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Published on:

June 13, 2023

Durga Prasad

Configure your network settings to use Google Public DNS

When using the Google Public DNS service, one transfers the responsibility of network name resolution from their internet service provider to Google. By default, the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol typically configures systems to leverage the DNS servers operated by whichever company facilitates internet access. To benefit from Google's public DNS name servers specifically requires manually updating one's operating system or device settings with their IP addresses rather than relying on the defaults. The process for altering DNS settings varies based on both the type of operating system—whether it be Windows, Mac, Linux, or ChromeOS—and the device class—whether it be a computer, phone, or home router. While we provide high-level guidance, one must confirm the precise steps with documentation from the original equipment manufacturer, as our recommendations may not perfectly match any particular configuration.

Importantly:

Prior to modifying your DNS settings, be certain to record your present server addresses or configurations on paper. It is critically important that you retain these values for backup purposes in case you require reverting to them at any point. I would also suggest printing this webpage in the event that problems arise and you need to refer back to these directions.

Google Public DNS IP addresses

The Google Public DNS IP addresses (IPv4) are as follows:

8.8.8.8
8.8.4.4

The Google Public DNS IPv6 addresses are as follows:

2001:4860:4860::8888
2001:4860:4860::8844

Some devices require explicit values for all eight fields of IPv6 addresses and cannot accept the abbreviated :: IPv6 address syntax. For such devices enter:

2001:4860:4860:0:0:0:0:8888
2001:4860:4860:0:0:0:0:8844

Note: Expand the 0 entries to 0000 if four hexadecimal digits are required.

You can utilize either address as your main or secondary DNS server. For the most trustworthy DNS administration, configure no less than two DNS locations. Do not specify a similar address as both primary and auxiliary. You can arrange Google Public DNS addresses for either IPv4 or IPv6 associations, or the two. For IPv6-simply systems with a NAT64 gateway utilizing the 64:ff9b::/96 prefix, you can utilize Google Public DNS64 rather than Google Public DNS IPv6 locations, giving association to IPv4-just administrations without some other arrangement.

Change your DNS settings for optimal resolution

Choosing reliable DNS servers ensures quick access across diverse networks and operating systems. While default configuration varies, specifying alternative resolvers in priority provides redundancy. Here we outline adjusting preferences to designate Google Public DNS as primary and secondary resolver on Windows, guaranteeing resolution through their high-performance infrastructure.

Windows:

1. On Windows, navigation is straightforward: access the Network and Sharing Center from the Control Panel then select the network interface properties. After authentication, the connection details window appears. Here, modify the DNS server addresses section at the bottom to enter 8.8.8.8 as preferred followed by 8.8.4.4 as alternative in case of primary failure. With a click of Apply, your selections take effect, ready to resolve names seamlessly through Google's public DNS from that point onward.
Within the Networking tab, choose whether you want to utilize "Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4)" or the more modern "Internet Protocol Version 6 (TCP/IPv6)" and click on the "Properties" button to view additional options.

2. Select the "Advanced" button and navigate to the "DNS" tab, where you'll find the DNS server information.

3. Commit to memory any presently configured DNS server addresses before removing them from the list to clear out obsolete entries.

4. Select the option for "Use the following DNS server addresses" and input Google's dependable Public DNS IP addresses for reliable name resolution services worldwide.

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For IPv4: Preferred DNS server: 8.8.8.8, Alternate DNS server: 8.8.4.4.
For IPv6: Preferred DNS server: 2001:4860:4860::8888, Alternate DNS server: 2001:4860:4860::8844.

5. Confirm your choices by clicking "OK" and close any open windows once complete.

6. Repeat these simple steps for any additional network connections you wish to update with the new DNS information.

macOS:

1. Click on the Apple menu and select "System Preferences" then choose "Network" from the options.

2. If necessary, click the lock symbol after verifying your identity with your preselected password to authorize modifications.

3. Select the connected network adapter whether Wi-Fi or Ethernet from the left column.

4. Press the "Advanced" button to expose additional settings.

5. Shift to the "DNS" tab for Domain Name System configurations.

6. Eliminate any existing DNS server addresses by highlighting them individually and pressing the negative/subtraction (-) symbol.

7. Press the positive/addition (+) symbol to input a fresh DNS web server.

8. Type in the Google Public DNS IP numbers for optimal accessibility:

For IPv4: 8.8.8.8, 8.8.4.4.
For IPv6: 2001:4860:4860::8888, 2001:4860:4860::8844.

9. Press "OK" then "Apply" to save adjustments.

10. Replicate these actions for any further connected networks requiring modification.

Linux (Ubuntu):

1. Click on the system menu then select "Settings" and afterwards choose "Network." Within these settings, select the internet connection whether by Ethernet cable or built-in Wi-Fi to configure.

2. Upon choosing the connection, a gear icon will appear to edit the connection details. Select this icon to bring up the modification window.

3. In the "Network Connections" window, identify the connection you want to adjust and click the "Edit" button to change the settings.

4. Toggle to the correct tab of either "IPv4" or "IPv6" and pick "Automatic (DHCP) addresses only" to automatically retrieve IP addresses.

5. Manually enter the domain name servers of Google Public DNS into the "DNS servers" field as follows:

For IPv4: 8.8.8.8, 8.8.4.4.
For IPv6: 2001:4860:4860::8888, 2001:4860:4860::8844.

6. Press "Save" to store the changes made, then close out of the window.

7. Repeat these adjustments for any additional network interfaces requiring customization of their settings.

ChromeOS:

1. Click the system tray icon positioned on the lower-right edge, selecting the network symbol to access connectivity configurations.

2. Upon opening the network menu, identify the preferred wireless access point or Ethernet connection requiring DNS adjustments.

3. Expanding the "Network" subheading reveals options to finely-tune Wi-Fi and wired internet properties.

4. The "DNS" field harbors capabilities to override default name resolution handling with custom entries.

5. Activate the "Custom name servers" selection to input IP addresses manually.

For IPv4: 8.8.8.8, 8.8.4.4.
For IPv6: 2001:4860:4860::8888, 2001:4860:4860::8844.

7. “Done” saves modifications, applying the changes system-wide.

Routers:

1. Navigate the web browser and input the numbered address of the router to access its control panel. Default addresses usually include 192.168.0.1, 192.168.1.1, 192.168.2.1 or 192.168.1.100. If none work, cross-check the networked settings for the standard pathway.

2. Input the encrypted phrase when prompted to access thy networking parameters.

3. Find the pane wherein settings for servers resolving domain names are stated.

4. If primary and secondary Internet numbers resolving domain names are already input, commit them to memory for reference.

5. Alter said settings in accordance with thy needs, taking care to verify each change.

6. Save all modifications and exit the router's control.

7. Replace those addresses with Cloudflare's DNS IP addresses:

For IPv4: Set the primary DNS server to 1.1.1.1 and the secondary DNS server to 1.0.0.1.
For IPv6: Set the primary DNS server to 2606:4700:4700::1111 and the secondary DNS server to 2606:4700:4700::1001.

8. Restart the browser to reflect the recent changes.

9. Test the new resolving configurations to ensure correct functioning.

IOS:

Effortlessly advance your connectivity using Cloudflare's renowned name resolution servers. Whether accessing data on your iPhone or iPad, simplify network tasks by modifying address book entries. The Settings portal allows personalized tweaks to enhance performance. Within the Wi-Fi menu, each linked location presents options for tailored DNS assignment. Scroll to unveil where to manually input backbone addresses for swiffer results.

Prefer numerical notation? Version 4 protocols accept primary and supplementary entries of 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4 respectively. Counting higher, the 6th generation specification supports 2001:4860:4860::8888 or 2001:4860:4860::8844 for prompt translations between names and numbers. Save edits to finalize the adjustments benefiting both current and upcoming browsing. Streamlined navigation awaits with dependable solutions from an industry leader.

Android (Android 9 or higher):

1. Launching the phone's Settings app brought up numerous networking options. Below the main "Network & Internet" section lay a more nuanced collection of tweaks and customizations.

2. Deeper analysis revealed an "Advanced" region containing DNS preferences. Upon accessing this subtly placed portion of the interface came an input field designated for manually entering a preferred hostname rather than relying on default resolution handling.

3. "dns.google" provided a well-known, easy-to-remember short name directing queries to Google's public Domain Name System servers. By specifying this target, I could take advantage of their performance, safety, and privacy features while online.

4. Once the single-word hostname had been entered and "Save" tapped, any apps or functions relying on domain lookups would begin resolving names through the new supplier. The change would propagate throughout the system in an elegant, invisible manner.

Note: For older Android versions, the process may vary, and you will need to configure DNS settings for each individual Wi-Fi network.

Other mobile devices:

Since each mobile device has a different user interface for configuring DNS server settings, follow these generic steps:

1. Go to the screen where Wi-Fi settings are specified.
2. Find the screen where DNS server settings are specified.
3. If there are existing IP addresses for the primary and secondary DNS servers, write them down.
4. Replace those addresses with Cloudflare's DNS IP addresses:

For IPv4: Set the primary DNS server to 1.1.1.1 and the secondary DNS server to 1.0.0.1.
For IPv6: Set the primary DNS server to 2606:4700:4700::1111 and the secondary DNS server to 2606:4700:4700::1001.

5. Save the changes.
6. Test the new DNS settings to ensure they are working correctly.

Test your new settings

To test that the Google DNS resolver is working:

1. From your browser, enter a hostname URL (such as http://www.google.com/). If it resolves correctly, quit the browser, load the page again and refresh it several times to make sure the result is not from a cached web page.
2. If you are using Google Public DNS64 on an IPv6-only system, repeat the above test with an IPv4-only hostname URL (such as http://ipv4.google.com/).
3. If all of these tests work, everything is working correctly. If not, go to the next step.
4. From your browser, type in a fixed IP address. You can use http://216.218.228.119/ (which points to the test-ipv6.com website) as the URL.
5. If you are using Google Public DNS64 on an IPv6-only system, use http://[64:ff9b::d8da:e477]/ as the URL instead. If this test does not work, you do not have access to a NAT64 gateway at the reserved prefix 64:ff9b::/96 and cannot use Google Public DNS64.
6. If you are using an IPv6-only system without Google Public DNS64, use http://[2001:470:1:18::119]/ as the URL instead.
7. If this works, reload the page with a new browser window to ensure that the page is loaded from scratch. If these tests pass (but step 1), there is a problem with your DNS configuration; check the steps above to ensure you have configured everything correctly. If these tests are ineffective, proceed to the next step.
8. Revert the DNS changes you made and run the tests again. If the tests still fail, there is a problem with your network settings; contact your ISP or network administrator for assistance.

Switch back to your old DNS settings

To return to your previous settings if you had not previously configured any customised DNS servers, in the window where you specified the Google IP addresses, select the option to enable obtaining DNS server addresses automatically and/or delete the Google IP addresses. This restores your settings to the default servers of your ISP.

Updated on:

June 6, 2024