General

Top 7 Best DNS Servers to Use

August 9, 2022

If you have an iota of knowledge about the essential workings of the internet, then there is a likelihood that you have heard about DNS.

Domain Name Servers or DNS is one of the primary building blocks of what we know and use as the internet.

While we are provided with a default DNS by our internet service provider, there are some occasions when you may need to use a different or an alternate DNS server.

Advantages of using alternate DNS servers include:

Using an alternative DNS server can help you unlock content that is blocked by region.
Depending on where the DNS you are using is located, you can enjoy better speeds.

Using a different DNS server will also see to it that your ISP is not able to keep a log of every minute of your internet browsing activity and bother you with ads or sell your data.
Using specific third-party DNS servers can also protect you from any form of security attacks such as malware, phishing, and ransomware.

Before now, you had to pay if you wanted access to any other DNS server apart from the ones that accompanied your ISP.

Thankfully, things have changed today, as many companies are now providing both free and public DNS servers that can be used without costing us a dime.

So, if you want to get any of the listed benefits of alternative DNS servers, below are 7 of the best DNS servers you can try out:

Best DNS Servers You Can Use

1. Cloudflare DNS

Cloudflare is one of the leading companies in the world that works in web performance and domain security. Recently, Cloudflare launched its brand new DNS service, which stands as one of the best public and free DNS servers that you can access today.

Their new DNS server, which is the 1.1.1.1 is presently one of the fastest and privacy-first DNS servers that you can get on the web. Firstly, the company will never log your IP address, which is what an ISP uses for tracking a user’s internet habits.

The company has even gone the extra mile to hire KPMG to have their systems annually audited to ensure that they deliver on their privacy promises.

Secondly, the DNS servers they offer bring boosted speeds as the company claims more than a 28% increase in speed when compared to other providers I’d DNS services.

Cloudflare has also made it very easy users to set up their DNS preferences as it takes only a couple of minutes to get it all set up.

Pros of using this provider:

Free to charge for using

Never logs users browsing data
Faster than most DNS servers

Cons:

Nothing I could identify

IP Addresses for DNS: 1.1.1.1, 1.0.0.1

Visit: Website

2. Google Public DNS

Google Public DNS service is one you have probably heard of. It is one of the most famous free and public DNS servers that are available for use.

The Google DNS server was launched in December 2009, and it aims to make the internet more secure and reliable.

According to information available on their website, the Google Public DNS offers protection to its users against all kinds of phishing attacks, mostly for those who are using older hardware for internet access.

One of the most notable advantages you will get by opting for a Google Public DNS is optimized speed and enhanced security.

Google makes use of Anycast routing to find the closest server to use for data interaction, thus ensuring that you get the information you need in the shortest time possible.

To use Google Public DNS, a person will have to configure their network settings to use IP addresses 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4 as their new DNS servers. Google Public DNS also offers support for IPv6 addresses.

However, there is a need for a little more configuration, which users can quickly learn as well. Overall, using Google Public DNS is a pretty good option for those who are looking to use a third-party DNS server.

Pros of using this provider:

It is entirely free to use

Brings unmatched speed enhancements
Protects users against phishing and against DDoS attacks

Cons of using this service provider:

Google may probably be logging a user’s browsing history

IP Addresses for DNS: 8.8.8.8, 8.8.4.4

Visit: Website

3. OpenDNS

OpenDNS is an entirely free and public service that is provided by Cisco, which is one of the giants in the networking space.

With OpenDNS, you are given tools to not only access the internet in a fast and secure manner but also to prevent attacks from shady and crafted clone websites.

This service also blocks phishing websites the same way Google does and also blocks websites that have been flagged for having malware.

In the same way, Google Public DNS works, OpenDNS makes use of Anycast routing to route a user’s connection to the nearest DNS servers to serve users faster page load times.

OpenDNS also features self-healing technologies with all of its servers spread across three continents.

OpenDNS is Designed against the failure of almost every area of the system, and its self-healing technology is capable of withstanding tremendous disruption to their infrastructure without leading to any disruption for customers.

So, if you are looking for an old and reliable DNS service that will never disappoint you, try out OpenDNS.

Pros of using this provider:

The service is free for use

It brings about speed enhancements
It also protects against malware attacks, phishing attacks, and cloned websites

Cons of using this provider:

Always logs the DNS traffic that it gets

IP Addresses for DNS: 208.67.222.222, 208.67.220.220

Visit: Website

4. Comodo Secure DNS

Comodo Secure DNS is a public domain name resolution service that solves all your DNS requests via the company’s worldwide network of DNS servers that are redundant.

This can offer a much faster and reliable Internet browsing experience for users than making use of the DNS servers that are provided by your ISP.

Comodo Secure DNS also doesn’t require the installation of any hardware or software. Comodo Secure DNS’s server infrastructure presently spans 15 locations (nodes) and five Out of the seven continents in the world.

This means that most customers will have a nearby DNS server resulting in faster and safer internet speeds.

Comodo Secure DNS is also praised for keeping users safe and secure with its feature for malware domain filtering.

SecureDNS offers a real-time reference of a block list of harmful websites ( malware sites, phishing sites, spyware sites, as well as parked domains, among others).

They also warn visitors whenever they attempt to access a website that contains any potentially threatening content. With the increase in malware attacks day by day, this security makes sure that a user can surf the web without having to face any of its lurking dangers.

Pros of using this provider:

Completely free for personal use

Covers 5 out of the seven continents
Protects against malware sites, phishing attacks, spyware sites, and more

Cons of using this provider:

They are not as reliable as the three mentioned above

IP Addresses for DNS: 8.26.56.26, 8.20.247.20

Visit: Website

5. Quad9 DNS

Quad9 DNS is another good free, and public DNS server that users can try when they want to route their traffic away from the ISP provided DNS servers.

A lot like the other DNS servers listed in this article, once it is configured, Quad9 automatically routes a user’s DNS queries through their secure network of servers around the world.

The system makes use of threat intelligence from many of the leading cybersecurity companies in the industry to provide a real-time perspective on a website’s threat analysis.

Whenever this provider’s DNS servers spot an infected or cloned site, they instantly block your connection to protect your device and data.

Quad9 DNS is quite easy to set up and does not require any form of software installations. If you do not find any of the DNS mentioned above servers helpful, you can check this one out.

Pros of using this provider:

It is entirely free for personal use
Users are protected against privacy attacks
It keeps a real-time record of website threat analysis

Cons of using this provider:

Might come with a slower speed depending on where you are

IP Addresses for DNS: 9.9.9.9

Visit: Website

6. DNS. Watch

DNS. Watch is a fantastic third-party DNS server for individuals who want to surf the internet without dealing with the pains of restricted content.

This DNS server is completely free for use and does not need any installations. Whereas the other DNS server providers also assist in opening the geo-restricted content, what DNS.

Watch does is solely this purpose, and that means users will have nothing but the best-unrestricted internet experience with this provider. Because the company strongly believes in user privacy, it does not log any DNS queries that are sent by your devices.

Since there is no case of data logging, your data is safely kept away from the claws of ad agencies. That pointed out, since DNS.

Watch is one of the small companies out there; it does not have the resources to offer threat analysis like a few of the other DNS service providers we have listed.

This means you will have to safeguard yourself against malware, phishing, and any of such attacks.

Pros of using this service:

The service is free to use

There is DNS Neutrality
Doesn’t have any business logging your queries
Doesn’t swell or share your data

Cons:

Doesn’t offer protection against attacks and shady websites

IP Addresses for DNS: 84.200.69.80, 84.200.70.40

Visit: Website

7. Verisign

The last DNS server that is open and public on this list is the Verisign Public DNS server, which claims to offer stability, privacy, and security.

The stability part is very essential as it makes sure that you always stay connected and never have to deal with any downtime as a result of the DNS server you are using. The company also offers robust protection from most security flaws around the internet.

It does not sell your DNS queries to any of the third-party data harvesting companies; neither does it redirect your queries to show you any ads.

Pros of using this provider: