DNS (Domain Name System) servers are not something most people are concerned with, but they should be. They can affect the speed of the internet connection and the security. Some DNS servers are slow, others allow malware, porn and other unsuitable material in the web browser. Here are some alternative DNS servers that offer speed and security, and a utility to switch in the blink of an eye.

What’s a DNS server?

Do you have a smartphone that is really smart? Can you say ‘call home’ or ‘call Bob’ and the phone automatically dials the number? It is a common features these days and the phone looks up the phone number you need in the contacts database and calls the number for you. It saves you having to type it in and it’s easier to say ‘call Bob’ than to try and remember his phone number

Computers work in a similar way. The address of a website like www.google.com is meaningless and computers really work with numbers. When you type www.google.com into a web browser, it looks up the website’s number using a DNS server and then it can contact it and fetch the web page. Just as the phone looks up names and turns them into phone numbers in the contact manager, the computer looks up names and turns them into numbers using a DNS server.

Actually, the number is called an IP address and it looks like 192.168.2.1 – four sets of numbers in the range 0 to 255. It works just like a phone number though and every computer on the internet has its own unique IP address.

The ISP you use to connect to the internet provides two DNS servers (they always come in pairs – a primary and a secondary), but they may not be quick and they may not block malware, porn and other undesirable internet content.

You can easily switch DNS servers and there are others that can be used like OpenDNS, Google, Comodo, Dyn and Norton to mention just five.

QuickSetDNS

QuickSetDNS is a great freeware utility that enables you to add any number of DNS servers and then switch from one to the other instantly. Well, as fast as you can click the mouse anyway.

Download the program and unzip it. It does not need installing and you just double click QuickSetDNS.exe to run it. It has only two DNS servers – Google and your router’s default DNS. The third setting is Automatic DNS and this sets the computer to automatic mode rather than manual, which basically means that it will use whatever DNS your router gives it.

It already has Google, so select File, New DNS server and enter these others:

QuickSetDNS

To switch to any one of these servers, select it and then click the green button in the toolbar. That’s it. You won’t actually see anything, but you can test whether it is actually working. Select Dyn and then go to http://dyn.com/support/internet-guide-setup/. It will tell you whether you are using Dyn or not. Select OpenDNS and go to http://www.opendns.com/welcome/.

Google offers a little security, but is mainly used for speed. The others offer varying degrees of security and filtering of adult and undesirable content. If a website has malware or undesirable content, it is blocked, a bit like removing a contact and phone number from your phone’s contact manager, thus preventing you from accidentally visiting the site.

Both Dyn and OpenDNS allow you to create free accounts that enable you to configure the security, malware protection and adult content filters and this is a valuable feature.

If you are wondering why there are three Norton entries, it is because Norton 1 blocks malware and phishing, Norton 2 blocks malware, phishing and pornography, and Norton 3 blocks malware, phishing, porn and other stuff like alcohol, crime, drugs and so on. It’s your choice which one you use, but that last one is obviously a good one to use on children’s computers.

 

Roland Waddilove

Freelance technical writer covering the internet, Windows PCs and Apple Macs, iOS and Android smartphones and tablets

Latest posts by Roland Waddilove (see all)

Powered by Starbox