Ever attempted to visit a website only to be met by a spinning wheel or an annoying DNS server not responding error message? It’s a frustrating reality, and one that can be easily traced back to default settings imposed by your Internet Service Provider (ISP). The good news, however, is that there’s a simple solution that can simultaneously make your surfing faster as well as more secure and fix connection timeouts once and for all: switch to a public Domain Name System (DNS) resolver such as Google or Cloudflare.
When you sign up for internet service, most ISPs will give you a default DNS server. Although they work, these servers are usually slow and less secure than their third-party counterparts. By making the move to a high-performance public DNS, you’re essentially upgrading the “phonebook” that your computer uses to locate websites. This simple adjustment can result in notably faster browsing, more robust protection of your online privacy, and a more seamless experience across all your devices.
Why Switch DNS Servers?
Your DNS server is like a translator between humans and computers. com) and the IP addresses computers use to communicate. When this translator is sluggish or untrustworthy, the entire Internet experience sucks.
The benefits of switching to a provider such as Google Public DNS or Cloudflare (1.1.1.1) are threefold:
- Speed: Cloudflare often has one of the fastest DNS services in the world, comparable to Google’s 8.8.8.8, and your connection will publish much more quickly than on an average ISP’s DNS servers.
- Privacy: Services like Cloudflare claim to have strict policies against looking at your browsing history or selling data to advertisers.
- Reliability: Public DNS servers have redundancies in place and process billions of requests every day, which would lessen the chances of your service going down at peak usage times.
Comparing Top DNS Resolvers
Here is a quick look at how the top providers stack up against standard options.
| Feature | Google Public DNS | Cloudflare (1.1.1.1) | Standard ISP DNS |
| Primary IP (IPv4) | 8.8.8.8 | 1.1.1.1 | Varies by ISP |
| Secondary IP (IPv4) | 8.8.4.4 | 1.0.0.1 | Varies by ISP |
| Политика конфиденциальности | 24-48 hr log retention | Logs purged after 24 hrs | Often sells data |
| Encryption Support | DoH / DoT | DoH / DoT | Rarely supported |
How to Switch Your DNS (Step-by-Step)
Switching your DNS is easy and risk-free. All you have to do is return to “Obtain DNS server address automatically” in your network settings if (rather, when) you need a change of pace.
Windows (10 and 11)
- Open Settings and go to Network & Internet.
- Select Wi-Fi or Ethernet (whichever you are currently using).
- Find the DNS server assignment and click Edit.
- Select Manual from the dropdown menu and toggle on IPv4.
- Enter your preferred addresses:
- Google: Preferred 8.8.8.8, Alternate 8.8.4.4
- Cloudflare: Preferred 1.1.1.1, Alternate 1.0.0.1
- Click Save.
macOS
- Click the Apple menu and select System Settings.
- Click Network in the sidebar and select your active network service.
- Click Details and then select DNS in the sidebar.
- Click the + button at the bottom of the DNS Servers list.
- Enter 1.1.1.1 and 1.0.0.1 (for Cloudflare) or 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4 (for Google).
- Click OK and then Apply.
Ubuntu / Linux
- Open Settings and navigate to the Network or Wi-Fi panel.
- Click the gear icon next to your connected network.
- Select the IPv4 tab.
- Disable the Automatic toggle next to DNS.
- Enter your DNS IPs separated by a comma (e.g., 1.1.1.1, 1.0.0.1).
- Click Apply.
Managing Complex Networks
DNS setup is even more important for IT pros who run fragmented virtualized environments. Solutions such as the vRrealize Infrastructure Navigator (now part of the VMware Aria package) use accurate network mapping while discovering application dependencies. If your environment cannot resolve DNS in this scenario, the dependency mapping can become compromised and leave you with a blind spot into how your infrastructure is managed. The most basic way to retain visibility across your virtual machines is to have a strong underlying DNS.
Changing DNS on a Modem/Router
To update DNS for every device in your home at once:
- Log in to your router’s admin panel (usually 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1).
- Look for DNS Settings under the WAN or Internet menu.
- Enter the Primary and Secondary DNS addresses for Google or Cloudflare.
- Save and restart your router.
The One-Click Solution: Cloudflare App
For those daunted by the idea of clicking around settings menus, Cloudflare also provides a free app for Windows, Mac, iOS and Android. Just add the 1.1.1.1 + WARP app, flip that big switch to “Connected,” and your device will automatically send DNS queries across their secure network.
Take Control of Your Connection
You needn’t put up with the default connection your ISP offers. When you switch over to Google DNS or Cloudflare, you are actively doing something to make for a faster, more secure and more private internet. You have the option of setting up your router manually or by using a one-click app, and this will result in a more seamless web experience with less stalling and interruptions.
FAQs
Do I get a faster internet speed if I change my DNS server?
This can be achieved by speeding up domain name resolution (latency). But it won’t make your maximum download bandwidth (measured in megabits per second) any higher.
Can Google or Cloudflare DNS be trusted?
Yes. Both typically offer better security than more traditional ISPs, including support for DNS over HTTPS (DoH), which encrypts your DNS queries so they can’t be spied upon.
What Is The Difference Between DNS Addresses Of IPv4 And IPv6?
The common way we see them (for example, 8.8.8.8). The latest standard that replaces the old version is called IPv6 (eg, 2001:4860:4860::8888). In most cases, you only need to have IPv4 settings here unless there is an IPv6 explicit setup in your network that needs to be supported.
After changing the DNS, how do I restart my computer?
Usually, no. But a refresh might involve clearing the browser cache or even flushing the DNS (ipconfig /flushdns) to see the immediate effect.
Once you start using DNS servers, will it be possible to have two different DNS providers?
Google 8.8.8.8 as primary DNS and Cloudflare 1.0.0.1 as secondary (alternate). You can run 2 to keep redundancy if one were down, in the last month google DNS had nice downtime, but not all over the globe!