How to Find Out What DNS Server Am I Using?.
You have set up a new DNS server on your computer and you don’t know if it works or not. Well, there are ways to check that. You can do this natively via the command line or using third party applications.
DNS priority
Before we start, it’s important to understand DNS priority.
We all know that by default we use DNS servers provided by our ISP. But what happens when you enter DNS on your local computer or router? Which DNS has priority now?
The point is, if you change the DNS server on your router (say Google DNS), every device connected to the router will automatically start using Google DNS as its DNS server. However, in addition, if you change the DNS server on your local computer, say Cloudflare DNS, these settings will override the router’s DNS settings. Now only your computer will use Cloudflare DNS as its DNS server, and the rest of the devices will still use Google DNS.
So, if we estimate the priority of DNS servers, it will be something like this:
- If you entered your own DNS address on your computer or smartphone, this DNS server will be used.
- If you have not entered a custom DNS on your device, the DNS available on the router will be used.
- If you have not entered a custom DNS on your computer and router, then the DNS provided will be used by your ISP
Below is a complete guide on how to set up a DNS server, or you can watch a short video as well.
The easy way – check online
The fastest way to check which DNS server you are using is to use online sites like WhatsMyDNSserver. Just go to the website and click the button that says “ What is my DNS server? “. And it will show your current DNS server.
But this method is not infallible. Even after changing DNS, it still picks up the old DNS from the cache. For example, I changed my computer’s DNS from Google DNS to Cloudflare, but the site still says I was using Google DNS – even after restarting my Mac. Finally, I managed to fix this problem by re-opening the site in a window in incognito mode. If you have a similar problem, you can clear the DNS cache or flush DNS.
Other DNS providers like Cloudflare also provide a section on their website that can determine if you are using Cloudflare DNS, you can access this webpage from this link.
Likewise, if you switched to OpenDNS, you can check your DNS server at this link.
2. What DNS server am I using – Windows 10/8/7
There are several ways to check the DNS server you are using on Windows. Here are a couple of them.
Method 1
To check the DNS server you are using on Windows, just open a command prompt. To do this, in Windows 10, click “Start”, then “All Programs”, then “Accessories” and finally on the command line. and run the following command.
ipconfig / all | findstr "DNS Servers"
In case you’re wondering, all the command does is retrieve all the network configuration values and then filter out the string “DNS servers” from them.
Method 2
The second method is much simpler and has a convenient command. That is, just nslookup any web address and Windows will show you which DNS server you are using as part of the lookup. To run nslookup just use below command. You can replace “google.com” with any web address you want. In fact, you can even replace it with your own IP address.
nslookup google.com
3. What DNS server am I using – Linux
To check which DNS server you are using on Linux, just open a terminal and run nslookup on any website. Just enter the following command. You can also replace google.com with your IP address.
nslookup google.com
In case you’re wondering, “nslookup” is a command line utility that resolves the DNS name to an IP address, thereby exposing the DNS server used in the process.
Read: Best Apps to Encrypt DNS Traffic
4. What DNS server am I using – Mac
Likewise, on macOS, open a terminal and enter the following command.
To launch Terminal on macOS, press CMD + SPACEBAR to launch Spotlight and then type “terminal”. and press Enter. Alternatively, you can open the Applications folder, then open Utilities and double-click Terminal. When the terminal windows open, copy and paste the following command and press Enter.
nslookup google.com
5. What DNS server am I using – Android
There are several Android network scanning apps on the market that let you know which DNS you are using. I would suggest Network Info II. The app is free, lightweight, no ads.
Just download it from the play store, open it and go to the WiFi tab. There you will see DNS 1 and DNS 2 records. These are the DNS servers that you are using.
Read: Change Android DNS Settings with These 5 DNS Changer Apps
Alternatively, you can also try the PingTools network utilities. It has some of the best and most useful tools out there. You also get additional utilities that can do tasks like UPnP scan, LAN wake up, port scan, etc.
To find the DNS address, install the app from the Play Store and open it. Now click on the “Router” or “Internet” icon and it will display all the network information. Here you can find out which DNS you are using by looking at the DNS 1 and DNS 2 records.
6. What DNS server am I using – iOS
Network Analyzer is a free iOS app that shows useful information about your network. There is a premium version of this app that costs $ 3, but a lite version (ad-supported) is sufficient for our simple need. Just install and open the app, you will see which DNS you are using next to “DNS Server IP”.
7. What DNS server am I using – router
By default, your router uses the DNS server provided by your ISP, but if you suspect someone has changed it on your router, here’s how to find it. Just open your web browser, enter the IP address of your router (usually 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1) and login with your username and password. Most routers have credentials returned. When you see the router’s web interface, depending on the router model, look for the DNS 1 and DNS 2 entries. This is usually the Network Setup or Status option.
If you find any third party DNS IP here, try googling or nslookup with the IP address to see which server is associated with it. If you are still unsure about the DNS service, it is recommended that you change DNS on your local computer. This will override your router’s configuration and you can now enjoy your web browsing experience with peace of mind.
Closing words
So these were some of the ways to find out which DNS server you are using. Choose the method that works best for your operating system. In case of any other questions or difficulties, let me know in the comments below.