Best DNS for Gaming

When it comes to online gaming, a stable and fast internet connection is crucial for an optimal experience. While many gamers focus on their ISP or router settings, an often-overlooked factor is the DNS ( Domain Name System ). Choosing the best DNS for gaming can significantly reduce latency, improve connection reliability, and even prevent issues like DNS server errors.

Thus, in this article, we will learn why DNS matter for gaming, the recommended DNS servers for gaming and how to set them up in a proper way.

What is DNS, and Why Does It Matter for Gaming?

Domain Name System (DNS), also known as the ‘phone book’ of the Internet, is where web detials are stored for its site points. Without it, your device wouldn’t be able to connect to websites or online services. In place of needing to remember complex IP addresses such as 192.168.1.1, DNS converts easy to remember domain names (e.g. www.example.com) into numerical IP addresses so computers can talk to one another.

Whenever you type a URL into your browser, or connect to a server for gaming, your device makes a request to a DNS server to look up the host’s domain name and give it back a corresponding IP address. It happens behind the scenes and usually takes only milliseconds. But the little delays can mean big things to gamers.

In the context of gaming, a poor or unreliable DNS server can introduce issues such as:

1. Increased Latency: The time it takes for your device to query a DNS server and retrieve the IP address can affect your ping or latency. High latency leads to lag, making real-time actions in games less responsive.

2. Connection Failures: Some DNS servers may experience downtime or errors, causing delays or failures when trying to connect to gaming servers.

3. Poor Server Routing: A suboptimal DNS can direct your traffic through slower routes, increasing response times between your device and the gaming server.

4. Security Vulnerabilities: Without proper protections, DNS servers can be vulnerable to attacks like DNS spoofing, potentially exposing your data to threats.

On the other hand, using a fast, reliable, and gaming-optimized DNS can:

• Lower latency (decrease query response times).
• This helps ensure that the connection is stable, that server addresses always resolve consistently.
• Conceal protection from malicious attacks.

In the end, gaming DNS means better performance, lag-free experience, giving you the competitive edge in real-time multiplayer games.

How to Choose the Best DNS for Gaming

Selecting the best DNS server for gaming involves evaluating several critical factors. Here’s a detailed guide on what to consider:

1. Low Latency

The amount of time taken by a data packet from your device till it reaches a server and back is latency. Low latency (or ping, a funny play on words) is indispensable in gaming, but it keeps people sane — or at least focused. Because milliseconds are of importance in competitive gaming, a faster hitting DNS server can shave off milliseconds which can make a difference.

• Why It Matters: Faster DNS responses mean quicker connections to gaming servers, reducing lag.
• Tip: Use tools like Namebench or DNS Jumper to measure latency for different DNS servers.

Steps to Test Latency Using ping:

1. Open your terminal or command prompt.
2. Type and press Enter.

   ping 8.8.8.8
   

3. Observe the output for the time taken (time=XX ms) to measure the round-trip latency.

Example Output:

The time=XX ms values indicate the latency. Lower values mean better latency.

Comparing Multiple DNS Servers

Repeat the ping test with other DNS servers like Cloudflare’s 1.1.1.1:

ping 1.1.1.1

Tools to Automate Latency Testing

For a more comprehensive comparison:

• Namebench: Tests multiple DNS servers for latency and recommends the fastest.
• DNS Jumper: Allows you to test and switch DNS servers easily.

2. Reliability

High availability and stability of the DNS server is required. The unconsequential tidings of intermittent connectivity issues that can ruin your gaming sessions are caused by unreliable DNS servers.

• Why It Matters: A reliable DNS ensures consistent access to gaming servers without interruptions.
• What to Look For: Check for uptime guarantees and global server infrastructure from your chosen DNS provider.

3. Security

To address “How do they use DNSSEC?”, we can expand the Security section as follows:

3. Security

Security is often overlooked in the world of online gaming, but it is crucial. DNS providers offer many security features, such as blocking malicious domains, phishing protection, and encrypted DNS queries.

One of the key technologies ensuring secure DNS resolution is DNSSEC (Domain Name System Security Extensions). DNSSEC protects gamers by ensuring the authenticity and integrity of DNS data. It prevents attackers from redirecting you to malicious websites through DNS spoofing or man-in-the-middle attacks. DNSSEC uses cryptographic signatures to verify that the DNS responses you receive are legitimate and haven’t been tampered with.

• How It Works:

  • DNSSEC digitally signs DNS records using public-key cryptography.
  • When your device queries a domain, the DNS resolver checks the cryptographic signatures to confirm the data’s authenticity.
  • If the signature doesn’t match, the response is rejected, preventing spoofed or harmful DNS responses from affecting your gameplay.

• Why It Matters: Prevents DNS spoofing, man-in-the-middle attacks, and other threats that could compromise your connection or gaming accounts.

• Top Picks: DNS providers like Quad9 and Cloudflare DNS prioritize security by supporting DNSSEC and providing additional features like malware and phishing protection, ensuring a safe gaming experience without sacrificing speed.

4. Customization Options

When it comes to a DNS service for advanced gamers, they often seek out DNS services that offer content filtering or parental controls or custom routing options.

• Why It Matters: Customization lets you block unnecessary distractions or optimize routing for specific games.
• Examples: OpenDNS allows for filtering and advanced controls, making it a great option for families or shared networks.

5. Global Server Coverage

The location of DNS servers can impact their speed and reliability. Opt for a DNS provider with a wide distribution of servers to ensure optimal performance, regardless of your location.

Global coverage is often achieved through a technique called anycasting, where multiple servers share the same IP address, routing users to the nearest or best-performing server automatically. This minimizes latency and improves reliability.

• Why It Matters: Global server coverage reduces the chance of routing delays, especially when gaming on international servers.
• Supported Providers: Cloudflare DNS, Google Public DNS, and Quad9 all utilize anycasting for efficient and fast DNS resolution.
• Tip: Cloudflare DNS is known for its vast global presence, making it an excellent choice for gamers worldwide.

Top DNS Servers for Gaming

Here are some of the best DNS servers that can help improve your gaming performance:

1. Cloudflare DNS (1.1.1.1)

• Primary DNS: 1.1.1.1
• Secondary DNS: 1.0.0.1
• Latency: Very low, one of the fastest options available.
• Reliability: Highly reliable with a strong global infrastructure.
• Features: Cloudflare focuses on privacy and speed, offering a no-logs policy, and it’s built for speed, making it a top choice for gamers.

Why it’s great for gaming: Cloudflare DNS is insanely fast, and always tests at near top tier in the benchmarks for low latency and high reliability. Also a plus for gamers concerned about data security, it’s focused on privacy.

2. Google DNS (8.8.8.8)

• Primary DNS: 8.8.8.8
• Secondary DNS: 8.8.4.4
• Latency: Moderate, but still very good for gaming.
• Reliability: Extremely reliable with global servers.
• Features: Google DNS is known for its speed and security, with an excellent uptime record.

Why it’s great for gaming: Google DNS is a relatively new reliable option to minimize the connection interruptions and downtime in any online game in order to lower lag.

3. OpenDNS (208.67.222.222)

• Primary DNS: 208.67.222.222
• Secondary DNS: 208.67.220.220
• Latency: Low latency, comparable to Cloudflare and Google DNS.
• Reliability: OpenDNS is known for its stability and performance.
• Features: OpenDNS offers additional features like phishing protection and content filtering.

Why it’s great for gaming: If you want an even faster, more secure, and more filtered DNS than you already have (other than for families or gamers who may want a bit extra protection against evil sites), openDNS is well worth considering.

4. Quad9 DNS (9.9.9.9)

• Primary DNS: 9.9.9.9
• Secondary DNS: 149.112.112.112
• Latency: Slightly higher than Cloudflare and Google, but still great for gaming.
• Reliability: Very reliable, with servers in multiple countries.
• Features: Quad9 DNS emphasizes security by blocking access to known malicious websites and malware domains.

Why it’s great for gaming: Quad9 stays focused on providing cybersecurity and privacy while maintaining a top-notch delivery and low latency for gamers.

5. DNS.Watch (84.200.69.80)

• Primary DNS: 84.200.69.80
• Secondary DNS: 84.200.70.40
• Latency: Low latency and fast resolution times.
• Reliability: Reliable with a focus on privacy.
• Features: DNS.Watch is a no-logs DNS service based in Germany providing good privacy protections and low latency.

Why it’s great for gaming: While it’s not as widely known as some of the other options, DNS.Watch offers a good balance of speed, security, and privacy, making it a solid choice for gamers.

6. Comodo Secure DNS (8.26.56.26)

• Primary DNS: 8.26.56.26
• Secondary DNS: 8.20.247.20
• Latency: Moderate.
• Reliability: Good, with a focus on security and threat protection.
• Features: Comodo Secure DNS blocks malicious websites, phishing attempts, and other online threats.

Why it’s great for gaming: If you’re a gamer that values security even above performance (which is generally quite important for gaming at this time), Comodo Secure DNS is definitely worth considering.

Select the Best DNS Server Based on Latency

To ensure optimal performance, you should choose a DNS provider based on the latency from your location. Lower latency means faster DNS resolution, which can significantly enhance your gaming experience.

You can use this DNS Latency Checker script to test and identify the best-performing DNS servers for your location. The script measures the average latency for popular DNS providers, helping you make an informed decision.

Here’s an example of the result output after running the script:

How to Change Your DNS for Gaming

Changing your DNS is easy and can be done in just a few steps:

1. Windows:

   • Open the Control Panel and go to Network and Sharing Center.
   • Click on Change Adapter Settings.
   • Right-click on your network connection and select Properties.
   • In the list of items, select Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) and click Properties.
   • Select Use the following DNS server addresses and enter the DNS server addresses for your preferred DNS provider.
   • Click OK to save the settings.

2. Mac:

   • Go to System Preferences > Network.
   • Select your network connection and click Advanced.
   • Go to the DNS tab and click the + button to add the DNS server addresses.
   • Click OK and then Apply to save your settings.

3. Ubuntu Linux:

   • Open Settings and go to Network.
   • Select your active network connection (Wi-Fi or Wired) and click the gear icon to edit it.
   • Go to the IPv4 Settings or IPv6 Settings tab.
   • Change the DNS method to Automatic (Only addresses) or Manual.
   • Enter the DNS server addresses for your preferred provider in the DNS field.
   • Click Apply and reconnect to the network to activate the changes.

4. Router:

   • Log in to your router’s admin page (usually 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1).
   • Find the DNS settings under the Network or Internet section.
   • Enter the DNS addresses for your chosen DNS provider.
   • Save and reboot your router.

Conclusion

Although choosing best DNS for gaming may not seem much, it can make a difference in your online gaming experience. You have lots of great options, depending on which one of these — speed, security, privacy — you care more about. Reducing latency and improving performance can be done with Cloudflare, Google DNS, OpenDNS. Changing to a more reliable, faster DNS server will help you get a smoother, lag free gaming experience.