Free enterprise-grade protection for all Canadians

Canadian households are under attack by malware and phishing, and family members aren't always equipped with the knowledge they need to avoid malicious content.

So where can Canadians look for the same level of protection that large corporations have enjoyed for years without having to worry about their data being sold to advertisers? How about a Canadian non-profit that is dedicated to building a better online Canada?

How it works

Why Canadian Shield is different

Powerful threat blocking

We have partnered with Akamai to integrate a global threat feed that blocks more than 100,000 new threats per day.

More about threat blocking

Canadian data centres

CIRA Canadian Shield is located exclusively in Canada which means faster response times and your data stays local whenever possible. 

Why being Canadian matters

Privacy online

Keep your DNS traffic private and inside Canada without sacrificing speed. We'll never use or sell your personal data.

How DNS privacy works

Protection for all your devices

Works with other security you have in place to deliver device and network-level protection.

How multi-device protection works

How to get started

First, pick your layer

Private: DNS resolution service that keeps your DNS data private from third-parties.

Protected: Includes Private features and adds malware and phishing blocking.

Family: Includes Protected and Private features and blocks pornographic content.

Then, setup your devices

Simply follow the steps below, or visit our advanced configuration guide for more details with screenshots.

You only setup one of our three layers of protection on the network or device. We recommend Protected for most people.

Don't forget to review the privacy policy and terms.

Note that not all routers allow you to change your DNS settings. If you are unable to change your DNS settings on your router, you can still change your DNS settings on each individual device that you want to add privacy and protection to.

Before you proceed we recommend that you write down your existing  DNS settings before you make changes. 

  1. From your browser, enter the IP address you use to access your router’s admin console. Some examples of typical IP addresses include: http://192.168.1.1 and http://192.168.0.1

  2. Enter the router password to access network settings.

  3. Locate the router’s DNS settings.

  4. If you have pre-configured IP addresses, note them down as a backup.  

  5. Enter the Canadian Shield DNS server addresses (IPv4 shown):

    1. For Private, add the following:

      • For IPv4 enter:  149.112.121.10 and 149.112.122.10

      • For IPv6 enter: 2620:10A:80BB::10 and 2620:10A:80BC::10

    2. For Protected, add the following: 

      • For IPv4 enter: 149.112.121.20 and 149.112.122.20

      • For IPv6 enter: 2620:10A:80BB::20 and 2620:10A:80BC::20

    3. For Family, add the following: 

      • For IPv4 enter: 149.112.121.30 and 149.112.122.30

      • For IPv6 enter: 2620:10A:80BB::30 and 2620:10A:80BC::30

    4. Save your new DNS settings.

Before you proceed we recommend that you write down your existing  DNS settings before you make changes. 

  1. From the Start menu, click on the Control Panel.

  2. Click Network and Internet > Network and Sharing Center > Change adapter settings.

  3. Click Change adapter settings.

  4. Right click on the network for which you would like to configure Canadian Shield.

  5. Select Properties.

  6. Select Internet Protocol Version 4 or Internet Protocol Version 6.

  7. Click Properties.

  8. If you have pre-configured IP addresses, note them down as a backup.  

  9. Click Use the following DNS server address.

  10. Replace the existing DNS addresses with one of the following:

    1. For Private, enter:

      • IPv4 : 149.112.121.10 and 149.112.122.10

      • IPv6 : 2620:10A:80BB::10 and 2620:10A:80BC::10

    2. For Protected, enter:

      • IPv4 : 149.112.121.20 and 149.112.122.20

      • IPv6 : 2620:10A:80BB::20 and 2620:10A:80BC::20

    3. For Family, enter:

      • IPv4 : 149.112.121.30 and 149.112.122.30

      • IPv6 : 2620:10A:80BB::30 and 2620:10A:80BC::30

  11. Click OK.

  12. Click Close to save your settings.

Before you proceed we recommend that you write down your existing  DNS settings before you make changes. 

  1. From the Apple menu, select System Preferences.

  2. Click Network.

  3. Select the network for which you would like to configure the Canadian Shield DNS servers.

  4. Click Advanced.

  5. Click the DNS tab.

  6. If you have pre-configured IP addresses, note them down as a backup.  

  7. Click the “+” button to add or replace the IP addresses. Do the following:

    1. For Private, enter:

      • IPv4 : 149.112.121.10, then click the “+” sign and enter 149.112.122.10

      • IPv6 : 2620:10A:80BB::10, then click the “+” sign and enter 2620:10A:80BC::10

    2. For Protected, enter:

      • IPv4 : 149.112.121.20, then click the “+” sign and enter 149.112.122.20

      • IPv6 : 2620:10A:80BB::20, then click the “+” sign and enter 2620:10A:80BC::20

    3. For Family, enter:

      • IPv4 : 149.112.121.30, then click the “+” sign and enter 149.112.122.30

      • IPv6 : 2620:10A:80BB::30, then click the “+” sign and enter 2620:10A:80BC::30

  8. Click OK.

  9. Click Apply.

Mobile device apps are downloaded directly from the Play and Apple store.

 

Get the Android version

 

Get the Apple iOS version

Before you proceed we recommend that you write down your existing  DNS settings before you make changes. 

  1. We love video games too! Sitting back on the couch, playing with friends—it is a great way to pass time. However, setup without a keyboard, while easy, tends to take a few more steps (and screen grabs) than can be conveniently displayed in this window. Please visit our detailed setup pages for Sony Playstation, Microsoft Xbox, and Nintendo Switch consoles.

  2. Visit full set-up guides

Before you proceed we recommend that you write down your existing  DNS settings before you make changes. 

  1. Click on the Network icon (top-right panel by default).

  2. Click on Edit Connections to open the Network Connections.

  3. Select and highlight your connection name.

  4. Click Edit.

  5. Click on the IPv4 Settings tab or the IPv6 Settings tab.

  6. If you have pre-configured IP addresses, note them down as a backup.  

  7. In the DNS servers field, enter the Canadian Shield IP addresses. Be sure to separate the IP addresses with a comma.

    1. For Private, enter:

      • IPv4 : 149.112.121.10 and 149.112.122.10

      • IPv6 : 2620:10A:80BB::10 and 2620:10A:80BC::10

    2. For Protected, enter:

      • IPv4 : 149.112.121.20 and 149.112.122.20

      • IPv6 : 2620:10A:80BB::20 and 2620:10A:80BC::20

    3. For Family, enter:

      • IPv4 : 149.112.121.30 and 149.112.122.30

      • IPv6 : 2620:10A:80BB::30 and 2620:10A:80BC::30

  8. Click Save.

Before you proceed we recommend that you write down your existing  DNS settings before you make changes. 

Setting up Canadian Shield using DNS over HTTPs (DoH) on Chrome

  1. Right-click on your Chrome shortcut and select Properties.

  2. Click on the Shortcut tab.

  3. In the Target field, add the following text to the end of the field:

    1. Private: https://private.canadianshield.cira.ca/dns-query

    2. Protected: https://protected.canadianshield.cira.ca/dns-query

    3. Family: https://family.canadianshield.cira.ca/dns-query

  4. If Chrome is already running, restart it. If Chrome is not running, start it up.

Setting up Canadian Shield using DoH on Firefox

  1. Click on the menu button and select Menu > Options.

  2. In the General panel, scroll down to Network Settings and click the Settings button.

  3. In the dialog box that opens, scroll down to Enable DNS over HTTPS.

  4. Select the Enable DNS over HTTPS checkbox.

  5. Select Custom and enter the following text in the field:

    1. Private: https://private.canadianshield.cira.ca/dns-query

    2. Protected: https://protected.canadianshield.cira.ca/dns-query

    3. Family: https://family.canadianshield.cira.ca/dns-query

  6. Click OK.

Please enable Javascript in order to test your Canadian Shield configuration.

Click the button to test your Canadian Shield configuration.

  • Private Not configured Successfully configured
  • Protected Not configured Successfully configured
  • Family Not configured Successfully configured

Something went wrong. Please refresh your browser and try again.

* This test should be performed in a new incognito/private window to avoid issues with caching. It will show a green check mark on the level of service you have selected if you have done it correctly. For alternative tests via a URL, visit the FAQ.

See the comparison table

Business or pleasure?

CIRA Canadian Shield is free, enterprise-grade protection for individual Canadians and their families.

If you are looking to put our decades of DNS-security expertise to work for your organization then the CIRA DNS Firewall is for you.

Need the extra features in a commercial service? Visit the CIRA DNS Firewall page to start a trial or request a demo. 

Have questions? Want to know more about how it works?

Read the FAQ

Want to learn more about cybersecurity in Canada? 

Read Cybersecurity Report

Want to read more about how CIRA is protecting Canadians online?

CIRA Cybersecurity blog