[APP][2.3.5+][1.14 - 12/21/2014] DnsQache: Custom DNS + HTTP(S) Proxy

*** Disclamer: Read the [URL="http://xdaforums.com/showpost.php?p=48623656&postcount=2"]DISCLAIMER[/URL] file before committing to the use of this application.

DnsQache is a custom DNS provider and content proxy manager for root enabled users. It enables the use of custom DNS name servers and content caching as well as HTTP/HTTPS Proxy and caching for Android Rooted phones. The serices provided by DnsQache can significantly accelerate Internet browsing and generally any access to network services, especially for those using tethering facilities provided by many ROMs.

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Coming soon ...

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** PREREQUISITES **

1) A rooted Android phone with busybox -- you should know how to, and have already, rooted your phone and get busybox operational on the same phone;

2) Your phone's kernel must be netfilter-enabled (most stock kernels support netfilter (IPTABLES), but it's a good idea to check to be sure);

3) If using Harry Mue's and Sofia Lemons' wifi tether application, assure you use a version released after July 18, 2013.

Custom DNS Provider and Query Caching

To use the program for just DNS caching and redirection, install and start the program. Thereafter, check the options in the "System|Settings: DNS" menu and tune to your liking.

The DNS cache is implemented via dnsmasq and is always active when DnsQache is active. For Android versions lower than Jelly Bean, the application manages the network settings (e.g., system properties and /etc/resolv.conf) so that all DNS requests resolve via the local dnsmasq server.

For Android versions Jelly Bean and higher, the application sets rules via IPTABLES (http://www.netfilter.org/projects/iptables/) to redirect all DNS requests to the local dnsmasq server. In that way, DNS caching is always active when DnsQache is active. This is true whether or not the phone is being used for tethering.

For users of the fantastic Android Wifi Tether application (https://code.google.com/p/android-wifi-tether), the authors of that application, on Jul 18, 2013, merged in code fixes submitted by the author of this program that prevents the wifi-tether application from listening on the
localhost interface, which is required for DNS caching and not used by wifi-tether. To assure you are using the version of code in which that 'fix' exists, you should be using wifi_tether_v3_4-experimental1.apk or higher (see https://code.google.com/p/android-wifi-tether/downloads/list). Tethered users gain the benefit of dns caching as well as proxy services provided by DnsQache.

At first, it may be a good idea to turn on 'Log Queries' in the DNS settings. That will allow you to view all DNS queries made by your phone and the endpoint to which the queries were redirected. To see those, you can use logcat (or an application that displays the same) or use the "System|View Log" menu, the latter of which will take a snapshot of the existing logcat log as it relates to dnsmasq and present the information. If no log shows (e.g., the log says the log file is not available), then it means you did not turn on Log Queries and restart the service, or the service failed due to bad settings. The most common issue there is if you use custom IP addresses for the DNS name servers and dnsmasq ultimately fails to start due to such configuration error.

Using the HTTP/HTTPS Proxy

Generally, for proxy use, clients (your laptop for example) can connect via wifi to your phone, when tethering, and get access to the internet using the mobile connection (4G, 3G, 2G) of your phone. That may occur through custom ROMs as native hotspot or via the wifi-tether application. When DnsQache is active, custom DNS name servers and caching is automatically enabled for tethered users as well as the phone.

To use proxy services, chech the values in the "System|Settings: Proxy" menu. Once saved, the options will take effect only after the service is (re)started. To restart, simply 'stop' and 'start' the DnsQache service. To do that, return to the main page of the app and the big 'DQ' will be either green or grey. If grey, it means the service is not currently running, so just touch the DQ to start it. If green (and you need to restart), just touch the DQ and give it time to shut down (goes grey) and touch it again (start).

The Proxy settings allow for the use of either polipo (http://www.pps.univ-paris-diderot.fr/~jch/software/polipo/) or tinyproxy (https://banu.com/tinyproxy/). Tinyproxy does not perform page caching, as does polipo, so the general preference ends up use of polipo.

The settings require that you to specify one or more CIDR ranges for client addresses allowed to connect to the proxy. The CIDRs of interest generally are the network addresses (e.g., 172.20.21.0/24) of your mobile hotspot (tether) network. You can view that in your phone settings, or the settings of your wifi-tether application. DnsQache sets the proxy connection port to 3128, so any client you want to proxy *must* set the proxy port to 3128. A later release will allow changing the port.

To have tethered users go through the proxy instead of directly NATed connection through the phone, the tethered user must set their device (computer, et al) to use a proxy. Set the proxy settings to use the IP address of your tethering gateway (the IP address of your wifi when tethering -- usually that is the ".1" address of the CIDR you specified for your client addresses for tethering or mobile hotspot application). As noted, when using the polipo proxy, proxy caching of content takes place on the phone, though secured pages (HTTPS) should not end up cached.

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Download links are below in the Disclaimer Post, after the disclaimer (which you should read). That post will be kept up to date and includes the legal necessities with distributing an application.

** Source Code **
The sources for the application are available on GitHub -- feel free to fork it and send pull requests as you see fit.

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Recent Updates -- see Changelog post below.

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Trying to figure out what to set for the maximum DNS cache size?
A nice rule of thumb is try 200 or 300 on JB and above, see how that works for you. On older Android (less than Jelly Bean), give it some room, like 1000, and see how that works, tune if necessary. The cache data is not all that much, so you're not stealing all that much RAM. Read more about that in this post if you're interested.

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The author of this program would like to thank Harry Mue and Sofia Lemons for the fantastic Android Wifi Tether application for its use in both using that application and and in learning Android. Some of the code in DnsQache borrow from ideas and indeed implementation from Harry's and Sofia's code base, therefore this body of code carries his license and Copyright (duly noted in the DISCLAIMER.txt and the code, where appropriate).

The front page, and indeed the service layer code was inspired by, and to some extent, borrows from the venerable android-wifi-tether project originally authored by Harry Mue (harald.mue@gmail.com) and Sofia Lemons. While so inspired, obviously DnsQache is different in its nature and thus the code is quite different as a whole. Still -- reading and contributing to Harry's and Sofia's code was what got things rolling, so that body of work deserves significant mention, and that exists also in the sources.

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If you use the software, or convey it to someone else, you and all subsequent conveyees are bound by the following:

This work is partially based on the work by Harry Mue and Sofia Lemons (mailto: harald.mue@gmail.com) as it relates to Service management Though only a minor basis, DnsQache none the less acknowledges that body of work, and carries all of the disclaimers also inherent therein. See https://code.google.com/p/android-wifi-tether/ for more.

LEGAL DISCLAIMERS AND ASSUMPTION OF THE RISK BY THE USER OF THIS PROGRAM

Assumption of the Risk of Use
YOU ASSUME, AND AGREE TO ASSUME, ALL THE RISK OF HARM BY USING THIS PROGRAM. THIS PROGRAM MAY VOID YOUR WARRANTY WITH A THIRD PARTY, IT MAY IMPROPERLY OPERATE AND DAMAGE YOUR DEVICE, IT MAY CAUSE ANY MYRIAD OF HARMFUL OUTCOMES REGARDING YOUR DEVICE OR THE USE OF THE DEVICE ON WHICH IT GETS INSTALLED. YOU ACKNOWLEDGE THAT YOU ARE AWARE OF THOSE RISKS, UNDERSTAND THOSE RISKS, AND VOLUNTARILY AND INTELLIGENTLY ELECT TO ENGAGE THOSE RISKS BY USING THE PROGRAM.

Disclaimer of Warranty
THERE IS NO WARRANTY FOR THE PROGRAM, TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW. EXCEPT WHEN OTHERWISE STATED IN WRITING THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND/OR OTHER PARTIES PROVIDE THE PROGRAM "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. THE ENTIRE RISK AS TO THE QUALITY AND PERFORMANCE OF THE PROGRAM IS WITH YOU. SHOULD THE PROGRAM PROVE DEFECTIVE, YOU ASSUME ALL LIABILITY AND AGREE THAT IN NO EVENT WILL YOU SEEK ANY FORM OF RECOMPENSE, WHETHER LEGAL OR EQUITABLE, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO NECESSARY SERVICING, REPAIR, CORRECTION OR OTHERWISE.

Limitation of Liability
IN NO EVENT UNLESS REQUIRED BY APPLICABLE LAW OR AGREED TO IN WRITING WILL ANY COPYRIGHT HOLDER, OR ANY OTHER PARTY WHO MODIFIES AND/OR CONVEYS THE PROGRAM, PERMITTED OR NOT, BE LIABLE TO YOU FOR LEGAL DAMAGES OR EQUITABLE RELIEF, INCLUDING ANY GENERAL, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF THE USE OR INABILITY TO USE THE PROGRAM (INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO LOSS OF DATA OR DATA BEING RENDERED INACCURATE OR LOSSES SUSTAINED BY YOU OR THIRD PARTIES OR A FAILURE OF THE PROGRAM TO OPERATE WITH ANY OTHER PROGRAMS), EVEN IF SUCH HOLDER OR OTHER PARTY HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.

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Titchener17 said:

super excited 4 whenever its good and ready thank you again for such an awesome app !

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