How to use Mullvad VPN at same time as AdGuard DNS on iOS?

Questions
1

Hello fellow software users. I have been using AdGuard’s DNS ad blocker service on my iPhone for years and love it. Then I re-subbed to Mullvad VPN because it was time to.

They cannot be run together at the same time on iOS. Presumably because they both use the iOS’s VPN connection feature (the AdGuard’s one being “faux VPN” as it’s just DNS) and iOS doesn’t support more than one VPN connection.

I don’t know if that’s right and also I’m a total null at these network things. Could someone point me to a solution, if it exists, please?

Much obliged

2

this would consitute DNS leak, I do not recommend this
also (not to mention) Mullvad’s DNS has it’s own content filtering, it’ll serve you just fine

2 Likes
3

Makes sense, won’t attempt then. Just a note though, I have been using Mullvad’s DNS filter for several days and sadly found it less thorough than AdGuard’s. But, since I have to choose, Mullvad it’ll be

4

You could use a content filtering DNS service like NextDNS with Mullvad. After you’ve setup your NextDNS profile, paste the issued IPv6 addresses into the custom DNS section of the Mullvad iOS app. Mullvad’s connection check page will report a DNS leak, but you’re actually just “leaking” your NextDNS IPs, so nothing to worry about. All DNS queries to NextDNS servers happen within Mullvad’s encrypted tunnel.

You can still keep AdGuard installed and use it for cosmetic filtering in Safari, if you desire.

4 Likes
5

Until it gets replaced with uBlock Origin Lite the cosmetic filtering recommendation but we will see when it unfolds to stable!

6

Yep this is exactly what I do

7

Do you know how I can do this with ControlD? I want to use that with my Mullvad VPN.

8

I assume this is for iOS using the Mullvad app? Definitely possible. Not sure if you’re using the free or paid version of ControlD, but both should provide you IP addresses. Just paste those in the ‘Use custom DNS’ section in the Mullvad app.

For Android, DNS works a bit differently. Whatever DNS you’ve specified in the Private DNS section of Android’s Connection Settings takes over DNS queries for everything, so you copy the DNS-over-TLS (DoT) domain issued by ControlD and paste it there.

Hope this helps.

1 Like
9

I’m paying for both Mullvad and ControlD. I am using the apps on both Android and iOS.

10

Thanks a lot for this tip!