Looking for ways to improve your ping, lower latency, or prevent packet loss when playing online games? Switching to a different DNS server could be just the tweak you need to improve your gaming experience and increase your chances of winning your next match.
What Is a DNS Server?
Browsers and other networking tools don’t use domain names to find the location of the data they need, they use IP addresses. Unfortunately, numerical IP addresses are difficult for humans to remember, which is why we need domain names like www.howtogeek.com to find the websites we use. This is where DNS servers come in.
The DNS (Domain Name System) is a database of public IP addresses and the domain names that are associated with each address. It is used to translate a user-friendly domain name into a computer-friendly IP address.
Typically, the DNS server your devices connect to by default is set by your Internet Service Provider (ISP). But just because it is preferred by the ISP, that doesn’t mean it is the best DNS for you.
How DNS Servers Work
A DNS server is actually a cluster of servers that work together. When you type a domain name into a browser, that data is sent to a DNS resolver server. The resolver interacts with the other servers to find the IP address associated with the domain.
When the IP address is confirmed as correct, it is sent back to the originating server as the address where the browser can find the required data it needs to load the website. Amazingly, this seemingly complex process is usually completed in timescales measured in milliseconds.
Why Change DNS Servers?
There are several reasons why gamers might want or need to change their DNS server, but the main reasons are lookup speed and efficiency. Although changing the DNS server doesn’t increase bandwidth or directly speed up your Internet connection, it can affect how efficiently data is transferred.
When you’re gaming online, data is sent back and forth between your computer and various IP addresses. To do this, requests have to go through whichever DNS server your computer is currently set to use. The faster and more efficient the DNS server, the quicker these requests can be completed, and the better your online gaming experience should be.
Exactly how much of an effect changing your DNS server will have on ping, packet loss rates, and other gaming variables depends on several factors. Something as simple as how close you are to the data center where the DNS server is located can make a big difference.
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The Best DNS Servers for Gaming in 2023
All of the DNS servers listed here have the potential to improve your online gaming experience. But they might not work equally well for everyone who uses them. With that in mind, it is well worth testing out a few or even all of them to find the one that meets your needs.
Cloudflare 1.1.1.1
The Cloudflare DNS is one of the best-known and most commonly used servers in the world. It has a reputation for being fast and responsive, reporting an average lookup speed of 11ms. That could be four times as fast as the standard DNS server set by your ISP.
The servers use DNSSEC security protocols which offer a high level of protection against potential attacks while you carry on gaming. For further peace of mind, Cloudflare purges data logs after 24 hours, so you don’t have to worry about them collecting and using your browsing data. You can try out the primary DNS using the IP address 1.1.1.1 and at 1.0.0.1, the secondary DNS.
Google Public DNS
Google’s public DNS server promises to speed up your browsing, provide extra security through DNS over TLS (DoT) or DNS over HTTPS (DoH) encryption, and prevent redirects from non-existent domains. Google’s worldwide infrastructure means that connection to the DNS can automatically be switched to the data center closest to you for the best speeds when you’re playing your favorite games.
Google provides a primary and secondary DNS for IPv4, and also has options for IPv6 if you need to use the newer protocol. You can connect to the Google Public DNS using the IP address 8.8.8.8 for the primary server, and 8.8.4.4 for the secondary server.
OpenDNS
The free version of OpenDNS, which is part of Cisco Systems Inc., is unlikely to be as fast as the Google or Cloudflare DNS servers, but it is still well worth considering. OpenDNS boasts 100% uptime for one thing, so you will have no concerns about unreachable IP addresses or domain outages. That makes it a reliable choice for gaming.
It also provides you with multiple filtering options for when you aren’t gaming, allowing you to block individual (or whole categories of) websites and preventing known phishing websites from loading on your PC. You can try out the free OpenDNS server at 208.67.222.222 for the primary and 208.67.220.220 for the secondary server.
Quad9
Although based in Switzerland, Quad9 operates nearly 200 DNS resolve clusters in 90 countries. This network of data centers isn’t as large as the three previous DNS server providers we’ve recommended, but it’s still impressive. Particularly considering Quad9 is a completely free option.
Possible lookup speeds vary widely but, depending on your location, could be as low as 3ms. That alone makes this DNS worth checking out. Away from gaming, Quad9 also provides threat blocking for your daily Internet browsing, protecting you from malware, phishing, and other online nasties. You can try out Quad9 by using the IP address 9.9.9.9 for the primary DNS and 149.112.112.112 for the secondary.
How to Change DNS Server in Windows
You can change the DNS server your Windows PC uses from the main system settings. If that option doesn’t work, you can also change the DNS through Command Prompt.
On Windows 11, open Settings > Network & Internet > Wi-Fi > [SSID] Properties. Click the “Edit” button next to “DNS Server Assignment” and change the Automatic DHCP setting to “Manual.”
Enable IPv4 using the toggle switch, and enter the address of the new DNS server under Preferred DNS. If the new DNS supports encryption, enable the “DNS over HTTPS” option for extra security. Repeat the process for the Alternative DNS, and then click Save.
The new settings should start being used immediately. If not, restart your computer and then re-check the new connection.