This page shows how to change the DNS settings on the TP-Link TD-W8951ND router.
Other TP-Link TD-W8951ND Guides
This is the dns guide for the TP-Link TD-W8951ND. We also have the following guides for the same router:
- TP-Link TD-W8951ND - How to change the IP Address on a TP-Link TD-W8951ND router
- TP-Link TD-W8951ND - TP-Link TD-W8951ND User Manual
- TP-Link TD-W8951ND - TP-Link TD-W8951ND Login Instructions
- TP-Link TD-W8951ND - Setup WiFi on the TP-Link TD-W8951ND
- TP-Link TD-W8951ND - Information About the TP-Link TD-W8951ND Router
- TP-Link TD-W8951ND - TP-Link TD-W8951ND Screenshots
- TP-Link TD-W8951ND - Reset the TP-Link TD-W8951ND
What is the DNS setting on a Router
When you connect a router to the Internet it gets a few settings from your ISP automatically. One of the settings that the ISP sets in your router is the DNS setting. DNS stands for Domain Name System and it is used to convert Internet names into actual IP addresses. For instance, when you go to "google.com", your are really connecting to an IP address that is mapped through DNS to a number such as:
- 173.194.33.73
This mapping happens automatically every time you visit any page on the Internet.
Why Change Your Router's DNS Setting
Some ISPs choose to abuse the DNS system and map unknown names to servers that they control. This can be done in a way that you don't know it is happening since your router is getting its DNS settings from your ISP. For instance, if you have one of these ISPs who is hijacking your DNS, and you try to surf the web to "some-random-site.com" and "some-random-site.com" does not exist, you might get a page back from your ISP with local advertisements on it.
By changing your DNS setting in your router you will effectively change the DNS setting for every computer on your network. This is because when a device is connected to your network your router automatically hands out its own DNS settings to that device. This way you can protect your entire network from ISP hijacking with just one setting.
What Should I Change My DNS To
There are 2 really great DNS servers on the Internet that you can choose from right now: Google Public DNS and OpenDNS. If you are not sure which one to pick then just use Google Public DNS.
When you change the DNS settings in your router, you usually have to enter a Primary and a Secondary setting. The secondary is only used if the primary can not be located. Here are common settings:
If you want to use Google Public DNS, use the following settings:
- Primary: 8.8.8.8
- Secondary: 8.8.4.4
If you want to use OpenDNS, use the following settings:
- 208.67.222.222
- 208.67.220.220
Login To The TP-Link TD-W8951ND
To get started configuring the TP-Link TD-W8951ND DNS page you need to login to your router. If you are already logged in you can skip this step.
To login to the TP-Link TD-W8951ND, follow our TP-Link TD-W8951ND Login Guide.
Change the DNS settings on a TP-Link TD-W8951ND
If you followed our login guide above then you should see this screen.
To change the DNS settings on the TP-Link TD-W8951ND router, begin on the Status page. From there, click the choice in the white bar at the top of the page labeled Interface Setup. Then below that, LAN.
Configure the DNS section of your TP-Link TD-W8951ND
This directs you to the LAN Interface Setup page. Find the heading on the left titled DNS.
In this section, pick Use User Discovered DNS Server Only in the drop-down menu titled DNS Relay.
Next, in the box titled Primary DNS Server, enter the primary address of the DNS server you have decided to use. This address is the one that is always used first.
In the Secondary DNS Server box, enter the secondary address of that DNS server you picked. Remember that this particular address becomes a back-up and is only used if the first can't be found.
That's it, just click the SAVE button in the orange bar before exiting.
Possible Problems when Changing your DNS settings
Most devices on your network will not begin using the new DNS settings until they have been rebooted. After rebooting a device you can go to it's network settings and verify that it is using the DNS servers that you specified.
Other TP-Link TD-W8951ND Info
Don't forget about our other TP-Link TD-W8951ND info that you might be interested in.
This is the dns guide for the TP-Link TD-W8951ND. We also have the following guides for the same router:
- TP-Link TD-W8951ND - How to change the IP Address on a TP-Link TD-W8951ND router
- TP-Link TD-W8951ND - TP-Link TD-W8951ND User Manual
- TP-Link TD-W8951ND - TP-Link TD-W8951ND Login Instructions
- TP-Link TD-W8951ND - Setup WiFi on the TP-Link TD-W8951ND
- TP-Link TD-W8951ND - Information About the TP-Link TD-W8951ND Router
- TP-Link TD-W8951ND - TP-Link TD-W8951ND Screenshots
- TP-Link TD-W8951ND - Reset the TP-Link TD-W8951ND