How to Resolve Handshake Domains
The Handshake network is based on blockchain technology and therefore employs a root zone that differs from traditional domains’. As a result, traditional browsers such as Chrome have a difficult time accessing them. Advanced browsers like Brave, Opera and Puma are better alternatives that provide seamless access to Handshake domains.
However, with domain resolvers, you can also access Handshake domains on standard browsers like Chrome. However, we hope these standard browsers will catch up in the future so that there will no longer be a need for any special domain resolving configurations to access Handshake domains. Let’s delve deeper into Handshake and its decentralization concept.
Decentralization and Handshake
There are certain traditional authorities and registries that call the shots in today’s online world. These certificate authorities are in charge of the domain system, which is an essential component of the internet. They are in charge of managing the web’s domain root zone as well as issuing top-level domains. As a result, these authorities have the power to sanction, censor, and basically decide who gets to use the internet and how it is used.
There have been some decent attempts at changing this centralized web structure, but many haven’t had much success because of certain limitations in their framework. Unstoppable domains and Ethereum domains are notable examples of blockchain-based crypto domains that aim to decentralize the internet. However, these domain systems only offer second-level domains and, therefore, cannot decentralize the root zone, managed by certificate authorities like ICANN.
Handshake appears to be the best attempt the world has ever had at true web decentralization. This is because Handshake competes directly with ICANN by decentralizing the root zone through blockchain. What Handshake aims to do is to reclaim sovereign authority from certificate authorities and delegate it to users.
However, since Handshake domains have their root zone stored on the blockchain, it becomes difficult for a conventional browser to access such domains. Therefore, before these browsers eventually update their framework to a level of compatibility with the Handshake domain, it is important to figure out a way around the access restriction. Let’s consider some simple ways to resolve and access Handshake domains.
Browsers that natively support Web 3.0 Handshake Domains:
The simplest way to browse Handshake Domains now is to use a browser with Native support, currently, there are two browsers with native support:
HNS.to
HNS.to is a gateway that resolves Handshake domains. It enables you to access Handshake domains on conventional browsers. The intriguing aspect of this resolver is that no special configurations are required, and you can get it done in minutes. You can just access any Handshake domain by visiting it through HNS.to. Follow the few steps below:
- Visit the HNS.to website
- Click on the website search bar
- Enter the Handshake domain you want to access into the website’s search bar.
Another way to go about it is to append HNS.to to any handshake website domain you want to access. For example, if your Handshake domain name is welcome.crypto, you can access it directly by typing hns.to/welcome.crypto.
You can also download and install a browser extension to visit Handshake domains directly without going through HNS.to. The extensions, however, differ with each browser. For Chrome, simply download the link frame extension from the Chrome web store. For other browsers like Firefox, you can find the required extension by visiting resolver.info.
HNS.to seems to be a preferable resolver because it doesn’t necessarily require special configurations and can work effectively on any device or browser. Other alternatives to HNS.to are hns.is, shaked.xyz and rsvr.xyz.
NextDNS
NextDNS is a tool that allows you to modify your domain settings to access Handshake domains. It can also protect your device from security threats and act as an ad tracker and blocker to provide a safer browsing experience. Although the setup varies depending on your computer operating system (OS), it can be completed in two to three minutes. To set it up on Windows, simply follow the steps below:
- Visit NextDNS.io.
- Click the “Try it now for free” option.
- Scroll all the way down to the “How to Setup” section.
- Copy or write down the two 9-digit bold addresses in the “IPv4 (with linked IP)” section.
- Open the Start menu on your PC and navigate to the Settings or Control Panel.
- Open Network and Internet and change the adapter options. (To do this on MAC OS, go to the PC’s network through the Apple Logo, click on “System Preferences,” and click “Advanced”).
- Right-click the network to which you are connected and open properties.
- Select Internet Protocol Version 4 as your protocol.
- Click “Use the following DNS server addresses” and enter the two bold 9-digit addresses you copied. (For a MAC OS, select the DNS tab, click + to add the two 9-digit addresses, and then click OK and Apply)
- If you already have DNS addresses in that section, replace them with the two bold 9-digit addresses you copied (For MAC OS, just drag your 2 new DNS addresses to the top of the list).
- Return to your browser.
- Go to the NextDNS settings tab.
- Turn on “Resolve Handshake domains.
- Try visiting the Handshake domain you want to access. If it does not go through, under the Setup page, click the refresh button next to “Currently associated IP.”
If you are using a mobile phone, you must download and install the NextDNS app for either Android or iOS. You can follow the steps below to set it up:
- Visit NextDNS.io
- Click Try it now for free.
- Navigate to the “How to Setup” section
- Under the “NextDNS Official App” section, copy the six-character ID.
- Open the NextDNS app’s settings
- Activate custom configuration.
- Enter the six-character ID you copied when prompted for the Configuration ID.
- Connect the NextDNS app
- Click OK when prompted for a VPN Connection request.
- Return to your browser
- Go to the Settings tab of your NextDNS
- Turn on “Resolve Handshake domains.” You can then try visiting any Handshake domain. If it doesn’t go through, click the refresh button next to “Currently linked IP” in the Setup tab.
HDNS.io
HDNS is another domain resolver that can be used to access Handshake domains. It does not require any additional extensions like HNS.to, but it does require some configurations. Simply replace your device’s domain server addresses with 103.196.38.38 and 103.196.38.39. After completing this domain configuration, you can freely and directly access any blockchain domain you want.
You can also resolve this with HDNS.io by installing Bob wallet or the easy handshake browser extension. This will provide you with direct access without needing any special configurations.
Fingertip
You can also resolve Handshake domains when you download, install and activate Fingertip on your device. Other decentralized naming services, like Ethereum domains, can also be resolved using the application.
Conclusion
Since Handshake domains’ root zones are stored on the blockchain, it is difficult for a traditional browser to access them. Domain resolvers like HNS.to, Fingertip, HDNS.io, and NextDNS, however, make it easy to access these Handshake domains.