Dave's Computer Repair Blog – How using third-party DNS can speed up your internet
DNS, or Domain Name Servers translate a web address (URL) into the language spoken by the internet, IP addresses. My website URL is https://www.davescomputers.com/, which you type in to get here. But the server my website sits on is actually 216.119.152.127. DNS translates that www. address into the server’s IP address, making sure you arrive at the right place. This is called a DNS lookup.
It works much like a phone directory. You look up someone’s name (the URL) and the directory tells you their number (their IP address). You dial that number and connect to the person you wanted to call. A DNS server is that phone directory.
There are huge DNS servers on the internet and smaller ones run by your ISP. Depending on the efficiency of your ISPs DNS server, it can take a fraction of a second to perform a DNS lookup or a couple of seconds. Shaving this time as much as possible means websites are found and loaded faster.
Google and OpenDNS are two of many fast DNS services that could potentially speed up your surfing experience. They are also two of the most reliable. There are others too. Which is fastest depends on where in the world you live.
How to find the fastest DNS server for your location
If you think you would benefit from changing your DNS server, here’s how to do it.
- Download Namebench from Google.
- Extract and run the program. It will take a little while but it will explore the fastest DNS servers for your region.
- Open your router’s config page and take a screenshot of your existing DNS servers. You will usually find these on the ‘Internet’ page or something like it. This differs between routers.
- Replace the two DNS addresses with the fastest ones found by Namebench.
- Save and reboot both your router and your computer.
Other reasons to consider third party DNS servers
OpenDNS offers a range of parental controls, allowing you to control where and when your child can surf while at home. As a result of this feature, it can also protect from some phishing websites too.
Both OpenDNS and Google DNS offer DNSSEC, which is an extra level of security that ensures DNS records are legitimate and not faked. This prevents you being sent to a website you didn’t ask for or that has been hijacked. Finally, if you live somewhere that censors the internet or geoblocks content, there are special DNS services that help you overcome those limitations too.
Changing your DNS server isn’t exactly necessary. But if you’re like me and like to tweak your computer or get as much performance as possible out of it, this is a useful change to make.
Thank you for reading Dave's Computer Repair Blog, if you ever need computer repair or data recovery assistance give us a call or fill out the contact form on the bottom right of the website.Have you ever noticed that if you don’t have the current version of a type of software, then you can run into issues just because other types of software may not work properly with it? Often, you can rectify various problems simply by taking the time to upgrade software. In fact, if you don’t have the newest version of Internet Explorer, then you may not be getting all of the features available. Of course, how do you know if you have the current version of Internet Explorer or if you need to upgrade? With Dave's Computers computer help tips, it's easy to find your current version of IE.
This tutorial will help you find the right information so that you don’t have to contact a computer repair service. Of course, if you discover you do need to upgrade and you are unsure of what to do, then a computer support professional can help you.
You really only have to go through a couple of steps in order to find out what version you have of Internet Explorer.
Begin by opening your Internet browser.
Once you have it opened Internet Explorer, then the next step would be to click on the gear icon that shows up at the top right of the screen. If you don’t see a gear, that would indicate that you have a much older version of Internet Explorer and you would need to click on Help. Once a menu opens, then you should look for a button that says About Internet Explorer.
When you click on this button, then should see a screen with a big Internet Explorer logo on a window that comes up in the middle of the screen. Underneath the logo, you will see the version you currently have. To determine if that is the newest one, you can do a quick Internet search.
In addition to seeing the logo and the version, you will also see a checkbox that will allow Internet Explorer to automatically update itself. This way, you will always have the newest version of Internet Explorer on your computer without having to do anything or contact a computer help service. If you check this box, you will always have the updates, but if you leave it unchecked, then you will need to manually install the updates each time.
Right now, the newest version of Internet Explorer is 11, and if you have that version, then you will not need to perform any updates. If you have anything older, then you will want to update it. If you have any problems with that, then you can contact a computer repair service for assistance.
Contact us for More Assistance with Computer Help
Of course, if you need help with your Internet browser or you have other issues with your computer, then you can contact Dave's Computers. We offer a variety of computer repair services remotely so that you don’t even have to unhook your machine or take time out of your life. Contact us today for your computer support needs.
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Let’s face it. These days, as soon as you have one version of some type of software, it seems like a new version becomes available. That’s not quite the case, but new things are released regularly, and you may be confused about what you actually have on your computer. In fact, plenty of people in your shoes have contacted a computer help service because they had no idea if they needed to get an update or not.
When it comes to Internet browsers, it is especially important that you know what version you have. That’s because certain websites, features, and controls will only work on certain versions of the main browser options. So, if you use Internet Explorer, you need to know what version you have, and you don’t have to contact computer support to find out.
There is a quick and simple way to find out what version of Internet Explorer you have, so before you call for computer help, try this:
Open Internet Explorer
Look for a gear icon at the top right of the screen. If you have an older version of Internet Explorer, you may need to click help at the top of the screen.
Next, click About Internet Explorer in the menu that appears.
You will see a screen that shows you the Internet Explorer logo along with the version you have on your computer. It will be listed directly below the logo.
If you want to make sure you always have the newest version of the browser, then you can also check a button on that screen that will ensure new updates are applied automatically. That way, you don’t have to worry about updating anything yourself, or calling computer repair services to help you with manual updates.
Did you know that Internet Explorer actually works as more than just as a browser? Windows Update actually uses this browser to send patches and repairs that your machine needs. This is yet another reason why it is so important to keep the browser up to date. If it is out of date, then your machine may be missing important patches that are designed to protect its safety.
At this time, the newest version of Internet Explorer is 11, so if you have that one, then you are up to date. If you do not, then it would be time to run an update on your machine and get things to the present.
If you have any trouble updating Internet Explorer or you feel that something else is wrong with your machine, then do not hesitate to contact computer help. You definitely want to get things repaired and back on track as soon as possible. DavesComputers.com specializes in a variety of different computer problems, including hard drive recovery and much more. So, when your machine just isn’t acting right, and you don’t know what else to do, then contact us today. We will be glad to assist you.
If you found this article helpful, please be sure to share it.When you browse the Internet, what program do you use? Some people are very loyal to one brand for one reason or another. Others are open to the best option they could pick. If you are unsure what web browser you should be using and you want to avoid having to get computer support every time you don’t know how to do something, then consider choosing from one of the top three. Here is a breakdown of what Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, and Mozilla Firefox have to offer. This will help you make the right decision for your own web browsing preference.
Google Chrome
There’s a few reasons why so many people choose Google Chrome for their Internet browsing. It is fast, sleek, and great for supporting HTML 5. Other benefits of Chrome include a built in Flash player, a built in PDF reader, and quality security. It also includes a tab browsing system called “Panorama”, which makes organization much easier. However, there is one main downfall of this browser. While it may be strong on security, it is weak on privacy. For example, if you want the browser to stop tracking your Internet use, then you have to go on a hunt for the “do not track” checkbox, which seems to be well buried in the options and settings menu, leaving many people to seek out computer repair services.
Internet Explorer
A few years ago, Internet Explorer seemed to be going the way of Netscape Navigator. People didn’t use it much and it was not keeping up with competition from Chrome and Firefox. However, things have changed extensively. The newer versions of the software are fast, sleek, and easy to use. Privacy and security controls are very strong and graphics acceleration is included. However, Internet Explorer has its downfalls as well: it doesn’t sync or use WebRTC and it is limited on what operating system it can work with. You may need computer help to determine if you can even use Internet Explorer because it only works with Windows 7 and 8.
Mozilla Firefox
Considered somewhat the baby of the group, Firefox isn’t really that old in the world of Internet browsers. In the beginning, it was considered almost a kitschy choice only picked by those who wanted to veer from the mainstream. However, Mozilla has moved forward with becoming one of the premier web browsers available. Features include a sleek design, a fully customizable browsing experience, and strong security as well as privacy. It also includes a built in PDF viewer. The main concern over this option is the lack of Flash support. Additionally, it doesn’t work too well with iOS (Apple) devices since it cannot sync.
So, how do you choose a browser? It’s really up to you based on the pros and cons that matter the most for your own Internet use. You can always contact computer repair services if you need more advice, and since they are all free, you can actually try out the three browsers to find the one you prefer. If you need help installing an Internet browser or help with the settings within it, feel free to contact computer-help.com today.
📞 Call Dave's — 908-428-9558