Set Up OpenDNS in Windows 7 (Faster Website Loading)
Do you have DNS issues? Are websites loading slowly? Is your ISP DNS Server slow? Is your browser not working at all? Answered any of the questions with yes? If so, you might want to set up OpenDNS on Windows 7. It’s really a simple configuration but can help tremendously.
OpenDNS is a free DNS server that will do all the DNS lookups for you. If your ISP (Internet Service Provider, e.g. AT & T) has a slow DNS server, your DNS lookups will be slow. This in return will result in slow website loading. That’s why OpenDNS might help you to speed up your internet connection.
DNS: General Infos
But what is DNS and what are DNS lookups? DNS stands for Domain Name System. All domains (web addresses) are linked to IP numbers of so called nameservers that translate the domain name request to an IP. Simply put, DNS is like the telephone book of the internet. Your ISP DNS server is basically a large telephone book with many domains and their IP’s, but if that server is slow finding the correct number (IP) will take a bit longer.
OpenDNS has servers all over the world to optimize DNS queries and make DNS lookups blazing fast.. It’s a free service that you can rely on. It’s also helps to prevent phishing and has many advantages in general.
Changing DNS Server Windows 7
1. Right-click on the “Network” icon on your desktop and click on “Properties”:
2. Click on Local Area Connection (hyperlink)
3. Next, click on Properties:
4. Select Internet Protocol Version 4 and click on Properties:
5. At the bottom it says Use the following DNS server address. Enter:
Preferred DNS Server: 208.67.222.222
Alternate DNS Server: 208.67.220.220
Finally.. Flush DNS
Your webbrowsers have a cache. They are also caching the address of your DNS server. So, in order to actually use the new OpenDNS server for faster DNS lookups we have to flush the DNS and get rid of the old entries!
How to do that?
1. Open Command Prompt
2. Enter ipconfig /flushdns
Full details here: Clear DNS Cache in Windows 7
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Written by oliversk Saturday, October 23rd, 2010
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