Usually, the default DNS settings on your iOS device will work just fine. But occasionally, the provider for the Wi-Fi connection you’re using may not have the most up-to-date DNS information, or maybe you’d just like to try another DNS server that might make your internet browsing a bit snappier. Here’s how to change your iOS device’s DNS settings.
To change the DNS settings on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch, follow these steps:
- With Wi-Fi enabled on your device, connect to the Wi-Fi signal you want to use.
- Tap the information icon, (it looks like a lower-case “i” inside a circle), for the name of the Wi-Fi network you are connected to. (The Wi-Fi network you’re connected to will have a checkmark next to it.)
- First, copy the current DNS settings down, just in case you need to change the settings back to the original address.
- Select the DNS field, then select the DNS that’s already listed, and enter the DNS settings you want. You’ll want to enter a Primary DNS and Secondary DNS setting, so separate different DNS addresses with commas. I find that using either OpenDNS or Google DNS gives me the best results as far as speed and accuracy.
For OpenDNS, enter: 208.67.222.222, 208.67.220.220
For Google DNS, enter: 8.8.8.8, 8.8.4.4 - Tap the Wi-Fi button in the upper-left corner of the screen to return to the main Wi-Fi menu. You may see your Wi-Fi icon disappear, and then reappear as your device saves the DNS changes.
- Finally, you’ll want to clear your DNS cache. The fastest way to do this is to go to enable Airplane Mode, and then disable it. That clears your DNS cache. You can also turn your device off, and then turn it back on. But the Airplane Mode method is MUCH faster.
Please note that you will need to set the DNS settings for each Wi-Fi network you connect to, if you want to use these custom DNS settings. However, your iOS device will remember the settings for each network, so you won’t have to re-enter the settings for networks you’ve visited.
