NxFilter

NxFilter is a comprehensive software application for monitoring and examining the HTTP traffic in your network, as well as for restricting access to websites. Although it may seem easy to handle, the tool actually requires some experience with networking tools, since it's mostly designed for administrators and other IT specialists.

No setup necessary, aside from Java

This is a Java-based app that doesn't need any other setup, as long as Java is installed on the PC. This means that you can store it anywhere on the hard disk to be able to work with NxFilter. An important aspect worth taking into account is that it does not write new entries to the Windows registry, so it doesn't increase the risk of OS stability issues.

Get the DNS server up and running

By accessing the "Network and Sharing Center panel", you can choose the TCP / IP protocol to configure for using a specific DNS server address. Since the program is actually a forwarding DNS server, you can apply the exact method of setting up a DNS server for user systems.
However, you should keep in mind that NxFilter features a console interface for updating the required folders, which means that you have to be familiarized with switches. By downloading the additional libraries (specified on the website) and configuring the installed services afterward, you can finally get the DNS server up and running.

Web interface with restricted sites

From this point on, NxFilter can be accessed from any web browser by visiting its dashboard in the local host. It displays two graphs with the traffic and block trend, giving you the possibility to block remote hosts based on IP addresses, LDAP or password authentication method, in order to prevent suspected malware attacks, for example.
You can get notifications about the user who tried to access blocked webpages, as well as create a list with as many users are necessary to associate them to IP addresses. Furthermore, it is possible to manage policy information, create a whitelist by domain, check out a list with known phishing websites, edit request details, as well as generate and study daily reports.

Overall, a reliable DNS filtering tool

Considering all of the above, NxFilter proves to be a reliable DNS filtering application that enables you to monitor and restrict permissions for all Internet activity, as well as to detect and block malware or botnet activity by analyzing the DNS packet.