Does your Internet connection seem slow? Before changing operator, box, computer or telephone, modify this setting on your different devices: you will see the difference in speed!
Having efficient Internet access is essential these days, whether for work or for entertainment. The massive deployment of optical fiber and 5G in France has made it possible to offer very high speed to many homes, and to greatly improve the comfort of certain online services, such as streaming or cloud gaming.
Yet, despite these quality infrastructures, things as simple as browsing the Internet sometimes seem slow and exasperate you. Among the factors that influence your Web access speed, your operator’s network and your home equipment are of course the most important and determining.
But there is also a software element that plays a fundamental role in browsing the Web, and which can drastically affect the performance of your devices in this area: the Domain Name System. In a very simplified way, it is the mechanism that allows your browser to find the IP address associated with a domain name (like www.commentcamarche.net), in order to access the corresponding website. A bit like a telephone switchboard which links a number to a subscriber name.
This service is provided to you automatically by your operator, as part of your Internet subscription, and you normally don’t have to worry about it. However, the translation of domain names into IP addresses, called DNS resolution, from your service provider is not the only one available… and perhaps not the fastest!
Despite its apparent simplicity, DNS resolution is in reality a complex process, which involves an entire chain of computer servers. However, there are many DNS service providers on the market, which often offer faster domain name resolution than your operator. The good news is that many of them are free, like Google Public DNS, CloudFlare or OpenDNS. And you can try them very easily. Indeed, the choice of DNS servers is a simple parameter to modify, whether on Windows, Mac, Android or iOS (iPhone).
If you want to give it a try, you can consult our step-by-step guide for each of these systems. By opting for one of the alternative DNS resolvers, you will definitely see a noticeable improvement in your browsing speed and web page display. And the icing on the cake, you will even be able to access sites often blocked by French Internet service providers. Indeed, when they are subject to court decisions, operators modify their DNS servers in order to prevent access to sites accused of illegal practices, such as downloading or streaming films and series.
Finally, rest easy: changing your devices’ DNS settings is completely reversible, and you can easily go back if you’re not satisfied with the result. In case of laborious browsing on the Internet, and before considering changing operator or investing in brand new network equipment, take a look at your DNS settings, you will have everything to gain and nothing to lose!