This guide helps you troubleshoot the DNS web filter. If you are troubleshooting the Chrome/Edge extension(s), refer to this guide instead.
Background
When the Bark DNS web filter is working correctly, you will see web traffic requests in the DNS web filter reports:
At the bottom of the reports, you can see the recently blocked domains and their categories.
If you're seeing 0 requests, verify that you've configured the DNS filter correctly, and that there's no caching issue.
When you add exceptions for specific domains or categories in your Bark DNS web filter policies, changes should appear on your network-connected devices within a few minutes.
Remember, DNS records are often cached on your browser, computer, or network for 5 minutes to 8 hours, which may delay updates. If they're taking a while to apply or web filtering isn't working as expected, please clear your operating system cache and browser cache.
Operating System Cache
Windows 7+
Press
⊞ Win+XRight-click Command Prompt and select Run as Administrator.
Run the following command and hit enter:
ipconfig /flushdns
Mac OSX 10.9+
Launch the Terminal application
Run the following command and hit enter:
sudo dscacheutil -flushcache; sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder
Mac OSX 10.8 and earlier
Launch Terminal (under Applications/Utilities)
Run the following command and hit enter:
sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder
Linux (Ubuntu)
Open a terminal window.
Run the following command and hit enter:
sudo service network-manager restart
Browser Cache
Google Chrome (Windows and Mac)
In a new tab, type the following into the address bar and hit enter:
chrome://net-internals/#dnsClick the button labeled clear host cache.
Firefox
Type
about:configin Firefox’s address bar and acknowledge the warning that appearsFind an entry called network.dnsCacheExpiration and set it’s value to
0
(If there’s no such entry, create a new integer item with the name above and a value of0)Now go back and change the value to
3600
Safari (Windows and Mac)
Resetting the DNS Cache in Windows and Mac automatically flushes the DNS cache on Safari. Nothing to do here!
Advanced Troubleshooting: Transparent DNS Proxy
Before suspecting a transparent DNS proxy is the reason web filtering isn't working, first check "Clearing Your Cache" above.
Once that's done, let's see if a transparent proxy could be the culprit. A transparent DNS proxy is the practice of intercepting DNS requests destined for a specific recursive DNS server (like Bark's DNS Filter), and sending the DNS requests to a completely different DNS server.
Who is typically proxied?
Most "hardwired" ISPs (cable, DSL, fiber) in North America and Europe are not using transparent DNS proxies.
Satellite ISPs and Telecom providers (3G/4G/LTE) are commonly using transparent DNS proxies for performance reasons.
How can I tell if I have a transparent DNS proxy?
First, make sure your Bark DNS filter policies are set up correctly and your network points to Bark IPs. Then, visit DNS Leak Test or Whoismydns in your browser.
If the results show your Internet Service Provider, your DNS requests are being proxied by your ISP.
If you see another address (like 8.8.8.8), you may have a firewall or security device with an outdated rule that needs updating.