Public DNS Servers – TOP 10

As crucial elements of infrastructure, public DNS servers perform the essential function of translating domain names into associated IP addresses, allowing users on the internet to access specific websites. The most important benefits of using such servers are faster internet access, heightened security, and the ability to bypass geographical restrictions on certain content. Users may decide to change their settings in order to enhance their overall experience, so this article will be considered the top 10 public DNS servers solution at this moment.

Best Public DNS Servers

Here’s a brief overview of the best public DNS servers to use, each known for its distinctive features and benefits:

Google Public DNS

Addresses: 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4

Google provides the fastest public DNS servers, and his sharply reduced latency times for browsing make it especially favored amongst users. Along with speed, it boasts unrivaled security, protecting users from the growing threat of DNS cache poisoning. It is also renowned for enhanced protective measures against most internet threats.

Yandex.DNS

Addresses: 77.88.8.8 and 77.88.8.1

Yandex.DNS has three modes to choose from – Basic (no filtering), Safe (protection from infected sites), and Family (blocking adult content). This surely comes in handy for parents and educational institutions that wish to impose stronger browsing restrictions, and individuals who prioritize increased security.

OpenDNS

Addresses: 208.67.222.222 and 208.67.220.220

Open DNS is one of the best free public DNS servers for its excellent phishing protection. In addition to this, it allows the user to set up parental controls which enable them to filter content and ban certain websites. This makes the service great for households with children and organizations that have to protect against online threats.

Comodo Secure DNS

Addresses: 8.26.56.26 and 8.20.247.20

This service specializes in blocking access to dangerous phishing, malware, and spyware websites. This service is recommended for users who do not have any protective tools on their devices, as it adds an additional layer of security.

Neustar UltraDNS

Addresses: 156.154.70.1 and 156.154.71.1

This one aims to achieve powerful performance and security with minimal threats and downtime. It's Ideal for businesses which need guaranteed DNS services accompanied by security functionalities to protect sensitive information.

Level 3

Addresses: 209.244.0.3 and 209.244.0.4

This one is popular for both its fast routing capabilities and exceptionally stable connections with low latency over time. This service is best suited for business and those who expect dependable, high-watt performance from their Internet services.

DNS.Watch

Addresses: 84.200.69.80 and 84.200.70.40

Such service is a no-log privacy one which specializes in keeping user information secure and untracked. This is a barebones solution for users who need a straight-forward service without any extra features, and meets the need for anonymity and simplicity.

Quad9

Addresses: 9.9.9.9 and 149.112.112.112

Quad9 integrates performance with security by blocking malicious domains, ensuring user privacy is not compromised. This is a perfect solution for users and businesses wanting malware phishing protection without needing additional software.

Cloudflare DNS

Addresses: 1.1.1.1 and 1.0.0.1

Cloudflare claims to be the fastest and one of the most popular public DNS servers in the web and focuses on privacy above all else. It does not keep client personal data or information, and does not sell data, making it very attractive to people who care about privacy.

CleanBrowsing

Addresses: 185.228.168.9 and 185.228.169.9

CleanBrowsing has a strong family safe service which blocks adult content and is aimed to make the internet safer for children. This is very useful for parents and schools who wish to limit their children’s exposure to inappropriate content.

Pros and Cons of Using Public DNS Servers

As discussed earlier, using free and public dns servers can dramatically change the way you surf the web. We investigate the benefits along with the downsides to reach an informed decision.

Pros:

• Improved speed: DNS servers enhance internet access by improving the path DNS queries take, leading to faster domain name resolution.
• Greater protection: they provide additional security by blocking access to dangerous websites, phishing, and many other online threats, improving your internet security.
• Geo-restriction bypass: some freely available servers have the ability to override geo-restrictions and censorship due to their ability to resolve domain names from different regions which allows users to access content that may be rendered inaccessible in their area.
• Reliability: such servers, for example, those offered by Google, are managed by robust organizations which guarantees a higher uptime and reliable performance compared to some local ISP.
• Enhanced privacy options: unlike most ISPs, services such as Cloudflare and Quad9 focus on user privacy through voluntary policies that they will not track user activities which make them less for ISPs that their policies tend to data.

Cons:

• Access constraints: with the usage of third party servers, Internet Service Providers (ISPs) may impose speed restrictions that negate the advantages of changing your DNS.
• Privacy breaches: many users perceive increased privacy tracking features from some sponsors, but they may also track queries. The resulting logs could be used to establish a browsing profile, leading to potential surveillance by authoritarian governments.
• Broken trust: relying on a public server creates dependency on external providers for browsing needs which introduces numerous controllable failure points into the system design.
• Latency in particular areas: some of them may, in fact, worsen latency for certain geographical locations. in relation to the user’s physical location, some may greatly increase latency.
• Configuration: setting up public DNS servers on different devices can be a complicated task for those who aren’t technically skilled or fluent.

The provided strengths and weaknesses focus on the fact that public DNS servers can be beneficial in areas such as speed, security, and privacy, but adds the risk of numerous considerations that the user must take into account.

How to Configure the Selected Public DNS Server

Thanks to its internal settings one can modify DNS through system settings easily, without needing to download anything. To do so, follow these universal steps for each of the platform:

Windows

1. From the Start button menu, access the Settings app and select the section that says “Network & internet”.

   

2. Click on the “Wi-Fi” or “Ethernet” option.

   

3. Next, navigate to the “Hardware properties” submenu.

   

4. Hit the “Edit” option next to the “DNS server assignment” section.

   

5. And enter your chosen public DNS’s server in the appropriate sections.

   

Once done, press the “Save” button. That’s it.

macOS

1. Select “System Preferences” from the Apple icon on the top-left side of your desktop.

   

2. Then proceed to the “Network”.

   

3. On the following screen, ensure your current Internet connection is selected. As an example, we are using a Wi-Fi connection. Then click on “Advanced”.

   

4. Now select the “DNS” tab from the “Advanced” menu.

   

5. Under this tab, the default DNS server address appears which is likely the router IP address.

   

6. At the bottom, click on the + sign to add the designated addresses. After adding it, click “OK”.

   

7. Save settings by clicking “Apply”.

   

That’s it, the setup is complete.

Android

1. Locate your Settings from the main menu.

   

2. Tap on the “Network & internet” option.

   

3. From the window that appears choose the “Private DNS” option.

   

4. Then, activate the checkbox as it presented on the screenshot below and type in provider hostname. In our example it will be dns.google. When done, press “Save”.

   

iOS

1. On the home screen of the smartphone, find and access Settings then tap on Wi-Fi.

   

2. Tap “Configure DNS” then.

   

3. Choose the manual in the new window that pops up and select “Add Server”.

   

Once information is inserted, tap on “Save” and that’s it.

How to Test DNS Server Performance

With tools like nslookup, dig, and Namebench, you can test the speed and latency of your public DNS servers. Each of these tools offers a unique perspective which can be useful in evaluating the efficiency and dependability of a DNS server.

Using nslookup

nslookup is a command-line tool that enables you to query DNS servers to obtain the IP addresses associated with domain names. It's a basic tool for diagnosing them.

How to use it:

1. Open your command prompt or terminal.
2. Enter the command: nslookup domain_name.
3. Observe the response time, which shows how long it took to resolve the domain name.

Using dig

dig (Domain Information Groper) offers more detailed information about DNS queries and responses. This tool is perfect for those who need detailed insights into the domain name resolution process.

How to use it:

1. Open your command prompt or terminal.
2. Enter the command: dig domain_name.
3. Examine the output, especially the Query timeline, which indicates the time taken to process the query.

Using Namebench

Namebench analyzes the performance of various servers based on your location and internet connection and helps find the fastest one.

How to use it:

1. Download and install Namebench.
2. Run the program and wait for the test to complete.
3. The program will provide a detailed report on the response time and latency of each DNS server tested.

These tools will assist you in evaluating the performance of your server, understanding its speed and latency, and choosing the best DNS server for your needs.

Conclusion

In this article we considered top public DNS servers and the ways to set up them. The importance of choosing the appropriate one is evident in areas such as browsing speed, security, and access to geo-restricted content. Since all public services are not created equal, you must put in the extra effort to select one that meets your needs from the myriad available services.