When your internet connection seems to crawl even though you have a high-speed plan, the problem is likely not with the fiber optic cable or the router, but with something much more subtle: the DNS servers your Windows PC uses . Changing them to faster and more secure ones is often one of those simple adjustments that makes a noticeable difference in browsing speed.
Therefore, before touching anything in the system, it's important to understand what DNS servers are, why they're so important, and how to choose the best ones for your computer. From there, you'll see that changing them in Windows 10 and Windows 11 is a piece of cake, whether from the graphical settings or using CMD or PowerShell. You can even fine-tune things with applications that measure which servers perform best from your location.
What is DNS and what role does it play in your connection
The DNS, short for Domain Name System , acts as a huge Internet contact list that translates easy-to-remember names (like www.example.com) into numerical IP addresses that computers can understand.
When you type a webpage into your browser, your computer performs a DNS query to find out which IP address to actually connect to . The DNS server responds with that IP address, and then the browser opens the corresponding website without you having to memorize any strange numbers.
In practice, DNS relies on a distributed, hierarchical database spread across servers worldwide. It not only maintains the domain-IP address relationship but also stores additional information such as the location of email servers (MX records) and other records essential for the seamless operation of internet services.
In addition, your operating system maintains a local DNS response cache . When you visit a website, the resolution is temporarily stored, and if you return shortly afterward, your computer responds from this cache without needing to query the DNS server again, resulting in faster access.
By default, almost all users use the DNS servers automatically assigned by their Internet Service Provider (ISP). However, nothing prevents you from changing them to public or private third-party servers, which often offer faster speeds, better security, and extra features like parental controls or ad blocking.
Advantages and disadvantages of changing DNS
Modifying the DNS servers used by your Windows PC brings a number of benefits that are noticeable on a daily basis , although there are also some risks that should be kept in mind to avoid making a mistake when choosing.
Advantages of using alternative DNS
One of the main reasons to switch servers is to achieve faster and more stable browsing. Many high-quality public DNS servers respond faster than those provided by your internet service provider and experience fewer outages or periods of unavailability.
Another key aspect is security . Some DNS services incorporate protection against phishing , malware, and dangerous websites, based on updated blacklists or advanced analysis engines that block suspicious domains before you even load the page.
There are also DNS servers designed for parental controls that filter adult content, gambling websites, or other categories you want to restrict. By configuring them on your router or computer, all devices using them will benefit from the filter without needing to install additional software.
In certain countries or with certain internet service providers, some website censorship or blocking is done at the DNS level. Using an external server can allow you to bypass some restrictions when resolving domains that your provider blocks.
Finally, there are services that specialize in privacy , avoiding recording or associating your DNS queries with your identity, encrypting requests, or minimizing the time they keep logs, something that increasingly worries those who do not want to be tracked.
Disadvantages and risks to take into account
It's not all sunshine and rainbows. If you choose an unreliable provider, you could end up using a fraudulent DNS server that manipulates responses and redirects you to fake websites designed to steal passwords, bank details, or other sensitive information.
Furthermore, not all alternative servers are equally up-to-date or well-maintained , which can lead to errors when resolving new domains, intermittent failures, or simply slower browsing than with your ISP's DNS.
Also keep in mind that some free DNS providers offer fewer advanced features and lower performance than paid, business-oriented alternatives, which tend to focus more on security, technical support, and customization options.
Another practical limitation is that many ISPs use their own DNS servers to enforce legal blocks on certain websites. Switching to an external DNS server might allow you to bypass some of these restrictions, but you could also lose access to specific internal redirects from your provider (for example, router management portals or internal services).
In any case, the key is to choose trustworthy and reputable servers , and not to believe any IP you see on forums or dubious websites, no matter how miraculous the promise sounds.
Types of DNS servers and name hierarchy
Within the DNS system , several types of elements with different functions can be distinguished , although from the user's point of view most of the work is transparent.
On one hand, there are the domains we use daily (such as .es, .com, .org, .edu, etc.), which are part of the hierarchical name tree. Each label is separated by periods, and there are length limits for both labels and the entire domain.
Then there are the so-called name resolvers , which are pieces of software responsible for searching the local or system cache for the answer before sending the query out. In Linux-like systems, for example, they rely on files such as /etc/hosts or configurations like /etc/resolv.conf.
Finally, we have the name servers themselves , which store tables of equivalences between domains and IP addresses and handle requests from resolvers. These can be private servers (for example, belonging to a company) or public, and can be free or paid.
The structure is that of an inverted domain tree , where each label consists of letters, numbers, and the hyphen character, up to a maximum of 63 characters per label and 255 for the full name. Although we don't see it, all names end in a root period, which is omitted in standard writing.
How to find out which DNS you are using on your PC
Before you start tinkering, it might be a good idea to check which DNS servers your computer currently has configured . The method varies slightly depending on the operating system.
In Windows, simply open a command prompt (CMD) and use the command ipconfig /all . Among all the data for your network adapter, you will see a line called “DNS Servers” where the assigned IP addresses will appear.
In Linux, the usual practice is to check the contents of the /etc/resolv.conf file with a simple `cat` command executed with the appropriate permissions. This lists the name servers the system is currently using.
With that information in front of you, you can identify whether you are using the router's default DNS , those of your operator, or if at some point you have already configured other third-party ones such as Google's (8.8.8.8) or similar.
Configure DNS in Windows 10 step by step
In Windows 10, changing DNS settings is done through the system's network options . The process is simple and has little room for error as long as you enter the correct addresses. Here are the steps to follow:
- Enter in the Windows 10 Settings menu.
- Within Settings, go to the section “Network and Internet”.
- On the main screen, you'll see the network status, VPN, data usage, and more. Stay on that first view and look for the option “Change adapter options”which will open the old classic Control Panel with the “Network Connections”.
- Locate the adapter for which you want to change the DNS (Ethernet if you're connected by cable, WiFi if you're using wireless, etc.). It's recommended to Modify all the adapters you use to avoid surprises if you switch between wired and WiFi.
- Right-click on the adapter and press on "Properties".
- In the list of items, select “Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4)” and click “Properties” again. Do not uncheck the box; only access its settings.
- In the window that opens, you will see, at the bottom, the option “Use the following DNS server addresses”. Select it and enter the IPs you want to use in “Preferred DNS Server” and “Alternate DNS Server” (for example, 1.1.1.1 and 1.0.0.1 for Cloudflare, or 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4 for Google).
- Check the box if you want. “Validate configuration upon exiting” to have Windows automatically check that everything is in order, and press "OK".
- Then you can open CMD and run ipconfig / all to verify that the new servers appear in the “DNS Servers” section.
Change DNS in Windows 11
In Windows 11, Microsoft has reorganized the network options and, in doing so, simplified changing the DNS settings if you do it from within the Settings app. Here's how:
- Click on the network icon in the taskbar and enter “Network and Internet Configuration”.
- Within “Network and Internet” scroll down to “Advanced network settings”, where you will see all the adapters listed and options such as network reset.
- In the "More network adapter options" section, you'll find a view similar to the classic Control Panel, displaying the available connections. From there, the process is very similar to Windows 10: Right-click on the adapter in use, Properties, TCP/IPv4, Properties and select the option to use specific DNS addresses.
Change DNS using CMD in Windows
If you prefer to use the command line, you can also configure DNS servers using CMD with administrator privileges , which is useful for scripts or making quick changes without navigating through menus.
Open your search bar, type "Command Prompt", right-click on the result and choose "Run as administrator" . Once inside, the first thing to do is list the available network interfaces with the following command:
Note the name of the interface you're interested in (for example, "Ethernet" or your Wi-Fi name). With that information, you can set the primary DNS server by running:
netsh interface ipv4 set dnsservers «Net_name» static IP_DNS primary
Replace “Network_Name” with the name you saw earlier and “DNS_IP” with the address of the primary server you want to use. To add a secondary DNS, use:
netsh interface ipv4 add dnsservers «Network_name» IP_DNS index=2
When finished, it's a good idea to clear the DNS cache with ipconfig /flushdns so that the new addresses are used from the start and you don't carry over old records.
Change DNS with PowerShell
PowerShell makes it easy to automate tasks across multiple computers and offers another very convenient way to modify DNS, especially if you are used to working with it and want to automate tasks across multiple computers.
Open PowerShell as administrator from the Start menu (right-click on the Windows icon and select “Windows PowerShell (Administrator)” or its equivalent in your version).
First, identify the available connections with:
Get-DnsClientServerAddress
Note the name of the adapter you want to modify. Then, set the new DNS servers with a command like this:
Set-DNSClientServerAddress «Ethernet» -ServerAddresses («8.8.8.8″,»8.8.4.4»)
The example uses Google's DNS servers, but you can change the IPs to those of any other provider (including servers that block ads or adult content). When you're finished, it's recommended to clear your DNS cache again to start using those resolvers immediately.
The best free and public DNS servers
There are public DNS servers you can use for free , although not all of them offer the same features or are designed for the same priorities (speed, privacy, parental controls, etc.). These are some of the most prominent ones that are often recommended for Windows.
Google Public DNS – 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4
Google's servers are perhaps the best known and one of the de facto standards. They offer high resolution speed, high availability, and a huge database , so they rarely need to query other resolvers.
Google does not require registration to use them and limits the time it keeps the source IP of the queries, usually about 48 hours , although it does use certain data in aggregate for internal analysis and service improvement.
Cloudflare – 1.1.1.1 and 1.0.0.1
Cloudflare has positioned itself at the top of almost all DNS performance rankings thanks to very low response times and a massive network of Anycast servers spread around the world.
It's a very popular option among online gamers or those looking to minimize latency. It doesn't include ad blocking by default, but you can apply filters if you create a free account and configure additional settings. Its logs are deleted within a short period, around 24 hours , which is better than many competitors.
Quad9/IBM – 9.9.9.9 and 149.112.112.112
Quad9, supported by IBM and other organizations, is a free DNS service focused on security and privacy . It uses the IBM X-Force threat intelligence engine and multi-partner databases to automatically block domains associated with malware, phishing, and other threats.
According to its developers, Quad9 does not keep identifiable records of requests and strives to minimize the amount of data collected. Currently, it is not usually the fastest in all scenarios, but it is one of the most robust against attacks and malicious websites.
OpenDNS (Cisco) – 208.67.222.222 and 208.67.220.220
OpenDNS, owned by Cisco, is an industry veteran that combines good performance with advanced features. Its network processes hundreds of billions of requests daily and maintains extensive blacklists of dangerous domains.
You can use their basic servers or family-friendly versions for free . If you create an account, you can adjust what type of content is filtered, view usage statistics, and apply customized policies for your home network or small office.
Clean Browsing
CleanBrowsing is designed for parental control via DNS . It offers several public profiles: a "Family" profile that blocks adult content and forces safe browsing, an "Adult" profile focused solely on mature content, and a "Security" profile that prioritizes blocking malware and phishing.
You don't need to install any software on each device, as it only works at the name resolution level. You can configure their IPs directly on the router so that all devices at home browse with the same filters, which is very useful if there are children on the network.
AdGuard DNS – 94.140.14.14 and 94.140.15.15
AdGuard DNS adds powerful ad blocking, tracking protection, and blocking of certain types of unwanted content to the classic functions of the DNS server . It's a good alternative if intrusive advertising is what bothers you most about the modern web.
It offers several profiles: with ad and tracker filtering, with no filtering at all, or with more aggressive filters that include adult content. This way you can choose the balance between privacy and compatibility that best suits your browsing habits.
How to choose the best DNS for your Windows PC
There's no single perfect DNS for everyone, because performance depends heavily on your connection location, your internet provider, and your priorities (pure speed, security, privacy, parental controls, etc.). Ideally, you should combine general information with specific tests on your connection.
A good strategy is to first define your priorities: if you're only looking for faster browsing and gaming , Cloudflare or Google are probably good first choices. If privacy is your main concern, you can try Quad9, some OpenNIC servers, or services that promise not to log your requests.
In homes with children, DNS services like CleanBrowsing, OpenDNS with a family profile, or some modes of AdGuard help block adult content without installing additional software , which greatly simplifies management.
To find out which one works best for your specific needs, you can use tools like DNS Benchmark, NameBench, DNS Jumper, or DNS Perf , which measure the response time of multiple servers from your location. Many of these applications even allow you to directly apply the winning DNS to your system.
Beyond speed, it's worth considering whether the provider keeps extensive logs of your activity , whether it supports modern technologies such as DNSSEC, DNS-over-HTTPS or DNS-over-TLS, and whether it has a broad infrastructure that guarantees good availability in your region.
Applications to easily test and change DNS
If you don't feel like diving into Windows settings every time you want to change servers, you can use several applications that simplify the process and, incidentally, automatically evaluate which DNS is fastest for you.
DNS Jumper (Windows)
DNS Jumper is a portable tool for Windows that stands out for its simplicity and speed . It requires no installation, comes translated into Spanish, and allows you to change your DNS in just a couple of clicks.
When you open it, you choose your network adapter, select a server from the list or enter a custom one, and apply the changes. It also has a function to search for the "fastest DNS" in your environment, which is very useful for making data-driven decisions.
DNS Changer (Android)
If you also want to adjust the servers on your Android mobile without rooting or messing around in the system settings, DNS Changer offers a very direct way to test different DNS servers, measure their speed, and use them with a single tap.
It allows you to choose from pre-configured lists or enter your own IPv4 and IPv6 servers, and helps improve privacy and security on public Wi-Fi networks. It includes a quick speed test to compare options.
Blokada, Nebulo and other mobile apps
Blokada is another mobile app (for Android and iOS) that goes a step further, combining DNS modification with blocking ads, trackers, and malicious content . It uses VPN-like technologies (such as WireGuard) to encrypt traffic and protect your IP address.
Nebulo, for its part, focuses on sending DNS requests securely using DNS-over-HTTPS and DNS-over-TLS , compatible with many popular servers (Google, Cloudflare, etc.), reducing the risk of interception or manipulation of queries.
With all this information and the options available today, adjusting the DNS settings on your Windows PC is no longer a mystery; it's become a useful tool for getting the most out of your connection, gaining extra security, and even adapting your home network's internet access to the real needs of those who use it daily.
