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How to change your DNS to browse faster and safer




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The internet is being called as being insecure and that there are malicious sites all over the web. There are many organisations and companies making efforts towards making browsing the web safer and faster. This is done using custom DNS services that are different from the default ones that you connect to the internet. These custom DNS services let you access practically any web site and because they may be closer to you, they can also make browsing that just that tiny bit faster.

What is a DNS?

Simply put, a DNS is a server, an inde that stores a record of all web sites and their IP addresses. IP addresses are difficult to remember, so every time you type in a web site address, such as www.google.com, your device connects to the DNS asking it for directions, the IP address. The DNS then passes you to the web site.

What’s the problem with my current DNS?

Depending on the DNS server, it might suffer from one of the following problems. Sites that shouldn’t be censored or blocked may be. Sites that ought to be blocked, may not be blocked. The DNS server can be slow, so web sites are not as responsive as you would like.

How can you fix this?

The most obvious solution to this problem is to change your DNS to one of the third-party DNS services. The latest DNS service to hit the web is by Cloudflare. The address for the DNS server is 1.1.1.1 while the secondary DNS is 1.0.0.1. You’ll need to make this change in the DNS settings for your device. If all your devices are connected to a single WiFi router, at home for example, you can make simply make the change there. Here are some ways to do this, for the device you’re using.

Note:

Be sure of what you’re doing. Preferably note down the settings before making changes so you can revert back if needed.

How to setup a DNS on Windows 10

To change the DNS settings on Windows, go the Control Panel > Network and Internet > Network and Sharing > Change Adapter Settings. You can also type control.exe ncpa.cpl after pressing Winkey + R. Right-click on the network adapter that you use for the internet, and click on Properties. Then choose Internet Protocol Version 4 and click on Properties. Select the ‘Use the following DNS server addresses’, and type 1.1.1.1 as the Preferred DNS server and 1.0.0.1 as the Alternate DNS server. Click OK to save the settings.


How to setup a DNS on Android devices

Things are equally simple in Android devices as long as you're connected to a WiFi router. Once you're connected, go to Settings > WiFi and hold down on the network you're connected to. Click on Modify Network. Choose Advanced and set the IP settings to Static. Enter the DNS 1 as 1.1.1.1 and DNS 2 as 1.0.0.1.


How to setup a DNS on the iPad and iPhone

Make sure you're connected to your WiFi network. Go to Settings > Wi-Fi and touch the icon next to your connected WiFi network. Go the DNS field and enter the values for the DNS servers as 1.1.1.1 and 1.0.0.1. Save the settings.


How to setup a DNS on your router

Changing DNS settings differs from one router and one brand to another. Every router has a web interface that lets you modify your internet connection settings. Refer to your router's manual to learn how to access it. Most routers are accessible through a web browser using one of these addresses - http://192.168.1.1 or http://192.168.100.1 or http://192.168.0.1. The default username and password combinations are admin / admin or admin / password or admin. Click on the internet connection’s settings (also called WAN in some cases) and set the Primary DNS to 1.1.1.1 and the secondary DNS to 1.0.0.1. Save the settings and let the router apply the settings. The router may restart. Hopefully, the changes made will make your browsing a bit faster and also help avoid any malicious sites. Cloudflare is not the only offering DNS services, there are other services called OpenDNS (208.67.222.222 / 208.67.220.220) and Google (8.8.8.8 / 8.8.4.4). You can try these out using the steps we’ve mentioned above. Happy browsing!