We’re launching a powerful new feature today. We are giving you the power to block specific websites. That means you can protect your computer, your house, your office and anything else that uses DNS from being able to service domains that you don’t want to load. Oh, and best of all: This service is totally free.

When customers started to ask for this feature we wondered who would want this. The geeks here in the office remarked that this kind of blocking would be trivial with a Linux server and some proxy/filtering software installed. Then it quickly dawned on us. (Eureka!) It’s not just mom and dad at home who have no easy way to just block an individual domain with any ease but it’s also network administrators at offices. Network administrators can now block problem domains for their entire office in a simple way without having to pay 1000’s of dollars in new hardware and time to achieve similar functionality. Does your ISP’s DNS server let you do this?

Blocking domains is really easy. Here’s how you do it:

1. Sign in to your OpenDNS account and make sure you have a network configured.
2. Go to the Networks tab in your account and click on the Settings icon () for your network.
3. Click on the Blocked domains link and add a domain to be blocked.

You can delete or edit blocked domains on that same page. When you block a domain you block what is technically called a “zone.” This means it also blocks all sub-domains. Here’s an example. If you block craigslist.org then you’ll also be blocking la.craigslist.org (Craigslist Los Angeles) and sfbay.craigslist.org (Craigslist San Francisco), etc. If, instead, you just blocked newyork.craigslist.org then the rest of the Craigslist properties would load just fine.

When you try to visit a domain that is blocked in your network you’ll see a page that looks like this:

Since this is your network, we will show your logo on the blocked page, just as we do on the Guide pages. What? You haven’t uploaded your own logo yet? Go do it now, and go block some domains!

Let us know what you think!

Can I have a drumroll please (or maybe a dancing banana)…

Today we give you shortcuts, marking the first time you’ve ever had control over how your address bar behaves. Shortcuts are a cool way to use a short word for a long address.

Shortcuts will change the way you navigate the Internet. Unlike keyword-based systems in the past, shortcuts are yours. You create them and you decide where they go.

Without getting technical, here are some examples of what you can do with shortcuts. You can make a shortcut for “mail” go to gmail.com, mail.yahoo.com, your webmail or anywhere else you’d like. You can make a shortcut go to a website, start an IM conversation, initiate a phone call, and more. Our goal is to help you navigate the Internet in the easiest and fastest way possible.

Here’s how to get started:

1. Make sure you are using OpenDNS.
2. Create or sign in to your account.
3. Set up your first shortcut for a common website you visit.

There are a few different ways to create shortcuts. You can create them in your account, you can create them on the OpenDNS Guide pages, and you can create them on any other Website using a bookmarklet.

We will continue adding new ways to improve your Internet experience and give your more control over your network.

Thanks for choosing OpenDNS. As always, let me know what you think!

ps, here’s the dancing banana:

This week, www.opendns.com got a makeover. It’s not drastic. Maybe you didn’t notice. But we’re doing three things differently now.

1. The site changes subtly if you’re using OpenDNS already.
2. The accounts system got a thorough review and upgrade.
3. We streamlined navigation, words and choices throughout.

Reacting differently

In key places, you’ll get a different choice based on whether you are using OpenDNS or not.

Homepage before setting up OpenDNS

Homepage after setting up OpenDNS

Improving accounts usability

There were some things which just didn’t work perfectly, so we fixed them. We also asked several of you for feedback, and got some helpful ideas. Thanks! In the end, we re-created the entire section. Sign in and look around.

Here’s a list of the changes in Accounts:

• New navigation throughout My Account and easier labeling for your networks.
• Custom images and Public announcements (aka, branding) are now enabled for all networks, all accounts. Fun!
• Upload a custom image in multiple formats and crop it in a nifty tool to the required size.
• Upload a custom image once; choose it for multiple networks.
• Upload up to 14 custom images per account; pick and choose per network.
• Accounts now support global preferences.

We’ll do individual posts exploring many of these new capabilities. They deserve it.

When less is more

We re-thought our tabs. At Home and At Work are now simply Get Started, since everyone enjoys the core benefits of OpenDNS. We still recognize that network managers have extra considerations when thinking about DNS.

Separately, our users now tell you, in their own words, why OpenDNS works for them. You can join them!

Please let us know what you think of the changes, either commenting here, posting in our forums, or via email.

As promised, account-less preferences were removed just now. I trust the three previous reminders did the trick, but if you have any concerns, please let us know. A free, secure account fully replaces the old preferences and opens up a lot more control and information to you. Get one now.

Told you once. Told you twice. This is the last time.

Once again, if you’ve been using account-less prefs, time to get a free account… now. This only affects a small group of people, since OpenDNS delivers a safer, faster, smarter, and more reliable Internet experience with or without an account.

But trust me that an account is going to give you even more control over your Internet experience very soon.