DNS Lookup fail

I have noticed that the DNS servers provided by my ISP tend to be slow when browsing on my Macs. I have also discovered that if I input 4.2.2.x (where X is any number from 1 to 6) that my lookups go much faster.

Go to network -> configure -> TCP/IP and input 2 of those numbers in the DNS Servers field. Also, log into your router and do the same.

I would also suggest turning off IPv6 in your Macs. Some ISPs do not work as well as they should with that option turned on.

Did you try the new DNS numbers I suggested?

They are not hokey at all. No offense taken, but what could possibly be hokey about using known good DNS servers when you are obviously having problems with the ones your ISP is giving you?

You can live with it, or you can try some very simple possible solutions. It is up to you.

I have been using DNS servers other than what my ISP provides for years - as have many others.

EDIT: For clarifcation, some DNS servers are slow and others are faster. There is nothing anywhere that says that you have to use the ones provided by your ISP. They are public servers and you can choose to use a better performing one if you want to. It can easily be changed back if you do not want to use the new ones.

HI--

I guess it's better, but not 100% fixed.

If you're using a router, I'd suggest putting your router's address into the DNS field in your TCP/IP settings. I've found, especially when running an Airport base station behind my Netgear router, that helps out quite a bit. In my case, I couldn't get get internet access from my wireless laptop without that.

I didn't try the 4.xxxx DNS suggestion. No offense,
but that sounds really hokey.

No, Eric's right, that's a great way to get around poor ISP DNS performance. I use those servers when my ISP has trouble keeping their DNS servers running.

Also, you can time different servers if you want, using the dig utility in the Terminal application:

<pre class="command">dig www.apple.com@4.2.2.1</pre>You should get the query time near the bottom of the output. There are lists of publicly accessible DNS servers on the internet. Run some time tests and see if you can find some faster ones. Here's what I got:

<pre class="command">; <<>> DiG 9.3.2 <<>> www.apple.com@4.2.2.1
;; global options: printcmd
;; Got answer:
;; ->>HEADER<<- opcode: QUERY, status: NXDOMAIN, id: 12531
;; flags: qr rd ra; QUERY: 1, ANSWER: 0, AUTHORITY: 1, ADDITIONAL: 0

;; QUESTION SECTION:
;www.apple.com\@4.2.2.1. IN A

;; AUTHORITY SECTION:
. 900 IN SOA A.ROOT-SERVERS.NET. NSTLD.VERISIGN-GRS.COM. 2006120100 1800 900 604800 86400

;; Query time: 37 msec
;; SERVER: 192.168.1.1#53(192.168.1.1)
;; WHEN: Fri Dec 1 17:05:21 2006
;; MSG SIZE rcvd: 114</pre>

charlie

I found this solution very helpful after many DNS-Problems with the servers provided by my ISP:

Leave all server entries on your mmachine empty.

Add the DNS-Servers from this side to your router or W-Lan Modem:

http://208.67.219.60/

Not the fastest for me in Europe. but very reliable and stable.
If you stay in the US you should find it very fast. Hope this helps.
Joachim

Thank You!
This post saved me. I'm a web worker and we recently switched some sites to a new server. Everyone else could access the sites on the new server, but my DNS hadn't propagated yet. So I typed 4.2.2.1, 4.2.2.6 into the DNS server field and Presto I got the new server!