Google DNS vs ISP DNS

[cpbotha]

I'm on Google Public DNS because SAIX's nameservers (which are automatically assigned on my fixed LTE) have been down at uncomfortable times, rendering an otherwise good connection useless.

I've measured with namebench and google public DNS is not that much slower than SAIX. It's a heck of a lot more reliable than SAIX however.

Also remember, that ever since the "Client IP information in DNS requests" extension was implemented, your DNS request for for example youtube.com will return youtube's Joburg servers, even when you use google public DNS.

 

[ranger]

I'm on Google Public DNS because SAIX's nameservers (which are automatically assigned on my fixed LTE) have been down at uncomfortable times, rendering an otherwise good connection useless.

At the time, SAIX DNS was under DDOS attack.

I've measured with namebench and google public DNS is not that much slower than SAIX. It's a heck of a lot more reliable than SAIX however.

Also remember, that ever since the "Client IP information in DNS requests" extension was implemented, your DNS request for for example youtube.com will return youtube's Joburg servers, even when you use google public DNS.

That may be the case for Google services, but there are many other CDNs available, and you might end up with other problems that you don't have the knowledge to diagnose as DNS-related.

So, yes, consider using Google DNS, but revert of you see other issues.

Telkom Mobile will eventually migrate off SAIX, we aren't quite sure if they will move off SAIX DNS as Telkom Internet DSL users are currently being moved (to alleviate the issues on SAIX DNS) to our new IP Anycast DNS.

 

[BTTB]

Could someone please post an update on the Google DNS topic. Experiencing sluggish browsing although downloads come through OK.

Line rental with Telkom (500m from Exchange)
WebAfrica ISP, 10Mb ADSL Business Capped Account.

Logged a fault with Telkom in regards to Slow Uploads/Downloads and have now added the DNS Settings as discussed, hoping to get an improvement unless someone has got some other suggestions on my settings.
Primary DNS 8888
Seconday DNS 8844

 

[BigBear]

I always use google DNS..

 

[cavedog]

Could someone please post an update on the Google DNS topic. Experiencing sluggish browsing although downloads come through OK.

Line rental with Telkom (500m from Exchange)
WebAfrica ISP, 10Mb ADSL Business Capped Account.

Logged a fault with Telkom in regards to Slow Uploads/Downloads and have now added the DNS Settings as discussed, hoping to get an improvement unless someone has got some other suggestions on my settings.
Primary DNS 8888
Seconday DNS 8844

Aeonova360 fibre with their own ISP A360 configures the DNS setting in the WAN to use google DNS only and the end user like myself can not edit the WAN settings in the Huawei ONT.

So far it's been rock solid to be honest with you. I don't even know I'm on google DNS I get all the local CDN's for youtube and services like that.

 

[SauRoNZA]

I reckon if you are going to move away from your ISP DNS then you may as well just move to OpenDNS and get some control/benefits out of the change.

 

[ranger]

Aeonova360 fibre with their own ISP A360 configures the DNS setting in the WAN to use google DNS only and the end user like myself can not edit the WAN settings in the Huawei ONT.

So far it's been rock solid to be honest with you. I don't even know I'm on google DNS I get all the local CDN's for youtube and services like that.

Youtube is not "all the local CDNs".

Besides Youtube/GGC, at least the following CDNs have local deployments (some only at ISPs)
- Akamai (both the cluster at NAPAfrica JB1 which was severely constrained, plus at least 3 other clusters (and only a few of those are SSL clusters)
- Netflix
- Facebook
- AWS CloudFront (at JB1 and CT1, announced last week).

At some point there was a Limelight deployment, but I am not sure if that is acrove.

 

[ranger]

I reckon if you are going to move away from your ISP DNS then you may as well just move to OpenDNS and get some control/benefits out of the change.

Another option may be quad9.net (9.9.9.9) which is more security- and privacy- focused, but may be worse off from a CDN perspective than Google and OpenDNS (but they seem to be present at CT1 unlike Google).