[Ham-Mac] Finding and Applying Best DNS Servers for Your Location.

[Dick]

The purpose of this note is to share a networking tip shared with me several months ago by Diana Ross, MVPS - one of the volunteer Microsoft Most Valuable Professionals. It is easy and has save me all kinds of grief with
web pages, mail issues and nags to enter passwords again.  

There are two parts: Part I is how to find the best DNS servers for your location and Part II (the tip) is how to implement the recommendation under Mac OS X.

Part I:  Go to Google, download and install the (free) namebench 1.3.1 for Mac OS X  - an Open-souce DNS Benchmark Utility

 <http://code.google.com/p/namebench/downloads/list>

Run namebench and use the Query Data Source selector to pick Mozilla Firefox or Safari depending the one you use the most.  Click on Start button and let namebench do its thing. It will take some time so do not be in hurry. It will run in the background.  

When namebench completes the tests, it will present you with a scorecard to let you know if there is a better set of DNS IP numbers for your location.  I always snap a screenshot of the data. The important information will be the three sets of IP numbers in the upper right of the report for the Primary, Secondary and Tertiary servers.

If the report says your already specified servers are the best, just quit namebench.  You have changed nothing.

Part II: Now for good stuff on how you add implement the Google namebench DNS numbers in OS X. Open your System Preferences, click on Network then click on the Advanced button in the lower right. From the Advanced pane click on the DNS tab and this will display your current DNS settings on the left side.

If you are nervous about messing with the current settings, snap a screenshot so you will be able to get back later if necessary.

Use the minus (-) button under the DNS Servers: to clear the old settings, then use the plus (+) button to add the three recommended IP number from the namebench test report. Add the numbers one at a time and be sure they line up as listed in the test report.  The recommended Primary DNS  should be at the top.

I do not mess with the Search Domains in the right pane.

Don't forget to click on OK and when it returns you to the Network pane click on Apply to save the changes.

I don't now that it is necessary but I alway restart the Mac after making these changes. 

Once you have the finished try mail and some web pages. I recommend a 2nd  namebench pass.  Sometimes it takes two passe to find the best combination.

I hope this tip is useful and used.


73 Dick AA5VU
Sent by iMac with a real keyboard