For internet connection, DNS is a must. It works as the backbone of the entire internet. All the websites you visit, everywhere you go on the internet is possible – thanks to DNS. There are lots of DNS providers worldwide. Let’s take a look what DNS is and how to apply specific DNS for your computer (Windows 10 & Linux).
What DNS is
DNS stands for Domain Name Server. It’s just like a phonebook for the internet. This is how it works.
When you write down any URL in your browser, say, https://google.com/, it searches for the website on the web. The DNS keeps a record of all the websites on the internet according to their respective URL & IP address of the websites’ servers. Then, after checking up the URL, it sends the IP address of the server to your machine. Then, your machine is able to connect to Google.
The performance of DNS is pretty important for a faster performance. Moreover, using a better DNS can help unblocking some websites. Every webmaster has to register their domain name with the DNS so that people can reach their websites.
How to change DNS
Windows
For Windows users, changing DNS is really easy and simple. There are lots of DNS worldwide. To make sure of the best possible performance, you should choose the nearest DNS. Here, I’ll be working with Google DNS – a better choice as Google has lots of servers worldwide. If you’re an advanced user, you can try out Namebench – a tool to benchmark the best DNS for your location.
- Go to Control Panel >> Network and Internet >> Network and Sharing Center.
- Click on the connection your system is connected to.
- From the new dialog box, click “Properties”.
- Now, double-click on “Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4)”.
- Select “Use the following DNS server addresses”.
- Enter the following addresses in the empty space:
- Preferred DNS server: 8.8.8.8
- Alternate DNS server: 8.8.4.4
- Continue clicking “OK” unless you’re out of all dialog boxes.
Now, restart your connection. When complete, your Windows will be using Google DNS. This technique applies to Windows 7, 8, 8.1 and 10.
Linux
For Linux users, changing the DNS server is a bit difficult. You have to follow every single step very carefully. otherwise, you might end up in a broken system.
- Open a terminal.
- Run the following command:
sudo nano /etc/resolv.conf
- Now, add these lines at the end of the file.
nameserver 8.8.8.8 nameserver 8.8.4.4
- Remove all other listings of “nameserver”. Before deleting, make a note of the lines in case you need to restore it.
- Save and exit the file.
- Reboot your system.
Done! You’re now using Google DNS on your Linux machine.
Note that there are lots of other DNS servers worldwide. If you need any others, simply change the IP address mentioned in the steps.
