How to Use the DNS Server Addresses from Public DNS Server

Updated

Pick a provider from the list, copy its primary and secondary addresses, then enter them in your device's or router's DNS settings. On most systems you replace the automatic (DHCP) DNS with manual entries, save, and reconnect. Use the IPv4 pair unless your network and device both support IPv6; you can also mix a primary from one provider with a secondary from another for extra redundancy, as the source notes.

Before you start

  • Choose one provider and note its primary (preferred) and secondary (alternate) addresses. For example, Google Public DNS is 8.8.8.8 / 8.8.4.4, and Cloudflare is 1.1.1.1 / 1.0.0.1.
  • Decide where to apply the change. Setting it on the router covers every device on the network; setting it on a single device only affects that device and is easier to undo.
  • Write down your current DNS setting (often "Automatic") so you can revert if something breaks.

Where the addresses go

Every operating system asks for the same two values in the same order:

Field What to enter
Primary / Preferred DNS The provider's first address
Secondary / Alternate DNS The provider's second address

IPv4 addresses look like 8.8.8.8. IPv6 addresses look like 2001:4860:4860::8888 and are entered in a separate IPv6 DNS field — don't put an IPv6 address in an IPv4 box or vice versa. If your device or router only shows IPv4 fields, use the IPv4 pair.

Changing DNS on a computer

Windows

  1. Open Settings → Network & Internet → your connection (Wi-Fi or Ethernet) → Edit IP assignment / DNS server assignment.
  2. Switch from Automatic (DHCP) to Manual.
  3. Enable IPv4, then type the primary address in Preferred DNS and the secondary in Alternate DNS.
  4. Save. If you also have IPv6 enabled and want to use IPv6 DNS, repeat in the IPv6 section with the provider's IPv6 addresses.

macOS

  1. Open System Settings → Network → your connection → Details → DNS.
  2. Click + and add the primary address, then add the secondary below it.
  3. Click OK, then Apply.

Expected result: the new addresses appear at the top of the DNS list, above any greyed-out automatic entries.

Changing DNS on a phone

  • Android: Settings → Network & Internet → Private DNS is a different feature; to enter raw addresses, edit the Wi-Fi network → Advanced → IP settings → Static, then fill in DNS 1 and DNS 2. This applies only to that Wi-Fi network.
  • iOS/iPadOS: Settings → Wi-Fi → tap the i next to your network → Configure DNS → Manual → remove automatic servers → Add Server for the primary and secondary.

Changing DNS on a router

  1. Log in to the router's admin page (address is usually printed on the router or in its manual).
  2. Find the Internet / WAN or DHCP section, often under "Advanced."
  3. Set DNS to Manual/Use these DNS servers and enter the primary and secondary addresses.
  4. Save and reboot the router if prompted.

This is the fastest way to apply one provider to every device, but it also means a bad address affects the whole household — which is why keeping your old settings written down matters.

Verify the change worked

  • Check the active servers: On Windows, run ipconfig /all in Command Prompt and look at "DNS Servers." On macOS/Linux, run scutil --dns or cat /etc/resolv.conf (Linux). The provider's addresses should appear.
  • Test resolution: Run nslookup example.com (Windows/macOS/Linux). The "Server" line should show the address you configured, and an answer should come back.
  • Flush the cache if results look stale: Windows ipconfig /flushdns; macOS sudo dscacheutil -flushcache; sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder; Linux depends on the resolver in use.

Common snags

  • No internet after the change: Revert to Automatic, or swap in a different provider's addresses. A typo in one digit is the usual cause.
  • Only one field available: Some interfaces accept just a primary address. Enter the primary and leave the secondary blank; the device will fall back to its own resolver if the primary fails.
  • IPv6 addresses ignored: If the network doesn't carry IPv6, those entries do nothing. Stick to IPv4.
  • VPN overrides your setting: A VPN client often forces its own DNS while connected. Disconnect the VPN to test your manual entries.
  • Router vs. device conflict: If the router hands out DNS via DHCP and a device is set to Automatic, the device uses the router's values. Set the device to Manual if you want it to differ.

Choosing addresses from the list

The source lists providers by region and purpose rather than ranking them, so match the provider to your situation: global anycast services (Google, Cloudflare, Quad9) for general use, regional providers (AliDNS, Baidu, DNSPod, 114DNS) when you want resolution closer to a specific country, and filtering-oriented names (OpenDNS, Comodo Secure DNS, Norton ConnectSafe, SafeDNS) when content filtering is the goal. You can pair a primary from one provider with a secondary from another — the source explicitly notes primary and secondary servers can be mixed and matched for an added layer of redundancy.