What is AKDNS?

AKDNS is a DNS‑based routing service from Akile that lets you bypass geo‑restrictions for streaming and AI platforms without installing a proxy or VPN. By pointing a device’s resolver to AKDNS, the DNS responses are rewritten to route only the selected services through unlock‑capable nodes, while all other traffic continues to use your normal connection.

Free tier and pricing

  • Open beta – completely free for now.
  • Sign in with an AKILE account (OAuth) and you get unlimited IPs.
  • No AKILE account? You can still register up to 10 IPs at no cost.

How it works

The service operates at the DNS layer. When a resolver asks for netflix.com, AKDNS returns an address that points to an unlock node in the same region, ensuring the request exits through a path that can access the service. Domains that aren’t on the unlock list resolve normally, so latency for the rest of your traffic stays unchanged. Rules are applied per‑IP, meaning each box can have its own configuration.

Multi‑region coverage

AKDNS runs BGP nodes in Hong Kong, Japan, the United States, Singapore, Korea, Taiwan, Germany and the United Kingdom. The installation script automatically speed‑tests the locations and selects the fastest node for you.

Supported services (60+)

  • Streaming: Netflix, Disney+, HBO Max, YouTube, Prime Video, Hulu, Paramount+, HotStar, DAZN…
  • AI: ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Sora, Copilot, Meta AI
  • Japan/Taiwan/Hong Kong local: ABEMA, U‑NEXT, TVer, Bahamut Anime, KKTV, MyTVSuper, ViuTV…
  • Social & music: TikTok, Instagram, Reddit, Spotify, etc.

One‑command installation

Run the following line as root or with sudo on any Linux box:

wget -qO- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/akile-network/aktools/refs/heads/main/akdns.sh | bash

The script launches an interactive menu where you add the server’s IP, run a baseline unlock test, perform a DNS speed test, set the system DNS, select the services to unlock and re‑run the tests. The “speed‑test & set” option combines the middle steps.

What the “set as system DNS” option really does

To guarantee that lookups always hit AKDNS, the script disables the current resolver manager (systemd‑resolved, NetworkManager, resolvconf, netplan, etc.), writes a static /etc/resolv.conf that points at the chosen node and locks the file with chattr +i. It backs up the original configuration first, and a “Restore DNS config” choice restores everything to the previous state. No proxy is installed and no other traffic is altered.

Useful links

The service is still in beta, so if a platform fails to unlock or you want a new service added, drop a message in the Telegram group for a quick response.

Disclosure: this announcement was drafted with AI assistance.