您是否正在浏览互联网时突然间一切都崩溃了，您被可怕的(Were)“找不到 DNS 地址”("DNS address could not be found")消息卡住了？有没有什么时候你会做任何事情来让你最喜欢的网站加载得更快一点？或者您是否一直在寻找一种方法来在您的本地网络中强制执行家长控制，而无需手动配置您家中的每台计算机和设备？(computer and device)所有这些问题都可以在公共的第三方DNS服务器的帮助下得到解答和解决。继续阅读以了解为什么应该立即更改网络和设备使用的默认(network and devices)DNS服务器：
什么是第三方 DNS 服务器？
第三方DNS服务器是由全球各种运营商维护的公共DNS服务器，是我们的ISP（互联网服务提供商）提供的(Internet Service Providers)DNS服务器的替代方案。如果您需要复习DNS服务器，它们负责将网站名称转换和识别为数字 IP 地址。有关更多详细信息，请阅读什么是DNS？如何在Windows中查看我的(Windows)DNS设置？
1. 更快的网页浏览速度
由Cloudflare(Cloudflare)、Google、OpenDNS或AdGuard等第三方公司提供的DNS服务器可能比本地互联网服务提供商(internet service provider)维护的服务器更快。如果是这种情况，使用第三方DNS服务器可能意味着更快的网络浏览体验(browsing experience)。但是，如果这些公共DNS服务器在地理位置上离您太远，那么您的连接速度可能会受到绝对距离(sheer distance)的显着阻碍。无论哪种方式，当您使用特定的第三方DNS服务器时，网络浏览是否会变得更快都值得调查。
2. 提高可靠性和稳定性(reliability and stability)
一些互联网服务提供商(internet service provider)没有投入足够的资源来维护他们的DNS服务器并确保他们的正常运行时间尽可能接近 100%。当DNS服务器无法正常工作时，您可能会在访问 Internet 网站或其他资源时遇到问题。如果您的互联网服务提供商(internet service provider)以其可靠性和专业服务而闻名，将您的DNS服务器更改为第三方服务器可以为您提供更稳定的互联网连接。
3.防止(Protection)网络钓鱼或其他恶意网站
尽管并非所有公共DNS服务器都存在这种情况，但其中一些会保留更新的恶意网站列表，这些网站会被自动阻止。如果您使用此类DNS服务器，那么您会在您和潜伏在网络上的恶意软件之间增加一层额外的保护。但是，请记住，您应该将其更多地视为您的 Internet安全套件(security suite)的一个受欢迎的补充，而不是它的替代品。
4. 提高安全性
由于DNS（域名系统(Domain Name System)）最初被设计为一个开放的分布式系统，因此它很容易受到黑客和恶意方的多种形式的攻击。您可能听说过或读过有关DNS 缓存中毒或 DoS(DNS cache poisoning or DoS)（拒绝服务(Denial-of-Service)）攻击的新闻：这些只是针对DNS系统的两种攻击类型。它们可能导致用户无法访问合法网站并被重定向到恶意 Web 资源，或者只是淹没您正在使用的DNS服务器，从而使您的 Web 浏览变得极其缓慢甚至不可能。第三方DNS服务器通常可以更好地处理此类攻击，因为它们拥有并使用比ISP(ISPs)（互联网服务提供商(Internet Service Providers)）通常在自己的DNS服务器中实施的更好的安全措施。
例如，Google 或 Cloudflare等(Google or Cloudflare)DNS提供商提供对DNSSEC的支持，它可以对抗DNS 缓存(DNS cache)中毒攻击，或者DNS over HTTPS，它可以加密DNS查询，从而提高您的计算机和DNS服务器之间的安全性。如果您想了解有关基于HTTPS的DNS以及如何使用它的更多信息，请阅读什么是基于HTTPS的DNS或安全 DNS 查找(HTTPS or Secure DNS lookups)？在谷歌浏览器(Google Chrome)中启用它！以及如何在Firefox中启用(Firefox)基于 HTTPS(HTTPS)的DNS.
5.家长控制
一些DNS服务器，例如OpenDNS、AdGuard或Yandex.DNS，也提供家长控制选项。如果您担心孩子的安全以及他们在线访问(access online)的内容类型，某些DNS服务器可以帮助您阻止他们访问色情内容、暴力或其他不当网站。因为DNS服务器也可以设置在您的无线路由器(wireless router)上，而不仅仅是在单个计算机和设备上，它们是您可以在整个家庭网络(home network)中实施家长控制的最佳方式之一。
6. 通过在DNS 级别(DNS level)过滤广告来拦截广告
一些DNS提供商维护公共DNS服务器，不仅可以增强您的安全性和隐私性，(security and privacy)还可以提供广告拦截功能。例如，AdGuard 的(AdGuard's) DNS服务器可以在DNS 级别(DNS level)阻止广告。换句话说，如果您将路由器或设备(router or devices)配置为使用AdGuard的(AdGuard)DNS服务器，您访问的所有网站以及您的应用程序和游戏(apps and games)中的广告都会被屏蔽。提供广告拦截的DNS服务器(DNS)使用广告过滤器(use ad filter)列表来做到这一点，所以他们不能绝对阻止所有在互联网上漫游的广告，但他们可以阻止其中很多广告出现在你的电脑和设备上。
7. 审查绕过
就像虚拟专用网络和一些代理服务器一样，DNS 服务器(DNS server)也可用于绕过审查制度和您所在国家或地区(country or region)实施的其他类型的地理限制。DNS 服务器(DNS server)的效率远不及您从良好的VPN 服务(VPN service)中获得的效率，但在政府或互联网服务提供商阻止您通过其DNS 服务器(DNS server)访问的某些情况下，它们可以提供帮助。您只需使用不同的DNS 服务器(DNS server)，就可以完成审查。
8.更快(Faster)地更新DNS 数据库(DNS database)
提供公共DNS 服务(DNS service)的大公司，例如Google、OpenDNS或Cloudflare，有一个很好的习惯，即刷新其IP 地址(IP address)数据库的速度比大多数互联网服务提供商的DNS服务器更快。(DNS)因此，如果您处理的网站由于更改了IP 地址(IP address)而无法再访问，并且您的DNS尚未刷新其数据库，那么使用大型公共DNS 服务(DNS service)会有所帮助。
您打算开始使用第三方DNS服务器吗？
在许多情况下，第三方公共DNS服务器可以证明是比您的互联网服务提供商(internet service provider)提供的更好的选择。你有没有考虑过转行？或者你已经做过了？在下面的评论中与我们分享(Share)您的经验。
What is a third party DNS server? 8 reasons to use public DNS servers
Were yоu browsing the intеrnet when suddenly all hell broke loose and you got ѕtuck with the dreadful "DNS address could not be found" message? Were there times when you would have done anything to get your favorite websites to load even a little bit faster? Or have you been looking for a way to enforce parental controls all over your local network, without having to manually configure each and every computer and device in your home? All these questions and problems can be answered and resolved with the help of public, third-party DNS servers. Read on to find out why you should change the default DNS servers used by your network and devices right now:
What's a third-party DNS server?
Third-party DNS servers are public DNS servers that are maintained by various operators around the globe, and represent an alternative to the DNS servers provided by our ISP (Internet Service Providers). If you need a refresher on DNS servers, they're responsible for translating and identifying the names of websites into numerical IP addresses. For more details, read What is DNS? How do I see my DNS settings in Windows?
1. Faster web browsing speed
The DNS servers offered by third party companies such as Cloudflare, Google, OpenDNS, or AdGuard can be faster than those maintained by your local internet service provider. If that's the case, using third-party DNS servers can mean a faster web browsing experience. However, if those public DNS servers are too far from you geographically, the speed of your connection can be significantly hindered by the sheer distance. Either way, it's worth investigating whether web browsing gets faster when you're using specific third party DNS servers.
2. Improved reliability and stability
Some internet service providers are not investing enough resources in maintaining their DNS servers and in making sure that their uptime is as close to 100% as possible. When DNS servers fail to work correctly, you can have issues in accessing internet websites or other resources. If your internet service provider is not well known for its reliability and professional services, changing your DNS servers to third party servers can offer you a more stable internet connection.
3. Protection against phishing or otherwise malicious websites
Although it's not the case with all the public DNS servers out there, some of them keep updated lists of malicious websites, which are automatically blocked. If you use such DNS servers, then you add an extra layer of protection between you and the malware that lurks all over the web. However, keep in mind that you should look at this more as a welcomed addition to your internet security suite, rather than a replacement for it.
4. Improved security
Because the DNS (Domain Name System) was initially designed as an open distributed system, it is vulnerable and prone to multiple forms of attacks from hackers and malicious parties. You might have heard or read news about DNS cache poisoning or DoS (Denial-of-Service) attacks: these are just two of the types of attacks that target DNS systems. They can lead to situations like users being unable to visit legitimate websites and being redirected to malicious web resources, or simply flood the DNS servers that you're using, which in turn makes web browsing for you extremely slow or even impossible. Third-party DNS servers are usually better prepared to handle such attacks because they have and use better security measures than ISPs (Internet Service Providers) usually implement in their own DNS servers.
For example, DNS providers such as Google or Cloudflare offer support for DNSSEC, which fights against DNS cache poisoning attacks, or DNS over HTTPS, which encrypts DNS queries and thus improves the security between your computer and the DNS servers. If you want to know more about DNS over HTTPS and how to use it, read What is DNS over HTTPS or Secure DNS lookups? Enable it in Google Chrome! and How to enable DNS over HTTPS in Firefox.
5. Parental controls
Some DNS servers, such as OpenDNS, AdGuard, or Yandex.DNS, also offer parental control options. If you are concerned about the safety of your children and the types of content that they access online, certain DNS servers can help you block their access to pornographic content, violent or otherwise inappropriate websites. Because DNS servers can also be set on your wireless router and not only on individual computers and devices, they are one of the best ways in which you can enforce parental controls throughout your home network.
6. Ad-blocking by filtering ads at the DNS level
A few of the DNS providers out there maintain public DNS servers that not only enhance your security and privacy but also offer ad-blocking features. For example, AdGuard's DNS servers can block advertisements at the DNS level. In other words, if you configure your router or devices to use the DNS servers from AdGuard, ads are blocked on all the websites you visit, as well as in your apps and games. The DNS servers that offer ad-blocking use ad filter lists to do that, so they can't block absolutely all the ads roaming on the internet, but they can stop a lot of them from showing up on your PCs and devices.
7. Censorship bypass
Just like virtual private networks and some proxy servers, DNS servers can also be used to bypass censorship and other types of geographical limitations enforced in your country or region. DNS servers have nowhere near the efficiency you get from a good VPN service, but they can help in some instances where governments or internet service providers block your access through their DNS servers. You just use a different DNS server and you are done with the censorship.
8. Faster updates to the DNS database
Big companies that offer public DNS services, such as Google, OpenDNS, or Cloudflare, have the excellent habit of refreshing their database of IP addresses faster than the DNS servers of most internet service providers. Therefore, if you are dealing with websites that you can no longer access because they have changed their IP address and your DNS hasn't yet refreshed its database, then using a large public DNS service can help.
Do you intend to start using third-party DNS servers?
There are many cases in which third party public DNS servers can prove to be a better choice than those provided by your internet service provider. Have you ever considered making the switch? Or have you already done it? Share your experiences with us in the comments below.
