P country today – is left out, while it is included in VPN packages.

ibDNS accepts a sheer number of payment methods including PayPal, credit cards, iDeal, Alipay and others through Avangate and PayPro, as well as Cashu, Payza, WebMoney, BitCoin and selected other payment solutions.

Overall, ibDNS is a bit questionable if you use it by itself. The company deliberately designed the specifics in a way that it might necessitate a VPN if you connect to or from countries that have strict online restrictions and/or surveillance. The prime example for this is that there is no standalone software for ibDNS only; the ibVPN client however includes it. However, since a smart DNS preserves more speed compared to an encrypted VPN (at least in the case of Invisible Browsing), getting ibDNS as a standalone buy is also worth considering. This is especially true if your main aim is just to watch shows, television entertainment and similar content online. This is the thing ibDNS excels in the most, and you will receive what you strive for in good quality.