Changing your DNS server on Android can resolve connectivity problems on Wi-Fi. If you recently upgraded to one of the best value data plans and encountered issues with roaming, explore a different troubleshooting avenue. You can’t change your mobile data DNS server without rooting your phone.
DNS servers translate domain names into IP addresses. If they fail, you can’t access websites or find results in a search engine. Diagnosing whether the DNS server is causing problems can be tricky, but the fix is quick and easy. You can change your DNS server on any Android device, including phones, Chromebooks, and the best cheap tablets.
Like any server, DNS servers encounter technical problems throughout their lifespan. This can impact your connection quality. You usually don’t need to reset your DNS server to fix connectivity issues, but occasionally it’s necessary.
Your internet provider chooses your default DNS server. If you connect to a different router, your DNS server changes. Changing your DNS server on Android overrides this default server, but anyone else connecting to the router uses the default DNS server.
If all your home devices encounter DNS connectivity issues, change your DNS server at the router level. The method for changing this varies for each router. Read the documentation for your router to find your DNS settings.
When you’re ready to start, you’ll need a primary and secondary DNS address. For this guide, we use the Google Public DNS server. On Android, enter dns.google to switch servers. You may need the IPv4 or IPv6 address provided in the table below on non-Android devices:
It doesn’t matter which address you assign as Primary or Secondary.
If you wish to use an alternative DNS server, have its hostname and addresses ready. These should be displayed in the same format as the addresses shown above.
Before changing your DNS server, flush it. Your DNS server’s cache might be full. Clearing this can speed up your browsing without changing your server.
If your browsing experience is still slow, move on to switching DNS servers.
If clearing the cache doesn’t work, switch to another DNS server. Here’s how:
Open a web browser and load a web page. If it loads, you’ve successfully switched your DNS server.
Switching your DNS server can improve connectivity regardless of what Wi-Fi network you connect to. It’s useful when traveling. Changing your DNS server doesn’t improve your browsing security. To make your browsing sessions more secure, use one of the top VPNs for Android. You may also follow these tips to protect your digital privacy on Android.
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