Cloudflare is known as a company working on speeding up and protecting websites, but it has since ventured beyond the web infrastructure business to also appeal end users.
Using its 1.1.1.1 DNS resolver which was introduced back in 2018 for example, to then built the resolver's mobile apps months later, to then put a VPN called WARP+ on top of that in 2019.
1.1.1.1 is supposed to be faster than any other, at least according to Cloudflare.
Fast forward to 2020, as the world experiences the novel 'COVID-19' coronavirus, uses of VPN went up drastically.
This is because more people are online from home, and with more people browsing more things during 'office hours'.
Acknowledging the trend, Cloudflare wants to grab the opportunity by first announcing the 1.1.1.1 WARP VPN for desktop users.
Available for both Windows and Mac users with Linux to follow, the desktop service is initially launched as beta.
According to Cloudflare's CEO Matthew Prince on a blog post:
"The WARP client for macOS and Windows relies on the same fast, efficient Wireguard protocol to secure Internet connections and keep them safe from being spied on by your ISP. Also, just like WARP on the 1.1.1.1 mobile app, the basic service will be free on macOS and Windows."
Cloudflare also plans to add its WARP+ support to allow users to leverage Cloudflare's Argo network for even faster Internet performance.
"We will provide a plan option for existing WARP+ subscribers to add additional devices at a discount," Prince said, adding that "in the meantime, existing WARP+ users will be among the first to be invited to try WARP for macOS and Windows. If you are a WARP+ subscriber, check your 1.1.1.1 app over the coming weeks for a link to an invitation to try the new WARP for macOS and Windows clients."
With 1.1.1.1 gaining more market attention, Cloudflare also wants to make the service to protect users whenever they browse the web with it.
After announcing the launch of its 1.1.1.1 WARP VPN to desktop, Cloudflare also introduced '1.1.1.1 for Families'.
According to Matthew Prince in another blog post, the number one request his company has received since launching 1.1.1.1, is to provide a version of the product that automatically filters out bad websites.
While 1.1.1.1 can protect user privacy and optimize efficiency, it is in fact designed for direct, fast DNS resolution, and not for blocking or filtering content. But because the request the company received largely came from home users who want better protection from online threats and to keep out their children from accessing adult contents, "today, we're happy to answer those requests."
Price said that the 1.1.1.1 for Families VPN comes with two flavors. People can just change the numbers in the settings of their home devices or router to make use of the service:
- Malware Blocking Only VPN, which uses 1.1.1.2 (Primary DNS) and 1.0.0.2 (Secondary DNS).
- Malware and Adult Content VPN, which uses 1.1.1.3 (Primary DNS) and 1.0.0.3 (Secondary DNS).
The company also has plans to offer additional configuration options for 1.1.1.1 for Families, such as adding the ability for users to create whitelists and blacklists for specific websites, complete with custom schedules.