The Roku media player has Google's free public DNS (8.8.8.8) hard-coded into it. This is great for DNS redundancy, but totally sucks if you use an unblock service to watch Netflix abroad (see this: How to Watch Netflix in Japan). From time to time my Roku would insist on using Google's DNS, so Netflix would no longer work properly. Boooo! There are 2 comparable ways to fix this:
Add a Null Route to Your Router
Most basic home routers allow you to add custom routes. Add a route to 8.8.8.8 that goes to the loopback address (127.0.0.1). Called a "null route," all traffic going to Google's DNS will simply be dropped. Problem solved.
Add a Rule to Your Firewall
If you have something more feature-rich than a basic home router, you can add a rule to your firewall that blocks access to 8.8.8.8. Be sure to include UDP as that's what DNS uses. The advantage of the rule approach is customizability. You can still allow other PCs on your network access to Google's DNS if desired.
Related Articles
Why Linux is Cool
Linux proudly sits in a very special place in the heart of the IT world. Watching Linux pros clack away at the command line inspires a sense of awe and ador...
FreeNAS - Bi-Directional Rsync...
Go to /root on 1st server. ssh root@server1 cd /root FreeNAS OS drive is mounted read-only, so mount it RW. mount -o rw / Generate an RSA key & leave the ...
Getflix - Netflix Still Not Wo...
There was a recent issue where the Playstation 3 Netflix app stopped working with Getflix--a service I use to watch Netflix here in Japan. Fortunately, Getflix...
Batocera - How To Pair 8BitDo ...
I struggled a bit with getting my new 8BitDo M30 controller to pair properly with Batocera. Before we begin, please make sure the controller is on the latest f...