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Continue ShoppingThe Internet phone book is a typical analogy for the Domain Name System (DNS). When you type in a website address, such as "www.example.com," your device can't find it. To locate and load the webpage, your device uses the IP address that the DNS translates this domain name into.
If your DNS server is unreliable or takes a long time to resolve domain names, your website will load more slowly. By adjusting your DNS settings, you might be able to quicken this process and boost the effectiveness and speed of your browsing in general. In this article, we'll discuss how to modify your DNS settings to increase speed.
Computers utilize IP addresses to identify websites, and DNS, or Domain Name System, converts human-friendly domain names (such as "www.example.com") into these addresses. Users can access websites by name using it as a virtual phonebook on the internet, with computers handling the underlying numbers. The DNS locates the correct IP address when you type in a website address, points your browser in that direction, and allows the website to load.
The DNS operates as follows when you type a domain name into your browser:
Before making changes, it's important to know what DNS servers you're currently using. You can check this on your router or directly on your device. For Windows, go to Control Panel > Network and Sharing Center > Change Adapter Settings, and for macOS, check in the Network Preferences. This gives you a baseline to compare performance improvements.
There are several popular DNS services known for their speed and security. Google Public DNS (8.8.8.8, 8.8.4.4) and Cloudflare (1.1.1.1, 1.0.0.1) are two commonly used options. These servers often resolve domain names faster than those provided by your ISP, leading to quicker website load times.
To change your DNS settings on Windows, go to Network and Internet Settings, select your network, and click on Change Adapter Settings. Right-click on your network connection, go to Properties, and then Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4). Here, you can manually enter the DNS addresses you selected. On macOS, go to System Preferences > Network, choose your network, and input the DNS under the DNS tab.
For a broader network-wide effect, changing the DNS settings on your router is the best option. Log into your router’s admin panel (the IP address and login details are usually on the router itself). Once inside, look for the DNS settings section, often found under Internet or Network. Enter the new DNS server addresses and save the changes.
After changing your DNS, it's important to test the speed and performance. Tools like DNS Benchmark or Namebench can help you compare your new DNS performance against your old one. These tools will show if you're experiencing faster load times or better overall performance.
Although it can be unpleasant to have to understand that making DNS changes can take longer than usual, as long as you allow for this, you should be able to prevent any potential issues.
If you use email Shop already, you probably already know that we recommend utilizing Cloudflare, which we also utilize for all of our systems and which offers quick, worldwide DNS propagation. Are you still thinking about switching? Start your complimentary 5-day trial now.