Do you know how we are going to find the right sites on the Internet?

You browsers and other networking tools don’t use domain names to find the location of the data they need, they use IP addresses. However, numeric IP addresses are difficult to remember, which is why we need domain names like www.leak.pt to find the websites we use. Having said that, we will explain how we are going to find the right sites on the Internet.

Do you know how we are going to find the right sites on the Internet?

DNS (Domain Name System) is a database of public IP addresses and the domain names associated with each address. This is used to translate a user-friendly domain name into a user-friendly IP address.

Typically, the DNS server your devices connect to by default is set by your Internet service provider (ISP). But just because it’s preferred by your ISP doesn’t mean it’s the best DNS for you.

How DNS servers work

A DNS server is actually a set of servers that work together. When you type a domain name in a browser, that data goes to a DNS resolver server. The resolver interacts with the other servers to find the IP address associated with the domain.

When the IP address is confirmed to be correct, it is sent back to the origin server as the address where the browser can find the data needed to load the website. Surprisingly, this seemingly complex process is typically completed in timescales measured in milliseconds.

Why change DNS servers?

There are several reasons why players may want or need to change their DNS server, but the main reasons are search speed and efficiency. While changing your DNS server won’t directly increase bandwidth or speed up your Internet connection, it can affect how efficiently data is transferred.

When you are playing online, data is sent back and forth between your computer and various IP addresses. To do this, requests must go through whatever DNS server your computer is currently configured to use. The faster and more efficient the DNS server, the faster these requests can be completed and the better your online gaming experience will be.

The exact effect that changing your DNS server will have on ping, packet loss rates, and other game variables depends on several factors. Something as simple as your proximity to the data center where your DNS server is located can make a big difference.

All of the DNS servers listed here have the potential to improve your online gaming experience. But they may not work equally well for everyone who uses them. With that in mind, it’s worth testing some or even all of them to find the one that suits your needs.

Cloudflare

Cloudflare DNS is one of the best-known and most used servers in the world. It has a reputation for being fast and responsive, reporting an average search speed of 11ms. This can be four times faster than the default DNS server set by your ISP.

The servers use DNSSEC security protocols that offer a high level of protection against potential attacks while playing. For added peace of mind, Cloudflare deletes data logs after 24 hours, so you don’t have to worry about your browsing data being collected and used. You can try the primary DNS using the IP address 1.1.1.1 and 1.0.0.1 the secondary DNS.

Google Public DNS

Google’s public DNS server promises to speed up your browsing, provide extra security through DNS over TLS (DoT) or DNS over HTTPS (DoH) encryption and prevent redirects from non-existent domains. Google’s worldwide infrastructure means your DNS connection can automatically transfer to your nearest data center for the best speeds when playing your favorite games.

Google provides a primary and secondary DNS for IPv4 and also has options for IPv6 if you need to use the newer protocol. You can connect to Google’s public DNS using the IP address 8.8.8.8 for the primary server, and 8.8.4.4 for the secondary server.

OpenDNS

The free version of OpenDNS, which is part of Cisco Systems Inc., is unlikely to be as fast as DNS servers from Google or Cloudflare, but it’s worth considering. OpenDNS features 100% uptime, so you won’t have to worry about unreachable IP addresses or domain failures. This makes it a reliable choice for gaming.

However, it also offers you several filtering options when not playing, allowing you to block individual websites (or entire categories of websites) and prevent known phishing sites from loading on your PC. You can try the free OpenDNS server at 208.67.222.222 for the main server and 208.67.220.220
to the secondary server.

How to Change DNS Server on Windows

So you can change the DNS server that your Windows PC uses from the main system settings.

So in Windows 11, open Settings > Network and Internet > Wi-Fi > Properties [SSID]. Click the “Edit” button next to “DNS Server Assignment” and change the Automatic DHCP setting to “Manual”.

Enable IPv4 using the toggle switch and enter the address of the new DNS server in Preferred DNS. However, if the new DNS supports encryption, enable the “DNS over HTTPS” option for extra security. Repeat the process for the alternate DNS, then click Save.

However, the new settings are immediately applied. If not, restart your computer and check the new connection again.