Did you know the DNS services provided by your Internet Service Provider (ISP) is slow and insecure?
You can now increate both Internet speed and browsing security by opting for alternative DNS service providers—such as Google, CloudFlare, OpenDNS, and Comodo DNS etc.
What’s more these alternative DNS services are absolutely free.
Which of the DNS services is the fastest of all?
While you have a number of DNS services to choose from it appears that the Cloudflare is the fastest of all giving your computer, smartphone and any other device the power to resolve domain name with a speeds exceeding 14.8 milliseconds. Now that is over 28% faster than OpenDNS (20.6ms) and Google (34.7ms).
How are the alternative DNS services more secure that my ISP’s DNS service?
We know that it’s secure to browse the Internet over HTTPS which is what shows the padlock in the address bar of your browser when visiting a secure website. However, your ISP’s DNS resolvers still record every website you visit. So your ISP knows everything about your Internet browsing habits and that data can also get in the hands of a third party.
Cloudflare DNS service addresses that problem with its privacy-first approach promising to prevent ISPs from easily tracking your web browsing history.
Cloudflare public DNS resolvers support both DNS-over-TLS and DNS-over-HTTPS to deliver maximum privacy benefits to its users.
How can I change my DNS to CloudFlare DNS?
For Windows Computers:
- Click Start Menu, and then access Control Panel.
- Click on Network and Internet, and then tap Change Adapter Settings.
- Right-click on the Wi-Fi network you are connected to, then click Properties.
- Select Internet Protocol Version 4 and click Properties, and make a note of any existing DNS server settings for reference.
- Now click Use The Following DNS Server Addresses, and replace the addresses with the 1.1.1.1 DNS addresses: For IPv4: 1.1.1.1 and 1.0.0.1; and For IPv6: 2606:4700:4700::1111 and 2606:4700:4700::1001
- Click OK, then Close, and close and reopen your browser.
Note: Setting up a static IP address to configure a DNS server may prevent you from connecting to some public Wi-Fi networks which use captive portals (web pages some wireless networks employ to allow users to log in and use their services).
If you are experiencing connectivity issues related to captive portals:
- Remove the static IP addresses from the device.
- Connect to the Wi-Fi network.
- Once the connection has been established, re-add the static IP addresses.
For Mac PCs:
- Open System Preferences.
- Search for DNS Servers and tap it.
- Click the + button to add a DNS Server and enter 1.1.1.1 and 1.0.0.1 (for redundancy).
- Click OK and then Apply.
For Android Devices:
- Connect to your preferred WiFi network.
- Enter your router’s gateway IP address in your browser. Fill in your username and password, if asked.
- In your router’s configuration page, locate the DNS server settings, and enter any existing DNS server entries for future reference.
- Replace those addresses with the 1.1.1.1 DNS addresses: For IPv4: 1.1.1.1 and 1.0.0.1, and For IPv6: 2606:4700:4700::1111 and 2606:4700:4700::1001
- Save your settings, then restart your browser.
Note: Android requires a static IP to use custom DNS servers. This setup requires additional setup on your router, affecting your network’s strategy for adding new devices to the network. Cloudflare recommends configuring your router’s DNS instead, which gives all devices on your network the full speed and privacy benefits of 1.1.1.1 DNS.
For iOS Devices (iPhone/iPad):
- From your iPhone’s home screen, open Settings.
- Open Wi-Fi and then tap your preferred network in the list.
- Tap Configure DNS, and then click on Manual.
- If there are any existing entries, tap the – button, and Delete next to each one.
- Add 1.1.1.1 and 1.0.0.1 (for redundancy) to the DNS address.
- Now, tap the Save button on the top right.
And Voilà you’re done. Now enjoy faster and more secure browsing on your devices.
Can I also speed up and protect DNS resolution for my domain and website?
Absolutely. The default DNS that comes with your domain may be slow and not as secure as you’d like it to be leaving your website prone to vulnerability attacks.
For more speed and security you can opt for alternative DNS options for your domain and website. For example, Rocket Domains’ premium Global DNS called RocketDNS comes free with every domain registration and domain transfer giving your super fast and secure DNS resolution with 100% uptime.
You can also opt for faster and more secure website hosting, such as RocketCloud that allows you to run WordPress on Google Cloud like a pro.
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