Best & Fastest DNS Servers For Gaming In 2023

Yaseen Quinn Training 13 August 2023

DNS is the cornerstone of current internet interactions, but can it assist you in obtaining those coveted headshots? Can you reduce latency by using a free DNS server? Which DNS server is better for gaming? Don’t worry; this article will answer all of your questions.

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Contents

What is DNS?
Does DNS affect gaming?
If DNS does not affect gaming in a major way, what does?
What are the best DNS servers to use?
So, what is the best DNS server for gaming?
How we test a DNS server?
How can I find the fastest DNS service?
Conclusion
FAQs

What is DNS?

DNS (short for “Domain Name System”) is a particular database that converts domain names to IP addresses. It’s similar to your phone’s contact list in that you take something simple to remember (like a friend’s or website’s name) and match it to something you constantly forgetting (like lengthy phone numbers or IP addresses).

This is how it works. When you put “bestgamesite.com” into your browser, your device has no idea where it is – it requires the server’s IP address to connect. What it does understands where to search first. Your device makes a DNS request to its allocated DNS server, which matches the domain name to its IP address and returns the information. Your device establishes the connection and loads the webpage for you using the IP address.

Does DNS affect gaming?

DNS has an impact on various gaming concerns. Fast DNS servers, for example, may help online pages (such as gaming news sites) load significantly quicker. Changing DNS servers may also provide you access to new games, modifications, or clans if their websites were previously blocked by your old DNS.

But what happens once you start a game? That’s all. Because the game software determines where to connect, changing DNS providers will not result in new servers appearing in your multiplayer lobby. DNS will also have no effect on your in-game latency — your ping will be as high or low as before.

If DNS does not affect gaming in a major way, what does?

A variety of elements influence your gaming experience. If you really want to play without interruptions, you need pay close attention to:

Your internet connection. For online multiplayer, you don’t need a supercharged strategy; most games merely want you to exchange data about player status and location. However, a solid connection is required. If your service has significant glitches or goes down on a regular basis, you may be fragged by opportunistic opponents or thrown off the server completely. If you wish to utilize a virtual private network (VPN) to protect your connection at the same time, make sure you use a reputable gaming VPN.
Distance to your game server. Your actions in-game do not occur instantaneously — your data must first reach the game server, which must then provide an update on the game’s status to your client. This time lag between your actions and the server’s response is referred to as “latency” and is measured in “ping.” The further you are from the actual location of the game server, the longer the data must travel and the more likely packets may be lost along the route. When the ping is high, you’ll see players rubberbanding around the battlefield or appearing out of nowhere.
Wi-Fi connectivity. The strength of your Wi-Fi signal is strongly affected by your distance from the router and any barriers in your path. Even going to a different room and shutting the door might cause your ping to soar. Play in an open area near your Wi-Fi router for the greatest results — or, if you’re really into competitive play, forego Wi-Fi entirely and connect an Ethernet cable directly into your gaming device.
Network congestion. Even if you’re not aware of it, you probably share your connection with other houses in the region. Exclusive dedicated connections are often reserved for business networks due to their high cost. Because of this, internet service providers (ISPs) often advertise customer connection speeds as “up to X Mbps/Gbps” – the more people using the connection at the same time, the less bandwidth is available to you. Avoid playing at peak hours, such as soon after office hours on a weekday, if you care about in-game ratings.

What are the best DNS servers to use?

The DNS server given by their ISP may not be the best solution for most users. These DNS servers are sluggish, restrict particular IP addresses, and report all DNS requests (online movements) to your ISP.

Several DNS providers for gamers offer speed, privacy, and internet security.

Cloudflare

IP Version:	IPv4	IPv6
Primary DNS (preferred DNS):	1.1.1.1	2606:4700:4700::1111
Secondary DNS (alternate DNS):	1.0.0.1	2606:4700:4700::1001

Cloudflare is one of the fastest free public DNS providers, ideal for budget-conscious gamers. Cloudflare delivers more than simply DNS resolution speed—it includes solutions to combat DDoS assaults on DNS servers, prevent DNS spoofing, and secure your privacy.

Cloudflare does not provide any additional security against dangers that do not directly involve DNS servers, such as malicious links, in contrast to certain other DNS providers on this list. Cloudflare is an excellent option, however, if all you want to do is replace your ISP’s sluggish DNS server.

Advantages :

+Impressive performance

+Tight privacy levels

+Community forum for support

Google Public DNS

IP Version:	IPv4	IPv6
Primary DNS (preferred DNS):	8.8.8.8	2001:4860:4860::8888
Secondary DNS (alternate DNS):	8.8.4.4	2001:4860:4860::8844

Google likes to brag about how huge it is. You are free to choose whichever of Google’s public DNS servers is accessible in your area of the globe. Like Cloudflare, Google Public DNS is quick, cost-free, and secure against DDoS and DNS spoofing assaults.

The drawback to all of this is that Google may utilize your DNS information in line with its privacy policy, which may annoy those who value their privacy. Additionally, Google Public DNS has poor customer service, which may force you to end a scheduled gaming session early if an issue arises.

Advantages:

+Solid on the privacy front

+Commendable transparency

OpenDNS

Open Dns

Our third recommendation in this list is Open DNS.

IP Version:	IPv4	IPv6
Primary DNS (preferred DNS):	208.67.222.222	2620:119:35::35
Secondary DNS (alternate DNS):	208.67.220.220	2620:119:53::53

It is a free network security solution offered through the cloud that offers protection against harmful assaults on network devices.

Additionally, it provides two free services for individual clients:

OpenDNS Family Shield
OpenDNS Home

The fundamental goal of this is to provide customers access to quicker, safer internet with almost no downtime.

Finally, it provides a fluid gameplay experience.

Advantages:

+ Veteran operator

+ Phishing sites blocked by default

+ Optional web filtering

GreenTeam

greenteam

IP Version:	IPv4	IPv6
Primary DNS (preferred DNS):	81.218.119.11	–
Secondary DNS (alternate DNS):	209.88.198.133	–

Another top DNS server for gaming that ensures a quick connection is GreenTeam. Your devices are better secured against viruses, botnets, and adult material when you use GreenTeam. GreenTeam’s free edition offers security and a quick connection, but you must subscribe to the premium version if you want control over your DNS server.

Advantages:

+Improve connection speed

+Excellent security features

+Excellent performance in protecting the device against malware and hacker attacks

+Offering two free and premium versions

Quad9

What is quad9

IP Version:	IPv4	IPv6
Primary DNS (preferred DNS):	9.9.9.9	2620:fe::fe
Secondary DNS (alternate DNS):	149.112.112.112	2620:fe::9

Quad9 goes above and above what is anticipated of a free DNS service in terms of your security. Quad9 maintains a real-time blocklist of risky websites in addition to safeguarding its DNS servers against DNS spoofing and DDoS assaults. This prevents customers from falling for a trap, such as if they unintentionally clicked a link in a phishing email.

Why, then, is Quad9 lower on this list? Simply expressed, when compared to Cloudflare and Google Public DNS, Quad9 free DNS servers might be a little bit sluggish. Additionally, even if you’re ready to take the risk, Quad9 will prevent you from browsing dubious websites. Quad9 won’t even resolve the DNS query if a URL you want to access (like the forum for your gaming clan) is blocked.

Comodo Secure DNS

IP Version:	IPv4	IPv6
Primary DNS (preferred DNS):	8.26.56.26	0:0:0:0:0:FFFF:081A:381A
Secondary DNS (alternate DNS):	8.20.247.20	0:0:0:0:0:FFFF:0814:F714

A quick DNS enables you to play video games more quickly. The Comodo Secure DNS service is quick and dependable. Because it responds quickly to queries, it is a top-tier DNS server and is ideal for online gaming. The DNS service has a robust first line of defense. Great for households and companies, with excellent security, transparency, and control from any device, anywhere. You can protect your family and yourself from dangerous and fraudulent websites for free by using Comodo Secure DNS. It also provides the enforcement of content protection policies both offline and online. Excellent for both personal and professional usage, this service. This free DNS solution makes swift business installation possible.

For online users to enjoy a lag-free and seamless internet connection, Comodo Secure DNS is advised. You may use it to defend your device from malware assaults even though it is one of the swiftest and most dependable DNS servers. Comodo provides servers in several places, so if finding one close by is a problem, go with it.

Advantages:

+Focus on security

+Smart handling of parked domains

Norton ConnectSafe

Additionally, Norton ConnectSafe is a great DNS for gaming. By using this DNS server, users may experience great speed and responsiveness with less lag and latency. Since the game guards your device from viruses, phishing scams, and other hazards, you may enjoy playing it while being secure. One of the top DNS servers also provides real-time protection, background processing, no slowdowns, and the banning of harmful information. You must remember, nevertheless, that Norton ConnectSafe cannot serve as a substitute for antivirus software.

Prevent malware and scam websites:

Primary DNS (preferred DNS): 199.85.126.10

Secondary DNS (alternate DNS): 199.85.127.10

Blocks access to adult content:

Primary DNS (preferred DNS): 199.85.126.20

Secondary DNS (alternate DNS): 199.85.127.20

Identifying and blocking hacker attacks and data theft:

Primary DNS (preferred DNS): 199.85.126.30

Secondary DNS (alternate DNS): 199.85.127.30

DYN

DYN gives its consumers the same experience of fixed ping access and a quick, secure data center as the other solutions listed. Additionally, it safeguards your data against the majority of phishing and hacking assaults. Common domain type correction is part of DYN.

IP Version:	IPv4	IPv6
Primary DNS (preferred DNS):	216.146.35.35	–
Secondary DNS (alternate DNS):	216.146.36.36	–

NextDNS

next dns

IP Version:	IPv4	IPv6
Primary DNS (preferred DNS):	45.90.28.190	2a07:a8c0::
Secondary DNS (alternate DNS):	45.90.30.190	2a07:a8c1::

The amount of DNS customisation is increased with NextDNS. Although it is a subscription DNS service, NextDNS provides a free alternative with a monthly cap of 300,000 DNS inquiries; beyond that, you will no longer have access to any of the service’s other features.

It also has many other features that it might lose. Ads and web trackers are blocked by NextDNS, which also allows you to construct a custom blocklist to safeguard children who use your devices. It also employs real-time analysis to block access to harmful websites. Just bear in mind that any security feature has a cost, which in this instance is extremely literal.

NordVPN

nordvpn

IP Version:	IPv4	IPv6
Primary DNS (preferred DNS):	103.86.96.100	–
Secondary DNS (alternate DNS):	103.86.99.100	–

Operating its own safe DNS servers is NordVPN. The main and secondary servers mentioned above are NordVPN’s open DNS servers, and anybody is welcome to use them. Only customers with a current NordVPN subscription are able to use the private DNS servers utilized by NordVPN applications.

NordVPN’s DNS servers are quick and secure against attacks unique to DNS (such DNS poisoning), much like the best DNS service providers on our list. The DNS servers of NordVPN do not filter DNS requests by default, but if you like, you may use Threat Protection to install DNS filtering against dangerous websites.

The SmartPlay feature of NordVPN’s applications also includes smart DNS. Do you know what smart DNS is? If the URL you requested is unavailable in your area, this technology switches your DNS requests to another DNS server. While traveling overseas, SmartPlay enables you to securely access your favorite entertainment from home.

So far, we have introduced the most popular DNS servers for gaming.

You saw that in addition to reducing the delay in the game, all of them care about the security and privacy of the users and by providing the right services, they try to make a great experience for the gamers.

If for any reason you want to try other DNS to experience minimum delay and maximum security, you can use the following 8 DNS servers:

Dns Name	Primary DNS	Secondary DNS
Yandex DNS	77.88.8.8	77.88.8.1
OpenNIC	91.217.137.37	192.71.245.208
Alternate DNS	23.253.163.53	198.101.242.72
SafeDNS	39.39.195.46	39.40.195.46
dns.watch	84.200.67.80	84.200.70.40
Neustar	156.154.70.5	56.154.71.5
Freenom World	80.80.80.80	80.80.81.81
FlashStart	185.236.104.104	185.236.105.105

So, what is the best DNS server for gaming?

Some of the top DNS servers for gaming that are currently on the market are included in the list above. However, the optimal DNS server for you in particular will rely on a variety of variables, including your geographic location, security concerns, and financial constraints. The DNS servers mentioned below are free to use, so don’t be averse to experimenting to see what works best for you.

Cloudflare is a great choice if you only need a fast and simple suggestion because of its amazing speed and stability. Even while it lacks many of the security features offered by the competitors, it nevertheless represents a significant improvement over the public DNS servers provided by your ISP.

How we test a DNS server?

How we test a DNS server

You get what you pay for with any service, and this is no exception. Free DNS may be useful, but it pales in comparison to a premium version called Premium. Although not everyone has to pay and may not want to, paid DNS may be the preferable option depending on your requirements. You gain more features in addition to better website security and speed.

For instance, a key component of the premium DNS service is Dynamic DNS and Secondary DNS. Users may access their home computers from any location in the globe thanks to the Dynamic DNS, which operates with dynamic IP addresses. The Secondary DNS functions in a manner as a backup, which is usually advantageous. This is just a portion of what a premium DNS can accomplish; the precise amount of features may vary depending on the service provider, which is one of the factors we evaluate when evaluating a DNS service.

How can I find the fastest DNS service?

Dns Jumper

Numerous variables affect DNS performance, including your location, the distance to your closest server, and whether or not that server has the power and bandwidth to fulfill all incoming requests.

With the help of the portable freeware utility DNS Jumper, you may compare the performance of several public DNS providers.

Despite having many choices, the application is simple to use. When you launch it and choose Fastest DNS > Start DNS Test, a list of DNS providers organized by speed will appear.

DNS Jumper may be helpful, especially as it monitors server performance from your location, but it doesn’t conduct enough tests over an extended enough length of time to provide you with a conclusive conclusion.

Every minute, DNSPerf checks a number of DNS services from 200+ locations across the globe, and the findings are made publicly accessible on the company’s website. This provides a highly accurate overall picture of performance and makes it possible to compare services across continents and gauge their uptime.

Conclusion

In the fast-paced world of online gaming, every millisecond matters. Upgrading to the best and fastest DNS servers for gaming in 2023 can be a game-changer. By reducing latency, improving security, and enhancing loading times, these DNS servers pave the way for an unparalleled gaming experience. Elevate your gameplay today by making a simple adjustment that can lead to extraordinary results.