1. Cloudflare DNS
Cloudflare is one of the world’s topmost company working in the web performance and security domain. Recently, the company released its brand new DNS service which is one of the best free and public DNS servers that you can use today. Their new DNS server, the “1.1.1.1” is one of the fastest and privacy-first DNS servers available on the web. Firstly, the company never logs your IP address, which is what your ISP uses to track your internet habits. The company has even hired KPMG to audit their systems annually to ensure that they’re delivering on their privacy promises.
Secondly, their DNS servers bring boosted speeds with the company claiming more than 28% speed increase when compared to other DNS providers. I have tested this on my Mac and while I couldn’t feel any difference in speeds on my Home WiFi, it was noticeable when I was in office. Cloudflare also makes it very easy to set up your DNS preferences as it takes only a few minutes to get it all set-up. This one is definitely one of the best third-party DNS servers that you can use.
Pros:
· Free to use
· Never logs your browsing data
· Faster than usual DNS servers
Cons:
· Nothing I could find
IP Addresses for DNS: 1.1.1.1, 1.0.0.1
2. Google Public DNS
Google Public DNS service is probably one of the most popular free and public DNS servers on the planet. Launched in December 2009, the Google Public DNS aims to make the internet more reliable and secure. According to their website, Google Public DNS protects users against various kinds of phishing attacks, especially if you are using older hardware to access the internet. One of the notable advantages you get by shifting to Google Public DNS is enhanced security and optimized speed. Google uses Anycast routing for finding the closest server for data interaction thereby ensuring that you receive information in the shortest time possible.
To use Google Public DNS, users will need to configure their network settings to use the IP addresses 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4 as their DNS servers. Google Public DNS also supports IPv6 addresses. However, that needs a little more configuration which you can learn by clicking here. Overall Google Public DNS is a very good option for anyone looking to try out a third-party DNS server.
Pros:
· Free to use
· Brings speed enhancements
· Protects against phishing and DDoS attacks
Cons:
· Google might be logging your browsing history
IP Addresses for DNS: 8.8.8.8, 8.8.4.4
3. OpenDNS
OpenDNS is a free and public service provided by Cisco which is a giant in the networking space. OpenDNS gives you tools not only to access the internet in a fast and secure way but also prevents attacks from shoddy and forged clone websites. It also blocks phishing websites along with the ones which have been flagged for carrying malware. Just like Google Public DNS, OpenDNS uses Anycast routing to route your connection to your nearest DNS servers to serve you faster page load times.
OpenDNS also comes with self-healing technologies with its servers spread over three continents. Designed against the failure of nearly every aspect of the system, OpenDNS’s self-healing technology can withstand tremendous disruption to their infrastructure without causing disruption for customers. If you want an old and reliable DNS service which will never let you down, do try out OpenDNS.
Pros:
· Free for personal use
· Brings speed enhancements
· Protects against phishing attacks, malware attacks, and cloned websites
Cons:
· Logs the DNS traffic that it receives
IP Addresses for DNS: 208.67.222.222, 208.67.220.220
4. Comodo Secure DNS
Comodo Secure DNS is a domain name resolution service that resolves your DNS requests through the company’s worldwide network of redundant DNS servers. This can provide a much faster and more reliable Internet browsing experience than using the DNS servers provided by your ISP. It also does not require any hardware or software installation. Comodo Secure DNS’s server infrastructure currently spans 15 locations (nodes) and five continents around the world. This means that most of will have a DNS server nearby resulting in faster internet speeds.
Comodo Secure DNS also keeps the users secure with its malware domain filtering feature. SecureDNS references a real-time block list of harmful websites (phishing sites, malware sites, spyware sites, and parked domains among others) and warns visitors whenever they attempt to access a site containing potentially threatening content. As malware attacks are increasing day by day, having this security ensures that we can surf the web without facing its lurking dangers. Overall, I quite like Comodo Secure DNS and find it one of the best DNS providers out there.
Pros:
· Free for personal use
· Covers 5 continents
· Protects against phishing attacks, malware sites, spyware sites, and more
Cons:
· Not as reliable as the first three
IP Addresses for DNS: 8.26.56.26, 8.20.247.20
5. Quad9 DNS
Quad9 DNS is yet another free and public DNS server that you can use to route your traffic away from your ISP provided DNS servers. Just like other DNS servers on this list, once configured, Quad9 routes your DNS queries through a secure network of servers around the globe. The system uses threat intelligence from more than a dozen of the industry-leading cyber security companies to give a real-time perspective on website threat analysis. Whenever its DNS servers find an infected or cloned website, they block your connection so that your device and data remains safe. Quad9 DNS is also very easy to set up and doesn’t require any software installations. If none of the above-mentioned DNS servers meet your needs, you can definitely check this out.
Pros:
· Free for personal use
· Protects against privacy attacks
· Keeps a real-time perspective on website threat analysis
Cons:
· Might be slower depending on where you live
IP Addresses for DNS: 9.9.9.9
6. DNS.Watch
DNS.Watch is a great third-party DNS server for people who want to surf the internet without the pain of any restricted content. The DNS server is totally free to use and doesn’t require any installations. While the other DNS server providers also help in opening the geo-restricted content, DNS.Watch solely dedicates itself to the purpose and hence you will have the best-unrestricted internet experience here. The company also believes in user privacy thus it doesn’t log any DNS queries sent by your devices.
Since there is no logging of data, your data is safely hidden away from the hands of ad agencies which follow you like sharks across the internet. That said, since DNS.Watch is a smaller company it doesn’t have the resources to bring threat analysis like some of the other DNS server providers on this list. So, you will have to safeguard yourself against phishing, malware, and any such attacks. You will have to choose whether you want a more open internet or a more secure one.
Pros:
· Free to use
· DNS Neutrality
· Doesn’t log your queries
· Doesn’t share or sell your data
Cons:
· Doesn’t protect against shady websites and attacks
IP Addresses for DNS: 84.200.69.80, 84.200.70.40
7. Verisign
The last open and public DNS server that we recommend is the Verisign Public DNS server which promises stability, security, and privacy. The stability part is very important as it ensures that you are always connected and never encounter any downtime because of the DNS server that you are using. The company also promises robust protection from security flaws around the internet. It neither sells your DNS queries to third-party data harvesting companies nor redirects your queries to serve you any ads. The service is completely free to use and definitely worth checking out.
Pros:
· Free to use
· Doesn’t log your queries
· Doesn’t share or sell your data
· Protection against security flaws
Cons:
· Not the fastest on the list
SEE ALSO: What is 5 GHz Network?
Best DNS Servers to Enjoy Fast, Free, and Secure Internet
That ends our list of the best free and public DNS servers that you can use to enjoy fast, free, and secure internet on your devices. While most of us never switch from our ISP provided DNS servers, its a good practice to do so, especially if you value your privacy. Do go through the list and let us know which is your favorite DNS server amongst them all. If you are already using a different DNS server and are happy with it, do share it with us by writing in the comments section below.
comment 0 $type={blogger}
more_vert