how to change dns settings

To change DNS settings, the process depends on the device or system being used. Here are the general methods for Windows, macOS, and routers:

Changing DNS on Windows 10/11

1. Right-click the network icon in the system tray and select "Network & Internet Settings."
2. Click on "Change adapter options" or go to advanced network settings.
3. Right-click your active network connection and select "Properties."
4. Highlight "Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4)" and click "Properties."
5. Select "Use the following DNS server addresses."
6. Enter the preferred and alternate DNS server addresses (e.g., 1.1.1.1 for Cloudflare, 8.8.8.8 for Google DNS).
7. Click "OK" to save changes.
8. Verify the changes by running "ipconfig /all" in Command Prompt to see updated DNS servers.

Changing DNS on macOS

1. Go to "System Preferences" > "Network."
2. Select your active network connection and click "Advanced."
3. Go to the "DNS" tab.
4. Click "+" to add new DNS servers or "–" to remove old ones (e.g., 9.9.9.9 for Quad9).
5. Click "OK" and then "Apply" to save changes.
6. Test configuration by pinging a website using Terminal.

Changing DNS on a Router

1. Log in to your router’s admin interface (commonly at 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1).
2. Locate DNS settings under WAN, LAN, or DHCP settings (varies by router).
3. Enter new DNS server addresses (e.g., 208.67.222.222 for OpenDNS).
4. Save and restart the router if needed.
5. Verify DNS is applied on a device connected to the network.

These steps allow using custom DNS providers for better speed, security, or filtering compared to the default ISP DNS.