What is the advantage of using custom DNS servers?

Dawn

Dawn

[span="font-size:180%;font-weight:900;color:#a568f
    • 4,593
    Posts
    16
    Years
    Yeah... I have no idea, basically. My router intelligence goes about as far as setting one up to be able to get on the internet and installing custom firmware.

    And of course port forwarding, like most true gamers know.
     
    What do you mean by custom? Your own? Or just one that doesn't point to your ISP?

    'Cause if it's just one that doesn't point at your ISP, then the advantages are that your less prone to loss of domain name access if your ISP takes down its server for maintenance, or if your router DNS crashes (which some home ones point to). Those public, cross-ISP DNS servers are very reliable, from my experience, and if you point to specific, and multiple DNS servers, your likelihood of losing your domain name searching functionality is greatly decreased.
     
    Takes stress off your ISP's DNS servers and can sometimes mean more uptime if your ISP's DNS servers aren't reliable. I use OpenDNS, personally, but I don't like that they hijack 404s to their search engine.
     
    So basically, the advantage is that the chance of losing DNS is greatly reduced. How does one go about setting up a custom DNS server, being one other than the default ISP one?

    I currently work the router in my home, so I'm the one to do this sort of thing, if I'm not mistaken.
     
    Honestly, I recommend OpenDNS rather than setting up your own DNS daemon. It's a lot simpler, and you can avoid the OpenDNS search pretty easily if you install the updater, which keeps your IP current to OpenDNS so it can reply appropriately to your shortcuts.

    But if you must do it, you'll have to be aware that your DNS server will need to rely on a very reliable upstream DNS server like your ISP's or OpenDNS anyways. Still, your own server would be able to cache your previously accessed sites and save you some headache when your upstream DNS server goes down. I'd suggest you use OpenDNS for that system's DNS server...and you can set up rules that kill OpenDNS' search page trap. I also believe that OpenDNS allows you to disable the search page redirect. If not, just install an addon that lets you redirect your browser to somewhere useful like Google, or your search engine of choice.

    I've used OpenDNS for about two years, and it's very reliable. I've had no problems with it.
     
    Ah, that. Well, you control the server's downtime, but, frankly, I'd just point your DNS for your computer or router to a free public one like Google's 8.8.8.8 address instead of setting up your own. This is really only something you want in larger networks, and for those you'd want to run Active Directory (mostly a Windows Server thing, but borrowed from Novell) or something similar to it.
     
    You must log in or register to reply here.
    Back
    Top