DNS basically helps translate domain names into their corresponding IP addresses. So instead of typing the IP address of a website every time you want to open it, DNS helps translate the domain name, which is easier to remember, into the corresponding IP address. For online games, on the other hand, the game client uses a DNS server to communicate with the game server by determining the IP address associated with the game server to connect to the game server. While the DNS server mainly affects the responsiveness of your game depending on your location, you might want to try out different DNS servers to find out which one is the best for you. For this reason, in this article, we have discussed the 7 best DNS gaming servers that you can use.
What factors should you consider when choosing a DNS for gaming?
Before we start with the best DNS for gaming, it is important to understand how to choose the right DNS for your gaming needs.
Speed: Speed is an important factor when choosing a DNS server for gaming. It determines how quickly data is transferred between two points on a network and can make the difference between a smooth gaming experience and one fraught with delays. Speed is affected by the physical distance between the DNS server and the user, as well as other factors such as network congestion and the quality of the Wi-Fi connection. A fast DNS server can help reduce latency, which is the time it takes for data to travel from the user to the server and back. If the latency is too high, you may experience delays that can lead to a frustrating gaming experience. Security: Security is an important factor when choosing a DNS for gaming, as it ensures that malicious websites cannot access users’ devices, protecting them from cyber threats such as viruses, phishing attacks, and malware. By using a secure DNS, users can enjoy a safe online gaming experience, free from interruptions and with improved performance. Moreover, using encryption, secure DNS not only protects the user’s system but also provides protection for devices outside the network, web filtering, and cloud-based management. Location: Location is an important factor to consider when selecting a DNS for gaming, as ping time and connection reliability can vary greatly depending on the location of the game server and the user. A DNS server that is closer to the game server will generally have a lower ping time and provide more reliable connections. This is especially important for players who want to achieve the best possible connection stability and performance. Price: When it comes to choosing a DNS for gaming, price is an important factor. On the one hand, there are high-quality DNS services that are free, such as Google Public DNS, which offers lightning-fast performance and high security at no additional cost. On the other hand, some companies may charge for their DNS services, which can be a deciding factor when choosing the right DNS for gaming. Even though these paid services may offer better performance and security than the free ones, it’s important to weigh the costs against the benefits to determine which option is best for you. Reliability: Reliability is one of the most important aspects when choosing a DNS server for gaming. A reliable DNS server will ensure that your gaming experience is not interrupted by delays or downtime. A DNS server with high uptime and reliability provide gamers with a secure, fast, and stable Internet connection that is free from glitches and interruptions. It can also protect against DNS spoofing attempts through an extensive network of servers.
What Are the Best DNS Servers to Use for Gaming?
Are you looking for the best DNS for gaming? Here are the options you should use:
Cloudflare DNS
At the top of our list of the best DNS for gaming is Cloudflare, a free DNS service that provides a fast and reliable Internet browsing experience. It is widely believed that Cloudflare’s DNS resolver is the fastest DNS for online gaming and web browsing. This is due to several factors, including its expanded server capacity and global coverage of over 250 locations. Cloudflare is an enterprise-class DNS that not only speeds up browsing but also offers its users a private browsing experience. In other words, Cloudflare prohibits IP address logging and has built-in DNSSEC security that protects against on-path attacks or DNS record hijacking. You can feel safe using this DNS for gaming because, unlike other DNS providers, it boasts of not selling its users’ data to advertisers. Besides, it’s easy to set up, whether you want to set it up on a single device or on your network, to let it affect all connected devices.
Google DNS
Google DNS is another popular and great public DNS service that you can always use to get the best experience in translating domain names to IP addresses that your device understands while gaming. Since this DNS is backed by Google, it’s definitely one of the best out there, but that can be a double-edged sword since we know that Google is not the best option if you are worried about your privacy. As a public DNS resolver, it can be vulnerable to DoS attacks or similar Internet attacks, but Google has taken the necessary measures to protect its users from these attacks, such as monitoring its servers in a timely manner and providing DNSSEC support. Google Public DNS is one of the best on the market since it offers a wide range of features that let you perform secure and fast DNS searches when using the Internet.
Quad9
Quad9 is another free DNS resolver that you can use to get the best gaming experience, and its main selling point is the protection of its users’ systems. This can be the best replacement for your default DNS for gaming in terms of security and speed, better than DNS services such as Google DNS in some places. Quad9 boasts of having 150 DNS resolution clusters in 90 countries, which, as mentioned earlier, makes for better gaming performance. It generally blocks your system from various threats, including malware and phishing. Quad9 is GDPR compliant, as it doesn’t store or process its users’ IP addresses.
DNS.Watch
DNS.Watch is a public DNS server that focuses primarily on user privacy and is known for its no-logging policy. This means that you do not have to worry about your data being stored or processed in any way when you use this DNS resolver. It offers both IPV4 and IPV6 public DNS servers and also supports DNSSEC. It is a great DNS for gaming, but since it is hosted in Germany, it can be effective mostly for users in Europe, and anyone in continents other than Europe might not have the best experience with it. With its uncensored DNS service, DNS.WATCH ensures that your DNS queries are processed quickly and with the utmost secrecy. This DNS server is optimized for speed and offers a lag-free gaming experience without interruptions or interference with your online connection.
OpenDNS
Suppose you are looking for a secure and fast DNS for DNS lookup while gaming, OpenDNS is another option you can use. It is a free DNS service that supports IPv4 and IPv6 addresses and has been known for its high uptime since its inception. OpenDNS ensures that your Internet requests load faster because the DNS server has a global network of servers with well-designed routing technology that allows your DNS requests to be automatically routed to the nearest OpenDNS data center. This DNS service generally offers improved DNS stability and security that you will find helpful. One of the most attractive features offered by this DNS service is the possibility of filtering content according to your preferences.
Level 3
Level 3 is an alternative free DNS resolver best suited for gaming. Although it does not have the extensive infrastructure of other DNS servers like Google and Cloudflare, Level 3 is a public DNS service that provides stable and reliable Internet access. Level 3 DNS offers excellent speed and a lag-free gaming experience, as it is optimized for gaming on PlayStation 4 and Xbox. It is a Tier-1 provider that owns its own network infrastructure and does not rely on third-party customer services. Not only is it safe to use, since it does not store its users’ data, but it is also fast to use. Level 3’s DNS service automatically redirects its users’ DNS searches to the nearest DNS server, providing a fast Internet experience that is great for gaming.
Comodo Secure DNS
If you want to try another fast and reliable DNS for gaming, Comodo Secure DNS is one of the best and most secure DNS resolvers with many features. For the most part, it offers the same features as the other DNS resolvers covered in this article. Comodo Secure DNS offers you an improved and lag-free Internet connection since it offers servers in most locations, so its users from all over the world have the best browsing experience. This DNS offers advanced security features, such as 256-bit encryption and built-in protection against viruses, malware, and phishing scams that protect players from malicious attacks. It also disables advertising on websites and mobile apps. Thus, if you are a gamer and are looking for the best DNS for gaming, you can use Comodo by changing your DNS configuration to the values below.
Comparison of Best DNS Servers for Gaming
What to consider while choosing the best DNS for gaming?
While almost all of the DNS servers listed above are good for gaming, some are better because of the location of the server. Therefore, before you decide on a DNS server to use for gaming, you should check the server that is close to your location. With browsers, for example, the DNS server only affects how fast a website responds when it is first accessed. This is because browsers store the IP address of previously visited websites in their cache, so no DNS lookup is required on subsequent visits. When it comes to DNS and games, the same rules apply. You can also use other free DNS servers, such as Cloudflare DNS and Open DNS. Moreover, you can use the DNS Benchmark tool to find your own optimal pair of DNS servers for your location. Once you have changed your DNS server for gaming, you should have a lag-free gaming experience. However, the primary and secondary DNS servers can be mixed from different providers, which provides better protection if there are problems with the primary provider. The primary DNS server is sometimes called the preferred DNS server, while the secondary DNS server is called the alternate DNS server. In terms of benefits, using alternate DNS servers can offer improvements in speed, security, and accuracy without redirects. When it comes to gaming, many gamers recommend using the Google DNS server for PlayStation or Xbox consoles. Apart from Cloudflare, DNS.watch is also a good choice for those who need maximum speed and reliability. It is a public DNS server optimized for gaming, offering a lag-free experience with improved frame rates and reduced latency. Besides, it is secure and protects users from malicious scripts, phishing attacks, and malware.
