I started reading the proton article regarding custom DNS - apparently it isn’t recommended to use PVPN with a third party DNS as PVPN already has netshield and this might cause DNS data leaks. I use windows PC and android devices.
There are two problems with DNS Provider + a different VPN:
- It makes you vulnerable to possible DNS-leaks
- Websites might be able to track you better.
What advice do you guys have for me? Keep my current next DNS configuration and continue using PVPN with netshield off? Or remove all traces of NextDNS on all my devices and enable netshield?
If you use the VPN, don’t use NextDNS. If you don’t use the VPN, use NextDNS.
My threat model - Average hobbist who doesn’t want his data collected and being tracked.
Then do you even need a VPN all the time?
For most people outside an authoritarian surveillance state DoH (NextDNS) + strict HTTPS (setting inside the browser) is enough.
It might come handy to bypass geo-blocking, protect you in a public and open network or bypass blocking of sites if some of your networks block websites.
Or it might mitigate the surveillance of an authoritarian state.