> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.freakhosting.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# How to Change IPv4 Public DNS Resolvers

> Learn how to change the DNS resolvers used by your FREAKHOSTING VPS to providers like Cloudflare, Google, or Quad9 for improved speed and privacy.

## Customizing Your DNS Resolvers

Every time your server needs to connect to a domain name — whether it is downloading a software update from `ubuntu.com`, fetching an API response from `api.stripe.com`, or resolving any hostname at all — it asks a **DNS resolver** to translate that human-readable name into a numeric IP address.

Think of DNS resolvers as the internet's phone book. Your server knows it wants to call "google.com," but it needs the resolver to look up the actual number (IP address) before it can place the call. The resolver you use affects how fast that lookup happens, how private it is, and whether it includes any built-in security filtering.

The FREAKHOSTING VPS Control Panel lets you swap between popular public DNS resolver providers with a couple of clicks — no SSH required, no config files to edit.

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Difficulty" icon="gauge-low">
    Beginner
  </Card>

  <Card title="Time" icon="clock">
    2 Minutes
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

***

## Changing DNS Resolvers

<Steps>
  <Step title="Navigate to Your Server">
    Log in at [cloud.freakhosting.com](https://cloud.freakhosting.com), click **Servers** in the top navigation bar, then click **Manage** next to the server you want to configure.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Open the Network Tab">
    Click on the **Network** tab in the server management navigation.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Locate the DNS Resolvers Section">
    Scroll down past the IPv4 Addresses table to the **IPv4 Public DNS Resolvers** section. You will see a note that reads: *"A server requires two DNS resolvers. You may swap the system defaults for a preferred set of public resolvers."*

    Below that are two dropdown menus — **Primary** and **Secondary** — each showing the currently selected resolver with a globe icon and its IP address.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Select Your Preferred Resolvers">
    Click on each dropdown and choose from the available DNS providers. The default configuration ships with **System Default** resolvers (Cloudflare `1.1.1.1` as primary and Google `8.8.8.8` as secondary). Your changes take effect immediately — no reboot required.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Tip>
  For maximum reliability, consider choosing resolvers from **two different providers** — for example, Cloudflare as your primary and Google as your secondary. That way, if one provider ever has an outage, your server seamlessly falls back to the other without any interruption in DNS resolution.
</Tip>

***

## Popular DNS Providers Compared

Here is a detailed look at the most common options available in the dropdown menus, along with their strengths and trade-offs:

| Provider       | IP Addresses                  | Speed            | Privacy                                                        | Security                                         | Best For                       |
| -------------- | ----------------------------- | ---------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------ | ------------------------------ |
| **Cloudflare** | `1.1.1.1` / `1.0.0.1`         | Fastest globally | Commits to purging logs within 24 hours; independently audited | DNSSEC validation                                | Raw speed and privacy          |
| **Google**     | `8.8.8.8` / `8.8.4.4`         | Very fast        | Logs queries but anonymizes after 48 hours                     | DNSSEC validation                                | Maximum reliability and uptime |
| **Quad9**      | `9.9.9.9` / `149.112.112.112` | Fast             | No personally identifiable data logged                         | **Blocks known malicious domains** automatically | Built-in threat protection     |

### Which Should You Choose?

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Speed Priority" icon="bolt">
    **Go with Cloudflare (1.1.1.1)**. It consistently ranks as the fastest public DNS resolver in independent benchmarks worldwide. If your server makes a lot of DNS queries (think API-heavy applications, web crawlers, or busy web servers), faster resolution translates directly into lower latency for your users.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Reliability Priority" icon="shield">
    **Go with Google DNS (8.8.8.8)**. Backed by Google's global infrastructure, it offers exceptional uptime and has handled enormous query volumes for over a decade. It is the safe, boring, rock-solid choice — and sometimes boring is exactly what you want for critical infrastructure.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Security Priority" icon="lock">
    **Go with Quad9 (9.9.9.9)**. It automatically blocks access to known malicious domains — phishing sites, malware distribution servers, and command-and-control infrastructure. This gives your server an extra layer of protection without installing any additional software or configuring blocklists.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Maximum Redundancy" icon="arrows-rotate">
    **Mix providers**. Set your primary to one provider and your secondary to another (e.g., Cloudflare primary + Google secondary, or Quad9 primary + Cloudflare secondary). This ensures DNS resolution continues even if one provider has a rare outage.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

***

## The System Default Configuration

Out of the box, FREAKHOSTING configures your server with the **System Default** resolvers:

* **Primary:** `1.1.1.1` (Cloudflare) — shown with a globe icon in the dropdown
* **Secondary:** `8.8.8.8` (Google) — shown with a globe icon in the dropdown

This is already a strong default — you get Cloudflare's speed as the primary lookup and Google's reliability as a fallback. Many users will never need to change this. But if you want Quad9's malware blocking, or prefer a different combination, swapping is just two clicks away.

***

## Practical Scenarios

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="My server makes a lot of API calls and I want the lowest latency">
    Set both resolvers to Cloudflare (`1.1.1.1` as primary, `1.0.0.1` as secondary). Cloudflare's globally distributed network means DNS queries resolve as quickly as possible, which reduces the time your server spends waiting before it can actually connect to the API endpoint.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="I want to block malicious domains without installing anything">
    Set Quad9 (`9.9.9.9`) as your primary resolver. Quad9 maintains a constantly updated threat intelligence database and will refuse to resolve domains known to be associated with malware, phishing, or botnets. It is like having a basic firewall for DNS lookups at zero cost and zero configuration.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="I changed resolvers and something broke">
    DNS resolver changes take effect immediately but should not break anything — all major public resolvers handle the same domain lookups. If you experience issues, switch back to the System Default and check whether the problem persists. If a specific domain is not resolving, it may be blocked by Quad9's threat filter (by design) or experiencing a temporary issue unrelated to your resolver choice.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Why does my server need two resolvers?">
    Redundancy. If the primary resolver is temporarily unreachable (due to a network blip or rare provider outage), your server automatically falls back to the secondary resolver. Without a secondary, a primary resolver outage would mean your server cannot resolve any domain names — effectively cutting it off from the internet until the resolver comes back online.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Will changing DNS resolvers affect my running services?">
    Changing DNS resolvers is a safe, non-disruptive operation. Your server simply starts using a different DNS service for new lookups. All running services and applications continue to work normally — active connections are not affected. The only difference is that future domain name lookups may be slightly faster, slightly slower, or filtered differently depending on which provider you chose.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What about DNS resolvers configured inside my OS?">
    The panel-level resolvers set the initial configuration for your server's network. If you have manually edited `/etc/resolv.conf` or configured DNS settings within your operating system, those OS-level settings may take precedence. For most users, managing resolvers through the panel is the simplest and recommended approach.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

***

<Note>
  ### Need Extra Help?

  If you encounter any issues, our support team is ready to assist:

  * **Live Chat:** Quick assistance via our website.
  * **Support Ticket:** [Open a Ticket](https://freakhosting.com/clientarea/submitticket.php)
  * **Discord:** [Join our Community](https://discord.gg/freakhosting)
  * **Email:** [support@freakhosting.com](mailto:support@freakhosting.com)
</Note>

<Tip>
  ### Save on Your Hosting

  Ready to get a new server? Use code **KB20** at checkout for **20% off** your first month!
</Tip>

***

<div align="center">
  **Last Updated:** March 2026 | **VPS Support:** DNS configuration simplified.
</div>