# DNS setting on router



## TBlazer07 (Feb 5, 2009)

I changed the WAN DNS setting on my router to use Google's public DNS. I find it noticeably faster then the Fios DNS. Do I also need to change my other devices' DNS settings that are currently pointing to my router's lan (192.168.100.1) address. I would think not, but just want to make sure.

Edit: Never mind, obviously NOT. Too early for logical thinking.


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## The Merg (Jun 24, 2007)

TBlazer07 said:


> I changed the WAN DNS setting on my router to use Google's public DNS. I find it noticeably faster then the Fios DNS. Do I also need to change my other devices' DNS settings that are currently pointing to my router's lan (192.168.100.1) address. I would think not, but just want to make sure.
> 
> Edit: Never mind, obviously NOT. Too early for logical thinking.


I can't remember what site it is, but there is a site that will test the free public DNS servers to determine which one would be the fastest for you. I think in my case OpenDNS was the winner. I believe you can also put in the IP address of your ISP provider's to see how fast that is as well.

- Merg


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## TBlazer07 (Feb 5, 2009)

Actually I was using OpenDNS before I switched to Google. Google is noticeably faster for me.

I'd like to find that site.


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## jwd45244 (Aug 18, 2006)

Try DNS Bench: http://www.grc.com/dns/benchmark.htm


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## scooper (Apr 22, 2002)

It depends (on setting clients DNS address directly or not). The router I'm currently using (a Netgear WNR3700 (one of the SamKnows routers) acts as a DNS proxy to it's DHCP clients, so it sends its address as the only DNS server . I'm generally of the feeling that "routers should route, and DNS should come from a real DNS server", so I usually manually set DNS settings for the devices that allow that.


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## SayWhat? (Jun 7, 2009)

For the moment, I'm using Level 3's

4.2.2.1
4.2.2.2

A list of others here:
http://www.tech-faq.com/public-dns-servers.html


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## scooper (Apr 22, 2002)

You do realize that all the 4.2.2.x DNS servers are more than likely in the same building / server rack / network ?

I prefer to have geographically separated DNS servers, to the extent possible.


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## TBlazer07 (Feb 5, 2009)

jwd45244 said:


> Try DNS Bench: http://www.grc.com/dns/benchmark.htm


 Thanks, I will try it. I also found an application that does the same thing called NAMEBENCH: http://code.google.com/p/namebench/

It concurred with my opinion that Google was fastest by a lot.


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## dpeters11 (May 30, 2007)

"scooper" said:


> You do realize that all the 4.2.2.x DNS servers are more than likely in the same building / server rack / network ?
> 
> I prefer to have geographically separated DNS servers, to the extent possible.


That's most likely not how it works. Most likely if we both use 4.2.2.2, we'd connect to different servers. If one went down that we used, we'd connect to a different one. It's a bit like the root DNS servers. There are only 16 addresses, but many more servers, they use Anycast.


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## scooper (Apr 22, 2002)

dpeters11 said:


> That's most likely not how it works. Most likely if we both use 4.2.2.2, we'd connect to different servers. If one went down that we used, we'd connect to a different one. It's a bit like the root DNS servers. There are only 16 addresses, but many more servers, they use Anycast.


Still - for a given user - those 4-6 IPs will likely all be at the same location.


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## dpeters11 (May 30, 2007)

It would route you to a closest available server, but most want to spread it across a large area to get around problems. If the one close to you isn't available, it will send you to another one somewhere else. This is why the threat to take down the DNS system, of it really is Anonymous threatening it, won't work.


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## Groundhog45 (Nov 10, 2005)

I would also recommend Steve Gibson's site.

The problem I see with using the Google site is that you're giving them one more way to track everywhere you go on the internet.

See also the link from Gibson about DNS spoofing and how to check for that. Link here.


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