If your internet is slow and you think you have tried to do everything, then you are in luck: I have got another fix that you may not have tried. Changing your DNS settings on your Wi-Fi router or your computer can affect your internet speed-but how do you know which device they have to change?
Why does it matter where you change your DNS
Every time you click on a link, your device asks a DNS server to translate the name of that website into an IP address. This lookup occurs in milliseconds, but if your DNS server is slow, a sharp connection may also feel dull. By converting my ISP’s default DNS into more reliable DNS, I was able to get a fast address lookup.
The effect is real: A slow DNS can add hundreds of milliseconds to every website load, which piles up quickly when she opens a lot of tabs or streaming materials.
You can set DNS in two places:
- Router: All devices of your network use the DNS you choose, until you override it on the device.
- Per-device: Only he uses computer, phone, or tablet your chosen DNS; Everything else is affixed to the router’s default.
Your router acts as a traffic director for your home network. If you set DNS on the router, each device gets similar treatment. But setting DNS on your computer bypasses the DNS of the router and talks directly to your chosen server. This difference may matter more than you think, especially if you have a mixture of equipment or using your network for streaming or heavy browsing. A slow DNS server can delay access to websites and services.
Router vs. Computer DNS: Which setup gives me the pace of internet fast
To test which setup rapidly provided DNS resolution, I used Microsoft’s resolution- Dnsname CMDlet And for those sites, the lookup time created a Powershell script that I travel most often, such as YouTube, Netflix, Twitch, Gmail, and some others. I tested both the initial (uncad) lookup and repeat (cache), so how both setups. I used Google’s public DNS (8.8.4.4) for these tests, as it is one of the largest and best DNS providers.
Initial connection speed
When I first visited a website with an empty DNS cache, leading the fast lookup time to configure the DNS server directly on my computer. The test data returns it. For example, when I queried YouTube or Netflix using Google DNS set on the router, the lookup time was usually between 64 and 68 milliseconds. However, when I configured Google DNS directly on my PC, the same look fell from about 58 to 62 milliseconds.
I have to flush DNS on my Windows PC and do several times testing the DNSMASQ several times to test DNSMASQ on my router (a light DNS forward used by many routers). After some tests, the direct PC for the DNS server looked continuously faster, only for a few milliseconds.
Overall, a direct PC for DNS connection improved the speed of the lookup, but no additional milliseconds make no commendable differences. I cannot tell while visiting sites on my browser, especially other factors, such as server response time and resources, take different times to load. However, if you just want the fastest DNS possible, setting DNS directly on your PC will give a little better result.
Cachet performance
But what happens after that first visit when DNS comes in a cashing game? This is the place where the DNS cash of the router can really shine, although not in the way you can expect. Once a site address is cache – whether by router or by Windows – the repeat lookups become very fast.
With the router handling being capable of DNS and cache, the Google DNS looks reduced as 10–14 milliseconds. When Windows DNS was in the cash game, the lookup was even less immersed, sometimes 6-8 milliseconds. In practice, both setups felt lightning for repeat trips. Although setting DNS directly on PCs still removes the router DNS, the ability of the router to cache to DNS from all the devices in the network overtakes the additional few milliseconds from setting the DNS on a device far away. By pooling all your DNS cash on the router, all other equipment gets to enjoy the addressed addresses a few more times without going to the site.
Overall, your network will probably save longer to set the DNS on the router when it comes to a cashing address.
Real world streaming and gaming
For online game, DNS mostly affects how soon you connect to a server or match. Once you are in the game, DNS does not play almost any role in your ping or interval, as it only helps in early server discovery or matchmaking. Nevertheless, if you play a lot of different games or often switch servers, a fast DNS can shave your matchmaking and login second seconds.
I tested it with sports like League of Legends and Dragon Nest. Changing DNS on my PC can improve login and matchmaking, but once the game began, there was no difference in ping or gameplay lubrication. If you are following lower ping, focus on the quality of your ISP and connection, not your DNS.
How did each method affect all my equipment
When you change your DNS settings, where you do, it can shape how each device on your network performs.
Router-Cowl DNS: Set it and forget it
Setting DNS on the router meant every device in my house, which included phone, tablet, smart TV and game console, used the same fast DNS. I did not need to touch each device, and guests automatically get the same better experience.
This approach also prevents the device from falling down the ISP DNS server. In addition, the cache of the router visited the network to repeat for all. If a family member loads a site on his device, it will also open rapidly to me due to cashing. But the business was closed:
- No device optimization per device: My gaming PC could not use a special gaming DNS, while the rest of the house used a privacy-centric provider.
- Router dependence: If the router reboot, cache DNS data is erased, the cash rebuilding causes a brief recession.
Nevertheless, this is a great option.
Device-Cowl DNS: more control and more work
Setting DNS on individual devices lets me optimize for each use case. My job uses the malware-blocking DNS (1.1.1.1) of the laptop Cloudflare, my living room is stuck with Google DNS or Smart DNS for TV streaming, and my phone switchs to DNS if I am on Wi-Fi or mobile data.
This setup gives me the fastest possible DNS lookup on my main devices and lets me experiment with privacy and security features. But it was also more task to install it. With a dozen equipment, the management of individual settings becomes tedious. Family members sometimes forget to update their DNS after network changes, causing inconsistent speed and sometimes disappointment.
Finally, the option between router-wide and device-level DNS is not just about speed-how much control you want and how much you are ready to work to run your network, just how you like it.
Which DNS setup is right for you?
So, which DNS setup is right for you? In terms of speed, you will get a fast DNS lookup by setting DNS directly on your PC. This is because your PC is going on the router for DNS, allowing it to solve a address locally. However, this speed benefit is so low that you will not feel the difference. Honestly, after all my tests, using both the router and PC-level DNS is the best way to simultaneously what your network can do.
Setting DNS on your router gives every device a sharp, reliable baseline in your home. This means that you only have to configure things once, and suddenly your phones, laptops, tablets and smart TVs all benefit from better DNS performance and privacy. The DNS cash of the router has also accelerated the trips to repeat for all, so the entire house gets a smooth experience when looking at its favorite sites or streaming services again.
But this is just half the story. By setting DNS directly on specific devices, you unlock a whole new level of flexibility. For example, I use Smart DNS to bypass geopolitated content on my streaming TV. I cannot set this particular DNS on my router because it is too slow in solving the address and will affect all my equipment. But if I only set it on my smart TV or PC, only that device is affected by slow DNS:
While an acceptable trade is closed to reach a slow DNS area-closed material, it should not be default for all devices on your network. By carefully setting special DNS on specific equipment, those devices get to reach some functionalities, while everything else in your home continues to enjoy the speed of your router sets.
Another major advantage of setting DNS on your computer is testing new DNS providers before rolling over your entire network. Maybe you want to see if a new service is really faster, more reliable, or provides better privacy. By trying on your PC first, you can use the rest of your devices without any risk. If something does not do the right thing, it is easy to switch back – the entire house is not required to troubleshoot.
This hybrid approach also means that you can customize DNS for specific requirements. Want additional security on your work laptop? Set it to use DNS blocking malware. Need the lowest delay for gaming? Indicate your gaming PC on the fastest DNS that you can find. Meanwhile, all the rest of the house at home still benefit from the setup of the router, and you do not need to manage a dozen separate configurations.
In practice, the combination of routers and device-level DNS settings gives you the best of both world: widespread improvement for all, and targeted tweex where you need them most. This is the most versatile, future-proof way to keep your network sharp, flexible and ready-you throw it-are streaming, gaming, working, or simply browsing web.
