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GateSentry

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What GateSentry is

GateSentry is a free, open-source HTTP/HTTPS proxy and DNS sinkhole for home and small networks, with a web admin dashboard. It supports DNS blocklists, per-device or per-user policies, scheduled rules, safe search, keyword filters, and content filters. Optional HTTPS inspection can match URL paths and response content types when traffic passes through the proxy and clients trust its CA certificate. Optional AI image filtering is off by default and can use xAI, OpenAI, or an operator-configured Ollama endpoint. The dashboard provides logs, statistics, device inventory, and backup and restore functions. GateSentry can run as a Docker container on Linux or as a downloadable binary for Linux, macOS, and Windows. Its optional read-only Tailscale integration can read peer status from a tailscaled process on the same Linux host. The project describes uses including network-wide content filtering, privacy guarding, parental controls, and blocking known-bad domains. DNS filtering operates on domains; URL, keyword, and content rules require traffic to pass through the proxy. The maker says the defaults are intended for a trusted local network, the admin UI uses plain HTTP, and the defaults are not hardened for direct Internet exposure. The project uses the Apache-2.0 license.

Who it suits

GateSentry is intended for home and small networks that need network-wide filtering, parental controls, or domain blocking. It may suit operators comfortable managing a proxy or DNS sinkhole and its local-network security settings.

What it does well

Free and open source under Apache-2.0.
Supports per-device policies and scheduled rules.
Dashboard includes logs, statistics, and device inventory.
Runs on Linux, macOS, and Windows.
Includes backup and restore functions.

What to know first

Admin UI uses plain HTTP.
Defaults are not hardened for direct Internet exposure.
DNS filtering works on domains only.
No long-term-support release line is available.

Limits

DNS filtering works on domains only; URL, keyword and content rules require traffic to pass through the proxy. VPNs, encrypted DNS, QUIC/HTTP/3 and other traffic paths may bypass or fall outside content inspection. The latest published release receives best-effort security support; older releases are unsupported and there is no long-term-support release line.

Plans

Plan	Billed and limits	Price
GateSentry	Open-source · Apache-2.0 license	Free

As github.com lists them, read 11 Oct 2026. The maker's own page has the final word.

Getting started

Visit the GateSentry project website on GitHub.
Choose Docker on Linux or download the binary for Linux, macOS or Windows.
Run GateSentry on the network you want to manage.
Open the web admin dashboard to configure filtering and policies.

Verdict

GateSentry offers several network filtering controls and administrative tools for home and small networks. Its maker cautions that the defaults are for a trusted local network, and DNS filtering alone does not inspect URLs or content.

Questions

How much does GateSentry cost?

GateSentry is free: the listed plan is free. It is open source under Apache-2.0.

Which platforms does it support?

It can run in Docker on Linux or as a downloadable binary for Linux, macOS and Windows. It also supports network DNS and proxy environments.

Does GateSentry offer a free trial?

No. The listed free plan is open source, and the facts say there is no free trial.

What can it filter?

It supports DNS blocklists, per-device or per-user policies, scheduled rules, safe search, keyword filters and content filters. DNS rules work on domains; URL, keyword and content rules require traffic to pass through its proxy.

Does GateSentry inspect HTTPS traffic?

Optional HTTPS inspection can match URL paths and response content types when clients trust its CA certificate. Certificate-pinned clients may reject interception, and the maker says it does not provide universal HTTPS or malware coverage.

What integrations does it offer?

An optional read-only Tailscale integration can read peer status from a tailscaled process on the same Linux host. Optional AI image filtering supports xAI, OpenAI or a configured Ollama endpoint.

Facts from GateSentry's own pages

Additional features: It includes keyword and content filters, optional AI image filtering, timed exceptions and pauses, logs, statistics, device inventory, and backup and restore features. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
AI image filtering: Optional AI image filtering is disabled by default and supports xAI, OpenAI, or an operator-configured Ollama endpoint. · github.com, 5 Oct 2026
AI integrations: Optional AI image filtering supports xAI, OpenAI, or a configured Ollama endpoint. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
Audience: The project describes GateSentry as useful for network-wide content filtering, privacy guarding, parental controls, and blocking known-bad domains. · github.com, 5 Oct 2026
Data handling: Proxy logs can include requested URLs and client identity, DNS logs include queried domains, and log database entries expire after a hard-coded seven-day TTL. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
Deployment: The project provides Docker images for linux/amd64 and linux/arm64 and binary downloads for Linux, macOS, and Windows. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
DNS filtering: It filters network DNS using downloadable blocklist categories and per-device or proxy-user policies. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
Filtering: It supports DNS blocklists, per-device or per-user policies, scheduled rules, safe search, keyword filters, and content filters. · github.com, 5 Oct 2026
Filtering limit: DNS filtering operates on domains only; URL, keyword, and content rules require traffic to pass through the proxy. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
Filtering limits: DNS filtering works on domains only; VPNs, encrypted DNS, QUIC/HTTP/3, and other traffic paths may bypass or fall outside content inspection. · github.com, 5 Oct 2026
HTTPS and malware limits: The maker states GateSentry does not provide universal HTTPS or malware coverage, and certificate-pinned clients may reject interception. · github.com, 5 Oct 2026
HTTPS inspection: Optional HTTPS inspection can match URL paths and response content types when traffic is routed through the proxy and clients trust its CA certificate. · github.com, 5 Oct 2026
Integrations: An optional read-only Tailscale integration can read peer status from a tailscaled process on the same Linux host. · github.com, 5 Oct 2026
License: The repository identifies GateSentry as open source under the Apache-2.0 license. · github.com, 5 Oct 2026
Policy rules: Rules can target all traffic, specific domains, or categories, and can include schedules and user restrictions. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
Proxy filtering: The HTTP/HTTPS proxy can match URL paths and response content types when HTTPS inspection is enabled and clients trust its installed CA certificate. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
Purpose: GateSentry is a filtering proxy and DNS server for home and small networks, with a web dashboard. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
Safe search: DNS-enforced safe search is supported for Google, Bing, DuckDuckGo, and YouTube restricted mode. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
Security defaults: The security policy says the defaults are intended for a trusted local network, the admin UI uses plain HTTP, and HTTPS MITM is disabled by default. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
Security support: The latest published release receives best-effort security support, older releases are unsupported, and the project has no long-term-support release line. · github.com, 5 Oct 2026
Support policy: The latest published release receives best-effort security support, older releases are unsupported, and there is no long-term-support release line. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
Visibility and recovery: The dashboard provides logs, statistics, device inventory, and backup and restore functions. · github.com, 5 Oct 2026
Who it is for: The README describes GateSentry as intended for home and small networks. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026

Where GateSentry stands on Freedom251

Internet Filtering Software#13 of 65