What this tool calculates
This page is a reference list, not a latency benchmark or availability monitor. It helps identify commonly published IPv4 and IPv6 addresses for public recursive DNS services and records high-level service characteristics. A recursive resolver receives a domain-name question, follows or uses cached DNS information, and returns an answer to the client.
Changing a resolver can affect lookup speed, logging exposure, filtering behavior, and which content-delivery endpoint is selected. The page does not declare one provider universally fastest or most private because those outcomes depend on location, network routing, configuration, and current service policy.
Inputs
Use the provider name, address family, and desired policy as selection inputs. Confirm whether you need an unfiltered resolver, a malware-blocking option, or family-oriented filtering. Copy both primary and secondary addresses only from the provider's official documentation.
Before changing a router, record the current automatic or ISP-provided values. On a managed device or workplace network, obtain authorization first. DNS settings do not replace a VPN, firewall, endpoint protection, or encrypted application traffic.
Method and formula
There is no arithmetic formula. The reference matches provider-published resolver addresses and notes. For example, Google Public DNS publishes 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4 for IPv4. Cloudflare's standard resolver publishes 1.1.1.1 and 1.0.0.1. These are anycast addresses: routing normally directs a query to a nearby service location, but “nearby” in routing terms may not be geographically closest.
To compare resolvers responsibly, test repeated cached and uncached queries from the same network, examine failure rates as well as median time, and repeat at different hours. Flush or account for operating-system and browser caches. A single ping result is not a DNS-resolution measurement.
Worked example
Suppose a home user wants to compare two standard, unfiltered choices. The candidate IPv4 pairs include Google at 8.8.8.8 / 8.8.4.4 and Cloudflare at 1.1.1.1 / 1.0.0.1.
The user records the existing automatic setting, tests name resolution with the current resolver, changes one device rather than the whole router, and checks several known domains plus a deliberately nonexistent name. After repeating the test, the user can restore the original setting if resolution fails or local services stop working.
This example compares configuration behavior only. It does not prove that either address will be faster from another network.
How to interpret the result
An address in the table means the provider publicly documents it for recursive DNS use. It does not certify uptime, jurisdictional suitability, data retention, filtering, or support. Read the provider's current privacy and service pages before routing household or organizational queries through it.
If normal websites work but internal hostnames fail, the public resolver may not know a private DNS zone that the router or employer resolver handles. Split-horizon DNS, captive portals, parental controls, and ISP services can all depend on the original configuration.
Accuracy and limitations
Provider addresses and policies can change. Network operators may intercept port 53 traffic, block external resolvers, or supply DNS through IPv6 while only the IPv4 field was changed. DNS over HTTPS and DNS over TLS may be controlled separately by a browser or operating system, so the visible network setting may not be the resolver actually used.
The list cannot measure your route, detect tampering, or promise privacy. Avoid entering confidential internal domain names into public diagnostic services. For an organization, use controlled testing, documented change management, and a resolver policy aligned with security and compliance needs.
Sources
- Google Public DNS documentation publishes the service addresses and configuration guidance.
- Cloudflare 1.1.1.1 setup documentation provides its resolver endpoints and platform-specific setup notes.
- RFC 1034: Domain Names—Concepts and Facilities defines the resolver and name-server model underlying DNS operation.
Editorial record
Author: SoupCalc Editorial Team
Last reviewed: August 14, 2026
Review scope: Published resolver addresses, recursive-DNS terminology, comparison method, privacy and network limitations, and restoration guidance were checked.