To change router DNS, sign in to the router’s settings and replace the DNS server addresses in the relevant internet or DHCP settings. Record the old values first. The exact menu depends on the model, and some devices or browsers may use their own DNS instead.
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What will changing DNS do?
DNS helps turn a name such as a website address into the address needed to reach it. A different resolver may help with a faulty lookup service, filtering choices or a particular connection problem. It does not increase your contracted bandwidth or fix weak Wi-Fi and mobile coverage.
For a mobile-internet setup, our 4G and 5G router guide explains why the radio connection and data plan still matter.
WAN DNS and DHCP DNS are different settings
| Setting | Usual role |
|---|---|
| Internet/WAN DNS | Resolvers used by the router or its upstream connection. |
| LAN/DHCP DNS | Resolver addresses offered to devices obtaining network settings automatically. |
| IPv6 DNS | DNS configuration for IPv6-capable connections. |
| Device, browser or VPN DNS | May override or bypass the router’s suggested resolver. |
Some routers give devices the router’s own address and forward requests upstream. Others hand out the chosen resolver addresses directly. Do not assume that one screen controls every device in every model.
Make the change
- Connect to your own router and open the management address shown in its manual or network settings.
- Record the original DNS values or the Automatic/Obtain from ISP setting.
- Find the DNS section under Internet, Network, LAN or DHCP, following the exact model’s instructions.
- Enter the chosen provider’s correct primary and secondary addresses. Check IPv6 settings if relevant.
- Save or apply the change. Follow any restart instruction shown by the router.
- Reconnect a test device or renew its connection if it still has an old DHCP configuration.
TP-Link’s router guide shows why menus differ, while its Deco guide separates WAN and LAN methods. Cloudflare’s resolver setup guide is one provider’s example, not a guarantee it is fastest for you.
Check what the device actually uses
Open several sites and check the network’s DNS details. On Windows, ipconfig /all shows configured adapter DNS addresses; a query with nslookup example.com shows the server that tool contacts. Seeing the router’s local address can be normal when it forwards queries.
Also review Secure DNS/DNS-over-HTTPS in the browser, any manually configured device DNS and active VPN software. A browser using its own encrypted resolver may not follow the router’s choice. Changing resolver addresses alone does not encrypt all internet traffic.
If websites stop opening
Restore the saved values or automatic DNS, apply the change and reconnect the test device. Check for typing errors before changing more settings. If the problem affects a whole service or region, our NetBlocks guide explains how wider outage reports differ from a fault inside your home.