DNS Server

[BostonDan]

Hi - Can anyone tell me what is better:
1) use the DNS server in my router(DIR-655) which points to the internet
2) have all computers point directly to DNS servers on the internet
3) setup/use the DNS server in my NAS(Synology DS-209)

Best,
Dan

 

[GregN]

Other than local (your home network ) name resolution, requests end up on the net, your referred DNS server (ISP, Google, etc). So there is really no right answer to this question.

I personally set-up my router to handle DNS forwarding to ASU (my local university, a good go to, lickety split) and Google. That is generally one configuration point, instead of a couple. I find it cleaner, and easier to reset if I lose the configuration on my router, or have to reset it.

If you want to do local name resolution you'll have to set-up your router to handle it, it tends to be optimized for that, and if possible cached.

Hope that helps.

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

Some routers handle it better/differently than others, but like GregN said above...using your routers local DNS helps peer to peer networks (such as home/small offices) name resolution work better...if you're doing file/print sharing and such.....because the routers local DNS service will hold a name table of your network devices.

I like to set the routers external interface to use a "safe DNS service" such as OpenDNS (there are quite a few other free safe DNS services too...Comodo, Norton, etc)....to help filter out known malware sites. Gives an added layer of protection from malware to compliment your antivirus.

If you run a server with active directory....naturally this is moot, because the server and clients need to use your servers LAN IP for their DNS. I then setup the servers DNS service to forward to OpenDNS.

Your NAS device may have a similar DNS service which you might want to experiment with....and treat it like the DNS of a domain controller.

If you don't care about local network name resolution..like, you don't share files/printers (you might have IP printers...not workstation shared printers)...than entering the public DNS servers directly on each workstation "may" give you snappier performance on the internet due to slightly faster name resolution. I say "may"...because some routers can be pokey with their forwarding request of DNS...others are snappy...others can hold a decent little cache of recent names, etc. It comes down to a "try it and see which works better for you"....since there are so many variables.

 

[stevech]

I tell my WiFi router's WAN side to use 4.2.2.2 and 8.8.8.8 for DNS servers. It then passes these to LAN PCs when they do a DHCP.

PCs and other devices on my LAN that use static LAN IPs: I use the above DNS addresses.

These two servers are backbone DNSes and for tens of years are far more reliable and much faster than, say, my ISP's DNSes (Time Warner Cable).

A parent concerned with protecting children using computers may wish to use OpenDNS instead of the two addresses I show above, then go on OpenDNS and setup rules to block porn and crap DNS lookups.