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Blocking Nintendo servers

This page will help you set up a method to block all communication with Nintendo. This will stop any updates and reporting to Nintendo, but it will prevent use of the eShop and online games.

Instructions (AMS DNS redirection)

You can configure Atmosphère to automatically redirect any requests directed to Nintendo to nothing instead. Documentation about this feature can be found here. The section below will help you set up DNS redirection on your emummc. Note that this will only apply when you are using cfw.

What you need:

Setup:

  1. Enter RCM and inject the Hekate payload.
    • If you use a modchipped Switch, you can simply just turn your Switch on with the Hekate payload renamed to payload.bin on the root of your SD.
  2. Navigate to Tools > USB Tools > SD Card and plug your Switch into your PC via USB.
  3. Enter the atmosphere folder.
  4. If it doesn't exist already, create a folder named hosts in the atmosphere folder.
    • You should end up with the sd:/atmosphere/hosts directory.
  5. Copy the emummc.txt file into the hosts folder.
    • If you want to apply the DNS redirection to sysmmc instead of emummc, rename the file to sysmmc.txt
  6. Eject the UMS device safely from within your computer's operating system and boot into CFW.

Verify functionality

You can verify the functionality of the DNS redirection by booting into emummc (or sysmmc if you applied the config to sys), and powering off after.

A report will be generated in sd:/atmosphere/logs called dns_mitm_startup.log. If this starts with the following, the dns redirection is active

dnsmitmlog

 

Instructions (90DNS)

You can add a custom DNS to your WiFi connection that will block all communication with Nintendo's servers. We will be using 90DNS, a community-run custom DNS server. If you prefer, you can run your own DNS server following the instructions on the GitLab repository.

Enter the console's System Settings, and then proceed to the Internet tab. From here:

Setting up a new connection via Wi-Fi

Open WiFi networks without a password

Not all WiFi networks require a password to connect. If your network does not use one, you can use the Manual Setup option, located at the very bottom of the Internet Settings screen below all other WiFi networks.

  1. Select your WiFi network from the list of networks.
  2. Enter an incorrect password that is 8 characters long and press OK.
  3. After a few moments of attempting to connect, the console will display a connection error.
  4. Press OK to close the error message.
  5. Press Close when it offers to display more details about the error.
  6. When asked if you want to re-enter the password, pick View Settings.
  7. Change DNS Settings to Manual.
  8. Pick the server that is the closest to your location out of the below chart and enter its Primary and Secondary DNS into your connection settings.
  9. Enter the correct password for your WiFi connection.

  10. Save the settings and test the connection.

Editing an existing WiFi connection

  1. Select your existing WiFi network from the list of networks.
  2. Select Change Settings.
  3. Pick the server that is the closest to your location out of the below chart and enter its Primary and Secondary DNS into your connection settings.

  4. Save the settings and test the connection.

Using homebrew to set 90DNS on all existing WiFi networks

  1. Download switch-90dns-setter and put it in the /switch folder.
  2. Launch CFW and open the homebrew menu.
  3. Launch 90DNS Setter.
  4. Press X to apply 90DNS to all WiFi networks.
  5. Press Y to reboot the Switch.
  6. Check in system settings if networks have a custom DNS applied.
Location Primary DNS Secondary DNS
Europe (Server located in France) 163.172.141.219 207.246.121.77
America (Server located in the USA) 207.246.121.77 163.172.141.219

Example for a 90DNS connection with the Europe settings: Visual for System Settings serial location

 

Testing if you can reach Nintendo

Testing via the eShop (Stock)

  1. Open the eShop. Wait until it either opens or displays an error.
  2. If it displays "Unable to display page.", you seem to have blocked Nintendo's servers.

Testing via a homebrew app (CFW)

  1. Download the latest release of the 90DNS Tester
  2. Place the Switch_90DNS_tester.nro in the switch folder on your SD.
  3. Enter the homebrew menu and run the 90DNS Tester.
  4. After the test finished it should look similar to the below picture, with every nintendo domain being blocked.

tester example