For a variety of reasons, including viewing content that is blocked or wanting to increase browsing speed and privacy, you might want to modify your DNS server. However, you must first be experienced at doing it.

It is important to have some basic knowledge of DNS servers. Continue reading this article to learn more about DNS servers and how to setup one on router setup page!

What is DNS?

When it comes to communicating over the internet, computers, mobile devices, and routers use IP addresses, which are numbers. A DNS (domain name system) server is a computer server that serves as the internet equivalent of a phone book, translating domain names into IP addresses. The traffic that travels between your browser and the server hosting the content you wish to see is enabled by DNS servers.

Your browser sends a request to a DNS server to retrieve the associated IP address when you type a domain name into the address bar. The browser can connect to the website’s server and view the website because the DNS server locates the correct IP address and sends it back to the browser.

Benefits of Overriding DNS:

• Unblocking Contents: Using DNS servers, some governments and ISPs limit or prevent access to particular websites. In certain instances, you can get around these limitations and watch the content you desire by switching to a different DNS server.
• Enhanced Security & Privacy: It’s possible that your internet service provider (ISP), which doubles as your DNS provider, is monitoring your IP address, the content you’re viewing, the websites you visit and how long you spend on them. You can restrict the amount of information your ISP can gather about you by changing your DNS server. Other security features that a secure DNS server provides include thwarting malicious website access and guarding against phishing attacks that steal personal information.
• Fix Speed limitations: If your current DNS server is experiencing high traffic and slowing down your internet connection, you can select a faster server to increase the speed at which websites load on your computer.

There are some disadvantages to changing the DNS server. It is important to understand the risk before using any DNS server.

• DNS Spoofing: This kind of cyberattack involves hackers manipulating the DNS cache to send traffic to phishing and other malicious websites. They do this by breaking into the cache and replacing data with phony redirects. They accomplish this by either deceiving the server into accepting false information or by taking advantage of software flaws in the server. You are taken to a malicious website that has the ability to steal personal information or infect your device with malware when you attempt to access an affected domain.
• Content Filtering: Access to specific websites or content may be blocked by some DNS providers. You may discover that certain websites or services are inaccessible if you move to a DNS server that imposes censorship or content filtering.

Now, let’s see the method of changing DNS address.

• Open the router setup page (most router setup pages can be accessed via 192.168.100.1) and login with the default username and password.
• Head to the WAN section, as shown in the screenshot.

• On the WAN configuration page, click on the square box to edit the default settings.
• Head to IPv4 Information and click the DNS override box.
• Now, put the DNS server address you would like to use; in our case, we used Cloudflare DNS.

• Click on apply after typing your DNS server address and you’re ready to rock.