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[XS]

Well I came across these articles while surfing the web.  There is a lot of info but I am more curious about the recommendation on changing the DNS servers in the network setting for Xbox to Google's servers?
Mine are presently set to auto which I think is 0.0.0.0 for both but I am not home so I can't confirm.

I also have my XBOX and router set up per the XBL sticky.

Has anyone tried changing the DNS servers are have any feed back on the article?  Does the DGL-4500 already use the fastest DNS servers automatically?

http://haloreach-thegame.com/2011/02/23/changing-xbox-360-dns/

Another article but very long:
http://www.callofduty.com/thread/1849#dns

Copied and pasted just in case anyone does not want to read the articless through.

"Changing the dns settings on your xbox

First off credit to this goes to ISilentKiller4I for this idea as he was the one who bought it up originally on the blackops forum.

I'll post a simple then a more complex version and also finally explain what it does,
 
Simple version.

1) Turn on your xbox and via the dashboard open up the system settings tab and scroll down and click onto Network settings
2) Select the connection you use and then press configure network
3) You should now have a screen that is tabbed basic settings with the dns setting at the bottom, scroll down to the dns settings and press A
4) Chose "manual" and the screen will now show two options primary and secondary dns servers
5) Highlight primary , press a and enter this EXACTLY 8.8.8.8 (then press start button to confirm)
6) Highlight secondary, press A and enter this exactly 8.8.4.4 (then press start button to confirm)
7) reboot xbox and away you go.
8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4 are googles public dns servers they are usually some of the fastest hence used for the simple method"

[FurryNutz]

Your DNS should be filled in. I recommend using your ISP DNS unless you use the DNS utility and connect directly to your ISP modem and try to find a faster DNS Service address then you could use that new faster on on the router. Those articles seem geared to the console being connected directly to the ISP modem not a router. I've been using ISP DNS on my routers for years now. Good stuff man.

• Turn off Advanced DNS Services if you have this option under Setup/Internet/Manual or under Setup/PARENTAL CONTROL/Set to>None: Static IP or Obtain Automatically From ISP.
• Enable or Disable Use Unicasting (compatibility for some ISP DHCP Servers) and test under Setup/Internet/Manual. Disable may help with speed performance on higher speed ISP services.
• Turn off DNS Relay  under Setup/Networking. Link>Finding Faster DNS Addresses using Name Bench and input new DNS addresses under Setup/Internet/Manual.

DGL-4500 Gaming and Gamefuel for XBL

[XS]

Your DNS should be filled in.

Filled in on the XBOX network settings or on the router?  How do I find out what DNS server I am using?
Thx!

[FurryNutz]

ON the router, under/Basic/Internet/Manual.

To find faster DNS addresses on our ISPs network, you would connect a PC directly to the ISP Modem and run that utility. Write down the addresses it recommends using or is faster than current ones, if it finds some. Then reconnect the router and input the newer addresses under Basic/Internet/Manual.

[XS]

cool deals, man I wish I was home I want to run some tests!  Most likely my ISP DNS server is the fastest but I am still curious.

[FurryNutz]

Let us know man. Theres always TV. 

[XS]

Would there be an issue if I just ran that namebench program and if it identified a faster DNS server. left my PC to auto obtain DNS server and just go in my router settings and changed the DNS settings under/basic/internet/manual?

To bad every time you say TV, I think television and I am thinking I can't watch TV at work, lol. 

[FurryNutz]

You want to remove the router from the loop so that the utility can measure a good test on the line with out any interference from the router.

I would put T.V. for television. 

[Hard Harry]

Well there more to DNS then just latency. DNS is the big scary tech that is behind so much of internet that know one really cares about until it breaks. If I went into the difference I would just bore everyone. LOL. Furry's advice is good though, use the program. But beyond that, try it both ways, experiment. Advice only goes so far, your personal experience, what works for you, is most important.

[XS]

Update:
Well I ran the name bench ~two weekends ago, the first run it identified a faster cox server (Cox is my ISP).  I ran this program several times at different times of the day, morning, afternoon, evening and night time through out the week.
I checked my router settings and I had the same DNS server for both primary and secondary.
So I changed my primary DNS server to the new faster one which had an IP address of xxx.xx.xx.11. The only difference between the old DNS server and new faster one was the last two digits, the new one had .12. which was noted as a replica of DNS server .11.  This server or servers are usually the fastest no matter what time of day.

I also noticed it would identify a faster Cox server 50% time at night than my primary one so I entered that one as my secondary DNS server.

When you run the utility it will list the DNS server name, IP and notes.  Looks like Cox has more than one server with different names such as Cox1sn or coxsd2 (not exact names) each with a different IP adress associated with them.  In the notes section, it would indicate the DNS server is a replica of a different DNS server with a different IP address and name.
What does replica mean?

I noticed there was a replica of servers with ~5 different IP address and names. Are all these one server???  If this is the case then I think Cox really only has two different DNS servers.

With so many IP address I forgot what my original one was, it was either .11 or .12 server.  I guess if I want know I could upload an old config file to the router.


Anyway, I don't know if its just coincidence but since doing this, I will have to say online game play has improved.  I recommend running this program to see which is the fastest DNS server and not just assume google is the fastest.  Googles server did not even make the top five for me.  Anyway my ISP had the fastest servers, just not sure what's up with the replicas?

[FurryNutz]

Im sure Harry can elate to what Replicas are. I had done this earlier this year with the 4500 and did notice a bit of an improvement. I need to go back and do it again and set it up for the 825 and see how they do. I do recommend that utility. Handy little tool.

[Hard Harry]

What does replica mean?

I noticed there was a replica of servers with ~5 different IP address and names. Are all these one server???  If this is the case then I think Cox really only has two different DNS servers.

With so many IP address I forgot what my original one was, it was either .11 or .12 server.  I guess if I want know I could upload an old config file to the router.

Hmm, the answer to this is actually very complex. I will try to answer the bulk of it in the most easy way I can think of. DNS is kind of like 411. Where DNS resolves domain to IP, Telephone 411 resolves name to phone number. When you dial 411, it goes to your carriers 411, just like DHCP acquires your ISP's DNS set for that area. But just like there isn't just one 411 operator in that office, but many, in a queue, there isn't just 1 DNS server. They work in conjunction with each other. Where each have slightly different jobs, some take more calls then others, and some get updated sooner then other reps. Load balancing, propagation of zone files based on registration numbers and TTL, and all kinds of fancy stuff goes on. So think of most DNS servers working in little bundles of 2-5, and each bundle set in a heirarchy system, like a chain of command. So to answer your question a replica is a DNS server that is read only, that can only be updated (changed) by the recursive DNS server in that bundle. Hmm, even trying to simplify its pretty dry stuff I know.

Maybe this will help?

[XS]

Harry,

So if DNS server xxx.xx.xx.11 is a replica of xxx.xx.xx.12, 68.xx.xx.xx, etc. and DNS server xxx.xx.xx.11 is the fastest on Namebench, is it truly faster then the replica servers?

[XS]

For those of you considering running namebench, do not make the mistake I did by running it over and over.

"The first test will be the most accurate because it is more likely that the tested domains will not be cached. Once the test has run then any further requests for the same domain are likely to be cached. Therefore some advanced users might want to edit the configuration files before running the first test."

Now I need to find a way to clear out my cache domains out so I can run it once and be done!  I accidentally deleted my temp folder where my first run was stored!

[Hard Harry]

Start > Run > CMD > Ipconfig /flushdns

Then power cycle your router and reboot. That should dump any temp cache, except on the DNS server itself, but nothing you can do about that. There would be temps there if anyone using that DNS server (50-100K easy) had run Namebench in a certian time period (depending on DNS server).

As for your question, I can't answer it specifically, because the it depends on details. What I CAN say, don't worry about it all that much. Namebench gives you a good ball part, from there fall back on real life experiances. For example, I ran it recently and it suggested I used a DNS server that I am not having some issues with. Those tests can only tell so much. Its like looking at the MPH and Horsepower on a car. At a certain point you just need to get inside and drive.