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I've seen that ISPs normally configure their routers with their own DNS. I wonder if they get extra bucks when people use their DNS, or they just want guarantee good service.
I also wonder whether I can earn too if I configure my router and all the routers of friends with a specific DNS.
jenot erroux
Posted 2013-12-07T18:28:45.263
Reputation: 11
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No, they do not gain money from just having people use their DNS servers. In fact, it costs money to run extra services so they are usually losing money on it.
However, it has the advantage that they know if their DNS is working. (Even if it is just forwarding requests). Without that they would need to use other peoples' DNS services, which would cost other money and who would complain and/or block if that was done massively.
The only exception to this is when some providers started sabotaging the Internet design by returning a "Yes, does exist. Here is an advertisement page if you go there" solution when you went to a non-existent address (e.g. mistyped an URL). Needless to say, that broke a lot of stuff and people got quite angry. I have not seen that in quite a while now.
Hennes
Posted 2013-12-07T18:28:45.263
Reputation: 60 739
Why is that a sabotage? If the page does not exist what's wrong in serving an ad and earn some cents? – jenot erroux – 2013-12-07T18:38:15.750
Because the Intenet was not designed that way and there are more services than just web pages. (e.g. email, FTP, SSH, sFTP, IRC, RDP, ..). If I mistype I expect a quick error, not a "Yes, it DOES exist" reply and then a long timeout when I try to access it via something else than a webbrowser). – Hennes – 2013-12-07T18:42:25.430
2@jenoterroux: In other words, programs cannot know the difference between "server address found" and "server address not found; here's our ad-site address instead". They get an IP address and try to connect to it, which can end up badly – especially if the ad-site server happens to have the same service running. Imagine trying to log in to your email server over IMAP for hours, then realizing you actually mistyped its name and kept giving your password to an advertising company's server... It is simply indistinguishable from malicious redirection. – user1686 – 2013-12-07T20:28:30.437