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DNS (Domain Name System) translates website IP addresses to names that are easy to remember. Behind every “anywebsite.com” there is an IP number associated with it. Chances are you’re using your Internet Service Provider’s DNS server, and sometimes they can be slow at translating the IP addresses, thus making pages load slow.

We’ll be taking a look at other DNS alternatives, then wrap it up by showing you how to test the speeds of them versus your ISPs and find out which works fastest for you. To start, here we take a look at adding Google Public DNS to your system.

For this tutorial we’ll take a look at setting it up using a Cisco Linksys E2000 Wireless Router and in Windows 7 TCP/IP Settings. If you own a different router the interface will be different, but the steps are essentially the same.

Add Google Public DNS to a Router

1. First we’ll take a look at adding Google Public DNS to a Linksys router. Open your default browser and enter your router’s IP address in the address bar. For most Cisco Linksys routers the IP is 192.168.1.1 – if you have a different router consult the documentation or check the manufacturer’s website to find out what it is.

2. Then you’ll be prompted to enter in the User Name and Password for the router and click OK. If you’re not sure what the password is…again turn to it’s documentation.

3. Then under the Basic settings under Network Setup and the DHCP Server Settings section enter the following into the Static DNS 1&2 fields.

8.8.8.8

8.8.4.4

It doesn’t matter which order you enter them in, just make sure you’re using the correct numbers. Then at the bottom of the screen make sure to click Save Settings.

4. Then a new page will come up verifying the configuration changes have been set…click Continue.

5. Now click on the Status Tab and under Internet Connection You’ll see the DNS settings have been successfully changed.

Add Google Public DNS to Windows

If you’re not using a router, you can add Google Public DNS to Your Windows 7 PC in the TCP/IP Settings.

1. Click Start and type network and sharing into the Search box then select Network and Sharing Center under Control Panel.

2. When the center opens, click on the Change adapter settings link in the left panel.

3. Then right-click Local Area Connection and then Properties.

4. The Local Area Connection Properties window opens…click on Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) to high light it, then click Properties.

5. In the next window click the radio button next to Use the following DNS server addresses and enter 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4 in the Preferred and Alternate DNS Server – again in either order. If you want you can also check the box next to Validate settings upon exit then click OK.

6. If you entered in the DNS server settings properly, Windows Network Diagnostics Troubleshooting won’t find a problem. Just close out of the Window.

7. Now you can use the Command Prompt to verify the settings took. Click Start and type cmd into the search box and hit Enter.

8. When the Command Prompt opens type in the following command:

ipconfig /all

9. Scroll down in the results and look for DNS Servers and you should see the Google DNS numbers you typed in above.

After changing the DNS Server, you might notice the pages load faster, or you might not notice any difference – or even worse slower performance. If you do notice websites loading slower after making the change, just go back into the settings and change them back. Your results will vary…so make sure to check back as we take a look at setting up OpenDNS, then how to test them all to find out which is the fastest.

If you’re using Google Public DNS or have in the past, leave us a comment and tell us about your experience!

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