Want smoother online gaming? A good DNS server can help.
In this guide, we’ll share 10+ best DNS servers for gaming on PC, PS4, and PS5 to help you connect faster, reduce delays, and stay more secure online.
You’ll also find an easy step-by-step guide to setting up DNS servers on PS4 and PS5, plus practical tips to improve your overall gaming experience.
5 Best DNS Servers for Gaming
1. Cloudflare: Best DNS Server for Gaming
Cloudflare is widely considered one of the best DNS servers for gaming. It’s free and known for its speed and security, making it a great choice for gamers on a budget.
Benefits of Cloudflare
- Faster Browsing: Cloudflare is one of the fastest DNS servers out there. It speeds up loading times for gaming websites and platforms, enhancing your overall gaming experience.
- Enhanced Security: With features like DNS over HTTPS (DoH) and DNS over TLS (DoT), Cloudflare encrypts all of your DNS queries, protecting you from malicious actors and spoofing attacks.
- Parental Controls: Cloudflare provides parents with a simple process to block adult content and malware, making gaming a safer environment for their kids.
- Reliability: Cloudflare reduces the risk of DNS outages.
- Global Coverage: With a network of servers in over 300 cities, Cloudflare ensures that your DNS queries are resolved quickly, no matter where you are.
DNS Servers:
- Primary DNS: 1.1.1.1
- Alternate DNS: 1.0.0.1
Pricing: Free
In summary, Cloudflare is our top choice for the best DNS servers for gaming. Its speed, security, and ease of use make it a valuable tool for any gamer looking to enhance their online experience.
If you want to play games more safely, LightningX VPN is a good choice. It is easy to use, with one click to connect to 2000+ servers worldwide, unlimited bandwidth and speed, and strong security.
Download it and enjoy some free nodes!
2. Google Public DNS: Best Free DNS for Gaming
Google Public DNS is a reliable and smooth DNS service that enhances your online experience with secure and efficient DNS resolution.
Developed by Google, the service leverages a massive global infrastructure to provide excellent reliability, speed, and security. Google Public DNS is one of the Best DNS Servers for Gaming.
Benefits of Google Public DNS
- Performance improvements: Google Public DNS can reduce the number of DNS lookups performed by your device, potentially speeding up website load times and improving network performance.
- Enhanced security: The service provides strong protection against DDoS attacks, spoofing attacks, cache poisoning, and amplification attacks.
- No redirects: Enjoy a smoother, more consistent browsing experience because Google Public DNS does not perform redirects.
- Advanced options: For those who host their own games, Google’s Cloud DNS provides an authoritative name server to minimize latency and scale to hundreds of DNS zones.
- Enhanced privacy: Google Public DNS supports DNS over HTTPS (DoH) and DNS over TLS (DoT), which prevents tampering, eavesdropping, and spoofing between clients, enhancing privacy while gaming.
DNS Servers:
- Primary DNS: 8.8.8.8
- Secondary DNS: 8.8.4.4
Pricing: Free
3. OpenDNS: Best DNS Server for Gamers
OpenDNS is a popular DNS service. It offers over 50 customizable categories, allowing users to create a safer browsing and gaming environment, making it especially suitable for families.
It also effectively protects against malware and phishing attacks while providing fast and reliable performance. Because it balances security and speed, OpenDNS is often considered one of the best DNS servers, particularly favored by parents who want to enhance their network control.
Benefits of OpenDNS
- Customizable Content Filtering: OpenDNS allows parents to control access to specific websites and content, ensuring child-friendly gaming.
- High Security: The service protects against malware and phishing, ensuring a safe gaming environment for all users.
- High Performance: Enjoy faster website loading times and nearly 100% uptime, avoiding ISP DNS outages.
DNS Servers
- Primary DNS: 208.67.222.222
- Secondary DNS: 208.67.220.220
Pricing:
- Free: OpenDNS and OpenDNS Family Shield are both free to use.
- Premium: Upgrade to OpenDNS Home VIP for $19.95 per year to access a custom allow list and usage stats.
4. Quad9: Best DNS for the Highest Security While Gaming
Quad9 is a security-focused DNS service designed to protect users from malicious websites and online threats. It uses real-time threat intelligence to block access to unsafe domains and does not log user data, ensuring strong privacy protection.
While Quad9 may not be the fastest option, it is one of the best DNS servers for gamers who prioritize a secure and private online environment.
Benefits of Quad9
- Advanced Threat Intelligence: Quad9 blocks malicious domains, protecting gamers from security risks such as malware, botnets, and phishing attacks.
- Privacy-focused: No user data is logged, protecting your online privacy.
- Quick Setup: Easy to configure and accessible to all users.
DNS Servers
- Primary DNS: 9.9.9.9
- Secondary DNS: 149.112.112.112
- IPv6 Primary DNS: 2620:fe::fe
- IPv6 Secondary DNS: 2620:fe::9
- Unsecured DNS: 9.9.9.10 (IPv6: 2620:fe::10)
Pricing: Free
5. AdGuard DNS: Best DNS for Ad Blocking in Gaming
AdGuard DNS is a powerful DNS server for gaming. It offers two main options: a default mode (focused on ad blocking) and a family protection mode (which also blocks adult content).
The service supports modern security protocols such as DNS over HTTPS, TLS, QUIC, and DNSCrypt, helping to protect your privacy while browsing the web or playing games.
The free version is sufficient for basic needs, while the paid version offers broader coverage and more features to meet the demands of more discerning users.
Benefits of AdGuard DNS
- Ad Blocking: Blocks ads in games, videos, apps, and web pages, providing an uninterrupted gaming experience.
- Family Protection: Additional servers block adult content, making it suitable for families.
- Performance: Efficiently blocks ads without compromising device speed.
- Privacy and Security: It supports encrypted DNS protocols, such as DNS over HTTPS and DNS over TLS, ensuring secure and private browsing.
Default Servers:
- Primary DNS: 94.140.14.14
- Secondary DNS: 94.140.15.15
- IPv6 Primary DNS: 2a10:50c0::ad1:ff
- IPv6 Secondary DNS: 2a10:50c0::ad2:ff
Pricing
- Free: Basic ad blocking and DNS services.
- Paid: Extended features available, including multi-device protection and enhanced support.
Other Best DNS Servers
| DNS Servers | Primary DNS | Secondary DNS |
| Comodo Secure DNS | 8.26.56.26 | 8.20.247.20 |
| CIRA Canadian Shield | 149.112.121.10 | 149.112.122.10 |
| SafeDNS | 195.46.39.39 | 195.46.39.40 |
| DNS for Family | 94.130.180.225 | 78.47.64.161 |
| Yandex DNS | 77.88.8.8 | 77.88.8.1 |
Best DNS Servers for Different Games
You have learned about the 10 best DNS servers for gaming. If you are a player of the following games, we also provide you with the best DNS servers for different popular games:
1. DNS for Call of Duty Mobile (CODM)
- Cloudflare DNS: 1.1.1.1 and 1.0.0.1, known for ultra-low latency, perfect for competitive gaming.
- Google Public DNS: 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4, provide stable and fast DNS resolution and have a strong infrastructure.
2. DNS for PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG)
- Google Public DNS: fast response time and wide global coverage.
- Cloudflare DNS: loved by PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds players for its reliability and speed.
3. DNS for Brawl Stars
- Cloudflare DNS: fast DNS resolution and stable uptime.
- Quad9 DNS: 9.9.9.9 and 149.112.112.112: add extra security while maintaining low latency.
4. DNS for Fortnite
- Cloudflare DNS: Super-fast speed for real-time online matches.
- OpenDNS: 208.67.222.222 and 208.67.220.220: More secure, stable, and better for long-term gaming.
5. DNS for Apex Legends
- Cloudflare DNS: 1.1.1.1 and 1.0.0.1: Reduce latency and optimize matchmaking speed.
- Google Public DNS: 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4: Provide stable connections and reduce lag.
Best DNS Servers for PS4 & PS5
Choosing the right DNS server for your PS4 or PS5 can significantly improve your gaming experience, reducing latency, increasing download speeds, and providing a more stable connection. Here are some of the best DNS servers for PS4 and PS5:
1. Cloudflare DNS
- Primary DNS: 1.1.1.1
- Secondary DNS: 1.0.0.1
Cloudflare DNS is known for its speed and privacy. It is one of the fastest DNS services and can help reduce latency and improve gaming performance on PS4/PS5. In addition, Cloudflare emphasizes user privacy by not logging IP addresses.
2. Google Public DNS
- Primary DNS: 8.8.8.8
- Secondary DNS: 8.8.4.4
Google Public DNS is one of the most popular and reliable DNS services, offering fast response times and strong security features.
3. SafeDNS
- Primary DNS: 195.46.39.39
- Secondary DNS: 195.46.39.40
SafeDNS provides reliable DNS resolution services with content filtering and security features. It is very friendly to PS players.
4. NextDNS
- Primary DNS: 45.90.28.0
- Secondary DNS: 45.90.30.0
NextDNS offers customizable security and privacy features, making it a versatile choice for PS gamers. It allows users to block ads, trackers, and malicious websites, providing a safer and smoother gaming experience.
What Are the Best DNS Servers for Gaming?
The best gaming DNS servers offer the fastest, most stable connections, as speed, minimal latency, and ping are essential for a smooth gaming experience.
In addition to speed and stability, the best DNS servers should also enhance your online security and privacy. Features like DDoS protection and malicious content filtering are essential to protecting your gaming sessions from cyber threats.
Regardless of which DNS server you choose, ensuring a stable and fast internet connection is a top priority.
Read more: What Is DNS? Everything You Need to Know about DNS
How to Change Your DNS Server?
Changing your DNS on Windows and iOS can improve speed, security, and browsing. Here’s how to do it on different devices:
On iPhone/iPad:
- Open Settings → Wi-Fi.
- Tap the (i) next to your network.
- Scroll down → Configure DNS → Manual → Add Server.
- Enter your preferred and alternate DNS IPs.
- Save to apply.
On Windows 10:
- Go to Settings → Network & Internet → Change Adapter Options.
- Right-click your active network → Properties.
- Select Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) → Properties.
- Use the following DNS server addresses and enter preferred and alternate DNS IPs.
- Click OK to save.
FAQ about DNS Servers for Gaming
1. How Do I Fix a DNS Server That Isn’t Responding?
If your computer cannot connect to the DNS server, follow these steps to troubleshoot and resolve the issue:
- Check ISP connection: Ensure your Internet Service Provider (ISP) is not experiencing outages or issues.
- Check antivirus software: Verify that your antivirus software is not blocking your Internet connection.
- Run network troubleshooting tools: Use your computer’s built-in network troubleshooting tools to identify and resolve issues.
- Restart devices: Restart your modem and router to reset the connection.
2. Does DNS Server Affect Gaming?
Yes. DNS servers don’t directly affect your game performance, but they do affect the speed at which you connect to game servers.
Using the best gaming DNS server can speed up game server lookup, reduce connection latency during login or matchmaking, and make your connection more stable.
