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Preferred DNS Router Settings?

FIXED
Beanhead
Dabbler
Posts: 17
Thanks: 3
Fixes: 1
Registered: ‎24-01-2016

Preferred DNS Router Settings?

Hi,

So after last nights issue I changed my DNS settings to 1.1.1.1 and 1.0.0.1 and got it back online.

Seems like the issue has been fixed, so should I undo this now? I guess the question I'm asking is do I let the router auto designate or keep it these, or even change to another?

I don't fully understand DNS if I'm honest.

Thanks

3 REPLIES 3
pjmarsh
Superuser
Superuser
Posts: 4,152
Thanks: 1,678
Fixes: 23
Registered: ‎06-04-2007

Re: Preferred DNS Router Settings?

Fix

The job of DNS is to convert a domain name to an IP address and vise versa.

Every time you call something by a domain name (a single webpage might do this several times) the DNS service is called to do the conversion and get your traffic heading in the right direction.

The advantages of using an ISPs DNS servers is that they should be "closer" to you and so it would be quicker to get a response from them.  Last nights issue was that 2 of Plusnets DNS servers stopped doing that for an hour or 2.

The advantage of using a Third Parties DNS Server like CloudFlare's (1.1.1.1) or Googles (8.8.8.8) is that they often offer other services such as content blocking (porn, gambling etc...) and ad blocking (stopping some of the advert popups) and such like.

Really the call is yours as to if you switch back or not.  Hopefully Plusnet's issue from last night is fixed and whatever the cause of it has been mitigated against.  Issues like that are rare but could potentially happen to any of the services.

Superusers are not staff, but they do have a direct line of communication into the business in order to raise issues, concerns and feedback from the community.

Beanhead
Dabbler
Posts: 17
Thanks: 3
Fixes: 1
Registered: ‎24-01-2016

Re: Preferred DNS Router Settings?

Great explanation, appreciate that. Thanks

RobPN
Seasoned Hero
Posts: 5,229
Thanks: 2,754
Fixes: 13
Registered: ‎17-05-2013

Re: Preferred DNS Router Settings?

@Beanhead 

Many people use DNS servers from two (or more) third party services instead of all from one service, which gives more resilience from the effects of just one service failing.

e.g. from the examples given above, you could set your Primary DNS to Cloudfare and Secondary DNS to Google.

 

Edit:  typo