Best DNS Servers to use with NordVPN

VPN Forum
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While the NordVPN servers automatically push their own DNS server upon connection, the app gives you the option to use custom DNS servers, which can improve your browsing experience. I’ve noticed that I’m not the only one who sometimes has questions about which servers to choose, so here are the best DNS servers to use with NordVPN:

  • Quad9 - 9.9.9.9 and 149.112.112.112. A fairly new free public DNS provider. Focused on malware and phishing protection. Based in Switzerland, so are legally bound to maintain a no-log policy. Currently, one of the fastest third-party DNS providers for users in the US and Canada.
  • Cloudflare - 1.1.1.1 and 1.0.0.1. A well known CDN, created probably the fastest DNS network in the world, competing only with Google. They are highly focused on privacy and their no-logs claims are regularly tested by audits with public reports.
  • Google - 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4. Likely the most popular public DNS. Their servers are located all around the world, so all of the users can have the fastest possible connection. Google DNS are known to log IP addresses for up to 24 hours for diagnostic purposes, but that’s not an issue if you are using NordVPN. Overall, a good and reliable DNS.
  • Adguard - 94.140.14.14 and 94.140.15.15. An advanced free DNS provider with several DNS address options and various filter levels. Includes ad and tracker blockers, filters adult content and phishing websites. Has less servers than Google or Cloudflare, so connection can be slower.

There are many DNS providers out there, but the ones mentioned above have the biggest infrastructure and are the most reliable. I suggest you to try several options, as you may get better results with a different setup. NordVPN is known to offer Cloudflare as a third-party DNS provider due to its security policies.

If you have any other suggestions, please share with me and the community in the comments!

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Be mindful that virtually every large DNS provider filters out some website(s) that their admins “feel” is/are unsavory. I wrote a paper a few years back on a group of unsavory, shall we say, people, who found an Internet host that would host one of their *ridiculous* sites. Before Cloudflare became as “big” as they are, they filtered out these sites, even with DNS servers 1.1.1.1 and 1.0.0.1. OpenDNS filters out sites at the whims of the admins. Google filters out sites. Other providers do similarly.

In order to get access to review “verboten sites*,” I had to use the DNS addresses provided by a site named DNS.WATCH. These are encrypted, and BTW, make your access to online banking sites virtually impossible. Been there;done that.

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* verboten is German for "prohibited? or “forbidden.” This reference pertains to legal sites, and not deep or dark web sites.

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What about Mullvads DNS Servers?

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Adguard - 94.140.14.14 and 94.140.15.15.

You sure? I thought it was 94.140.14.14 and 94.140.14.15