This article will guide you through changing your DNS server settings on Windows 10/11, macOS, and via your router to use Cloudflare's 1.1.1.1 or Google's 8.8.8.8. Switching to these public DNS servers can offer benefits such as improved speed, enhanced privacy, and greater reliability.

Benefits of Using 1.1.1.1 or 8.8.8.8 DNS Servers

  • Speed: Both Cloudflare and Google's DNS services are optimized for fast response times, which can reduce your internet browsing latency.
  • Privacy: These DNS providers do not log your queries by default, enhancing your online privacy compared to using your ISP’s DNS servers.
  • Reliability: With a global network of data centers, these services are designed to be highly available and resilient to outages.

Changing DNS Servers on Windows 10/11

Via Network Settings (Recommended)

  1. Open the Start menu, type "Network & Internet," and select it from the search results.
  2. In the left pane, click on "Wi-Fi" or "Ethernet," depending on your connection type.
  3. Click on the network you are currently connected to under "Connected" or "Available networks."
  4. Select "Properties" at the bottom of the window.
  5. Scroll down and click on "Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4)" or "Internet Protocol Version 6 (TCP/IPv6)," then click "Properties."
  6. In the IPv4 Properties window, select "Use the following DNS server addresses" and enter 1.1.1.1 in the Preferred DNS server field and 8.8.8.8 in the Alternate DNS server field.
  7. If you are using IPv6, repeat steps 5-6 for the IPv6 settings, entering 2606:4700:4700::1111 and 2001:4860:4860::8888.
  8. Click "OK" to save your changes.

Via Command Prompt (Advanced)

  1. Open the Start menu, type "cmd," and right-click on "Command Prompt" to run it as an administrator.
  2. To set the DNS server for a specific network interface, use the following commands. Replace InterfaceName with your actual network adapter name (e.g., Ethernet0 or Wi-Fi).
    3. netsh interface ipv4 set dns "InterfaceName" static 1.1.1.1
netsh interface ipv4 add dns "InterfaceName" 8.8.8.8 index=2
netsh interface ipv6 set dns "InterfaceName" static 2606:4700:4700::1111
netsh interface ipv6 add dns "InterfaceName" 2001:4860:4860::8888 index=2
  3. Press Enter after each command to execute it.

Changing DNS Servers on macOS

  1. Open System Preferences and click on "Network."
  2. Select your active network connection from the sidebar (e.g., Wi-Fi or Ethernet).
  3. Click the "Advanced" button at the bottom right of the window.
  4. In the Advanced settings window, go to the "DNS" tab.
  5. Click the "+" button to add a new DNS server and enter 1.1.1.1.
  6. Repeat step 5 for 8.8.8.8.
  7. If you are using IPv6, also add 2606:4700:4700::1111 and 2001:4860:4860::8888.
  8. Click "OK" to save the changes, then click "Apply" in the Network settings window.

Changing DNS Servers via Your Router

  1. Access your router's web interface by typing its IP address into a web browser. Common default IPs are 192.168.0.1, 192.168.1.1, or 192.168.1.254.
  2. Log in using your administrator credentials.
  3. Navigate to the "Network," "WAN," or "Internet" settings section, depending on your router model.
  4. Look for a DNS server setting and enter 1.1.1.1 as the primary DNS server and 8.8.8.8 as the secondary DNS server.
  5. If you are using IPv6, also add 2606:4700:4700::1111 and 2001:4860:4860::8888.
  6. Save the changes and restart your router if prompted.

Troubleshooting

  • No Internet Connection: Ensure that you have entered the DNS addresses correctly. Double-check for typos or incorrect IP addresses.
  • Slow Performance: If you experience slow performance after changing your DNS servers, try resetting them to your ISP's default settings and see if there is an improvement.
  • Router Issues: If changes made via the router do not take effect, ensure that DHCP is enabled on your network. Alternatively, set static IP addresses for your devices with the new DNS servers.