DNS servers

[Rob Q]

Is there any advantages or disadvantages to using a public DNS server such as OpenDNS, Cloudfare or Google compared to using the ISP's DNS server?
So far I've learned that it could speed up web pages from loading.
Will it also load up video streaming services such as YouTube and Netflix quicker?
How about MMO gaming? Less lag, quicker loading, faster patching?

 

[Easy Limits]

I guess it depends on where you live and who your ISP is. Some DNS servers may be closer to you than others and may offer better performance than others. Try the DNS benchmark below to get an idea.

https://www.grc.com/dns/benchmark.htm

 

[ColinTaylor]

Is there any advantages or disadvantages to using a public DNS server such as OpenDNS, Cloudfare or Google compared to using the ISP's DNS server?
So far I've learned that it could speed up web pages from loading.

It really depends on whether the DNS servers you currently use are really bad. In theory your ISP's DNS servers should be the fastest because they are closer to you. However if your ISP isn't very good that might not be the case. Either way the "speed" is not normally an issue because of your local DNS cache. What is sometimes an issue is the reliability of the DNS servers. OpenDNS, et al. are almost guaranteed to always be available, whereas some tin-pot ISP's DNS servers might not.

Services like OpenDNS offer extra options like blocking porn, etc.

Will it also load up video streaming services such as YouTube and Netflix quicker?
How about MMO gaming? Less lag, quicker loading, faster patching?

It will have no effect on these.

 

[gp-se]

Cloudflare DNS all the way!
1.1.1.1
I don't trust google, so I wouldn't recommend their DNS, but yes using a public DNS *can* make your internet faster and cloudlfare uses encrypted DNS.

 

[RMerlin]

Will it also load up video streaming services such as YouTube and Netflix quicker?

Complete opposite. It can be slower, because you might not be redirected to the closest caching server.

 

[Rob Q]

I guess it depends on where you live and who your ISP is. Some DNS servers may be closer to you than others and may offer better performance than others. Try the DNS benchmark below to get an idea.

https://www.grc.com/dns/benchmark.htm

1st - OpenDNS
2nd - Cloudfare
3rd - ISP (very close to 1.1.1.1 speeds)

 

[Rob Q]

Cloudflare DNS all the way!
1.1.1.1
I don't trust google, so I wouldn't recommend their DNS, but yes using a public DNS *can* make your internet faster and cloudlfare uses encrypted DNS.

I don't know why but the Netflix app seems to want to use 8.8.8.8 and I wonder why it has no option to override this setting. Could make things better.

 

[ColinTaylor]

I don't know why but the Netflix app seems to want to use 8.8.8.8 and I wonder why it has no option to override this setting.

It's deliberate. One of the reasons they do that is for geolocation purposes, to stop you illegally streaming content from other countries. And as Merlin alluded to, so you're using the closest (i.e. fastest) CDN.

 

[Rob Q]

Would finding the distance be done with a WHOIS query?
ISP servers are a few hours drive from me,
OpenDNS is in California, USA
Cloudflare is in Australia

 

[gp-se]

Would finding the distance be done with a WHOIS query?
ISP servers are a few hours drive from me,
OpenDNS is in California, USA
Cloudflare is in Australia

Cloudflare is any cast, just like google servers. This means it will use the closest server to you for lookups.

I have a Synology Router, does anyone know if it's possible to block hard coded DNS lookups? I want to force every device that's connected to my router to use 1.1.1.1 I don't want Netflix using 8.8.8.8

 

[ColinTaylor]

No. The major players have hundreds of local servers around the world, many of which are hosted by the ISPs. Which is one of the reasons your ISP's servers are fast, because they have a peering arrangement with a DNS provider.

 

[ColinTaylor]

I have a Synology Router, does anyone know if it's possible to block hard coded DNS lookups? I want to force every device that's connected to my router to use 1.1.1.1 I don't want Netflix using 8.8.8.8

That's what DNSFilter does in Merlin's firmware.

 

[gp-se]

That's what DNSFilter does in Merlin's firmware.

Is there something I can do with my Synology SRM firmware to accomplish the same thing?

 

[ColinTaylor]

Is there something I can do with my Synology SRM firmware to accomplish the same thing?

Sorry, I don't know anything about Synology SRM.

 

[Rob Q]

This means it will use the closest server to you for lookups.

There's probably no way to find out the general area of where it might be, right? Just to get an idea?

 

[Rob Q]

So, I've done the test and made a custom list and got these results. The thing I don't understand is will I have to enter two servers? I suppose it will be the first two servers from the list that are closest to me?

 

[doczenith1]

So, I've done the test and made a custom list and got these results. The thing I don't understand is will I have to enter two servers? I suppose it will be the first two servers from the list that are closest to me?
View attachment 15979

If I'm not mistaken if you hard code a DNS server to a client on your network it will no longer take advantage of Diversion for ad blocking. You need the clients on your LAN to use the router's DNS settings for Diversion to do it's thing. If you want to use DNS servers other than those provided by your ISP then you would set those on the WAN>Internet Connection>WAN DNS setting portion of your router. Click "No" and then enter the DNS values that you would like to use.

 

[Easy Limits]

Be sure to run the DNS benchmark at different times of the day and when your LAN is quiet. Seems like I get a different result every time I run the test. I picked the two DNS that showed up most often at the top of the list and they aren't the usual ones everyone likes to use.

 

[coxhaus]

I block all DNS server access except my ISP's which is Spectrum, and Quad9, 9.9.9.9. Even though Quad9 is showing a little slower ping time I like what is happening on my network. I stream Netflix with no problems even though I block 8.8.8.8.

I run a Cisco RV340 router.