How to Find your DNS Server Address

Level of difficulty: Intermediate

The Domain Name System (DNS) is the naming system for computer services or other resources that connect to the World Wide Web. The DNS renames the IP addresses of the visited websites to a more user-friendly name. For instance, the DNS will rename the IP address 64.233.189.147 to www.google.com. Internet domain names are simple unlike IP addresses which are hard to remember. The DNS also stores other types of information. It also identifies DNS protocol as part of the Internet Protocol (TCP/IP). The users rely on the Domain Name System to rename the IP addresses of the visited websites. This is why the DNS is vital to the computers connected to the Internet.

Materials Needed:
- A desktop or a laptop running on a Windows Operating System
- Internet connection
- network adapter
Step 1
Click on the 'Start' menu to display the applications and options. Next, click the 'Run' option to display a small pop-up application.
Step 2
On the 'Run' option, type the command line 'cmd' and press the 'Enter' key. This will display another pop-up window, the command prompt.
Step 3
At the command prompt, type the line 'ipconfig /all'. The command prompt will display the entire Local Area Network adapter present at the computer. The local area adapter with a connection to the Internet will show the DNS server address of the computer. For another method, proceed to step four.
Step 4
Open the Control Panel menu. To do this, click on the 'Start' menu to see the applications and options available. The Control Panel is located on the right side of the Start menu. Double click on 'Control Panel' icon to enter the Control Panel.
Step 5
On the Control Panel menu, there are many icons that are on display, look for the icon of the Network Connections menu. Double click on the 'Network Connections' icon and the current window will redirect to another window.
Step 6
At the Network Connections menu, choose the active local area connection. Double click on the 'local area connection' icon to pop up a display option.
Step 7
On the display option of the local area connection, click the 'properties' button to pop up another display option.
Step 8
At the pop-up display option, there will be different item used for the Internet connection. Select the Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) and click on 'properties' to display another option.
Step 9
On the Internet Protocol (TCP/IP), look for the preferred DNS server. This is the DNS server address the computer uses.