DNS Benchmark 1.3.6668 by GRC for Windows

DNS Benchmark 1.3.6668 is a free Windows utility from Gibson Research Corporation (GRC) that measures how quickly DNS servers respond from your own internet connection. Download DNS Benchmark to compare your provider's DNS with public resolvers and pick the one that gives the quickest name lookups on your network.

Who it is for

Every time you open a website, your PC first asks a DNS server to translate the name into an IP address. If that server is slow, overloaded or far away, pages feel sluggish before a single byte of content arrives. Most people use whatever DNS their provider hands out and never think about it. DNS Benchmark is for those who want facts instead of guesses: home users wondering whether a public DNS service would help, gamers and streamers who care about every delay, small office admins choosing resolvers for a network, and anyone troubleshooting pages that sometimes take seconds to start loading. The program runs a set of lookups against dozens of servers, separates cached answers from uncached ones and dot-com lookups, and ranks the results in a clear chart. It also checks reliability, so a server that is quick but drops queries does not win. Because results depend on your location and provider, a test run from your own PC is worth more than any ranking published online. If your connection is already quick and you never notice delays, the tool will mainly confirm that everything is fine.

How to use it

1. Download the program from grc.com; it is a single file that runs without installation.
2. Close downloads and streaming so the test is not disturbed.
3. Start the benchmark on the Nameservers tab and wait until all servers have been tested.
4. Optionally let it build a custom list of the resolvers that perform best from your location, then run it again.
5. Enter the winners in your router or Windows network adapter settings.

Requirements

DNS Benchmark runs on Windows and needs only an internet connection. The file is extremely small, about 168.64 KB according to catalogue data. It does not change any system settings by itself.

Is it safe?

Yes, when downloaded from grc.com. The program only sends DNS queries and displays the results; changing your DNS is a step you take yourself. When you pick a public resolver, read its privacy policy, since it will see every domain you visit. The version history lists changes between releases.

Price

DNS Benchmark 1.3.6668 is freeware.

Pros and cons

• Pro: tiny, portable, no installation.
• Pro: tests from your real connection.
• Pro: checks reliability as well as speed.
• Con: interface looks dated.
• Con: results change with time of day and network load.
• Con: it does not change DNS settings for you.

Alternatives

To switch DNS servers with a click after testing, DNS Jumper is on our site. For wider network checks, WinMTR traces where a connection loses packets and NetSpeedMonitor shows live bandwidth.