DNS server, what is it and why is it needed

DNS ( Domain Name System ) is a specially created Internet technology, the main task of which is to turn the name of a website into an IP address for users to access it through web browsers. DNS servers, by their very essence, resemble a phone book, where each name corresponds to the number to which the call is made, only in this case the name corresponds to the IP address. Use DNS to speed up the connection to the target resource.

Video: How to configure DNS settings on Windows, Mac OS, Router

How DNS works

The moment you enter the name of the site in the address bar, the web browser contacts the nearest DNS server to match the name you specified with the IP address and then connects to it. The problem is that not all DNS servers contain information about all names and their IP. If the name you specified is not in the database, then the request is redirected to another DNS server, which makes the connection time longer. DNS servers of such companies as Google (8.8.8.8.8 / 8.8.4.4) with huge databases that many users register instead of those provided by their provider help to fight this problem.

How to set up DNS on a router

Administrators of huge networks with a large number of switching users practice setting up DNS on the router. This solves the problem with the need to configure DNS on each device separately and significantly saves time. What the DNS setting looks like on popular routers, we will tell you in more detail later.

Router TP-LINK Archer A6

To start setting up DNS on this router, you need to find out the IP address of high-quality DNS servers, and then follow these steps.

1. Open any web browser and write 192.168.0.1 or 192.168.1.1 in the address bar and click execute to go to the router settings.
2. To get access to the settings you need to go through authorization by login and password, by default they are in most cases, admin and admin.
3. In the settings window you need to click on the "Advanced" tab and select "Network", and then the sub-item "Internet".



4. On the right side of the window you need to open additional settings, this can be done by clicking on the "Advanced" button.



5. Scroll down to the DNS address section and set the switch button to “Use the following DNS Address”, then write in the corresponding fields the primary and secondary DNS servers (Primary DNS, Secondary DNS). To apply the changes, click on the “Save” button.

Router Tenda AC7

If the DNS servers provided by your provider do not suit you, then you can change them to better ones using the following method.

1. Connect to the router settings using any convenient web browser. In the address bar, write the request 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1
2. On the left in the vertical menu of the router, select the "Internet settings" item.



3. Fill in the appropriate fields with your primary and secondary DNS servers, and then click on the "Save / Connect" button.

Asus RT-AC1300G Plus V3

This router has a built-in DNS service that will independently select the best DNS servers. You can activate it or make changes to the settings by performing the following operations.

1. Launch a web browser and in the address, line write the request 192.168.0.1 or 192.168.1.1 so you can go to the router settings. For authentication, the default username is admin and password: admin.
2. In the menu settings, click on "Advanced settings", then select "WAN" and open the "DDNS" tab.



3. Activate the use of the DNS client by moving the switch to the "Yes" position.



4. Select the appropriate DNS server from the drop-down list.



5. In the hostname field, you can rename the DNS as desired. Then click on the "Apply" button for the changes to take effect.

Conclusion

The procedure for changing DNS servers directly depends on the firmware of your router, but the algorithm of actions is the same for everyone. You can register DNS manually or select from the list using the appropriate service if this is supported by the router's firmware. Setting up DNS on the router will allow all devices on your network to connect to the desired sites faster and save time on making changes on a large number of devices, for example, this is an enterprise network.