An ISP likely comes with default settings which doesn’t optimize your connection speed. If you’re comfortable messing around with Internet settings, check out this handy tool to give things a boost. It makes a difference in web browsing speed, and even streaming from my Apple TV.
Namebench scans the fastest DNS servers for your computer. It doesn’t change anything for you. Even if this looks confusing, it’s a simple modification.
Mac OSX:
Open System Preferences
Double-click the Network icon
Click on your current connection
Click on Advanced
In the DNS tab, change the servers to the ones namebench gave you.
Windows:
Go to Control Panel
Network Connections and select your local network.
Click Properties
Select Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)
Click Properties
Change the DNS Servers to the ones namebench gave you.
This should speed up your internet either drastically, or enough to smile. Let us know if this helped you!
(If you’re fuzzy on what exactly DNS servers do for you, we’ve got info for you about that here.)
It’s funny, when I looked at my current internet settings & server IP addresses, they already matched what namebench recommended, how do you suppose that is, maybe I’m a prodigy!!! “B”
Ha, sweet! I was already using OpenDNS, but namebench said UltraDNS was faster. So much for thinkin’ I was maxing out.
One thing I forgot to mention, is you can change DNS servers on some mobile devices too.
Particularly iOS – Open Settings, Wifi, Click the blue arrow next to the WAP, and change the DNS server.
That’s good Ross, thanks!!! Is it done in a similar way as with PC & MAC? If not, maybe you could do a supplement to this post instructing us how. This would be very valuable to smart phone users… “B”
Yep it’s the same. The DNS servers work on pretty much anything that has internet config settings. That’s the best way I can word it
It claims I’m now 38.6% faster!! Can’t tell much of a difference.
What about security? Is DNS s are secure to use specially in secure websites ?
They all have security features. For example OpenDNS has Domain Whitelisting, Adult Site blocking, and Phishing protection to name a few.
Just ran the test and I’m already on the fastest setting, so I’m quite pleased with that!!