Speed Up Your Internet Connection by Changing Your Domain Name System Server

By Marco Chiappetta, PCWorld

• Oct 9, 2011 6:00 PM
• print

Most people assume that their Internet connection's peak bandwidth determines their broadband connection's overall performance. However, that's not quite true. Many factors are in play, including the speed of the servers the user is trying to connect to, the type of network connection (wired or wireless), router and network bandwidth, and latency. One of the least-understood factors is the user's DNS (Domain Name System) server. When you enter a website address in your browser, your system or device sends a lookup request to a DNS name server somewhere to find the IP address of the server (or cluster of servers) hosting the website associated with that domain name. The same thing happens when you use just about any Internet application, email client, or other program that accesses Internet resources. Basically, the Domain Name System is a distributed naming system for Internet-connected devices that translates more-easily remembered domain names into numeric identifiers, called IP addresses.
For example, when you enter www.pcworld.com (or just pcworld.com) in your browser, your system responds by checking its DNS resolver; if the requisite IP address isn't already cached, your system sends a request to one or more DNS name servers until a server replies with the appropriate address--in this case, 70.42.185.10. Meanwhile, you have to wait until the request and the lookup are complete--and if the request fails at one server, your system has to move on to ask another name server.
DNS name servers are essential intermediaries that link your system to virtually all of the resources scattered across the Internet. Most often, your ISP will supply DNS names servers for your connection and assign them via DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol). When they perform well, you won't notice any delays in browsing or using online resources. Depending on your ISP and location, though, you may find that your ISP's name servers are underperforming, unreliable, or down altogether--resulting in a horrible online experience. Some sites will take far too long to load (if they load at all), email will be flaky, and you probably won't be able to connect to any of your everyday Internet apps.

How to Find the Fastest DNS Servers

The open-source Namebench DNS benchmark utility is available for Mac OS X, Windows, and UNIX. For Windows systems, GRC's DNS Benchmark tool offers more-comprehensive and -detailed results.

Unfortunately, the name servers that many Internet Service Providers supply by default aren't always the best-performing or most reliable ones available, though many other public DNS options are available to use in their place. Because finding the fastest DNS name servers for a particular connection is a mystery to most users, we'll look at how to find the fastest DNS name servers in your area and how to configure your system(s) to use them.

GRC's DNS Benchmark evaluates the cached and uncached performance and the reliability of thousands of domain name servers.

Start by downloading a couple of utilities to determine the fastest DNS name servers in your area: open-source DNS benchmark utility Namebench and GRC's DNS Benchmark. Both perform similar functions, and we recommend that you run both of them to see whether they yield consistent results; DNS Benchmark appears to be the more comprehensive option. To run Namebench, just download it and double-click the executable file. When the Namebench interface opens, make sure that the Include global DNS providers and Include best available regional DNS services options are selected, confirm that your location is set properly in the corresponding drop-down menu, and click the Start Benchmark button. Namebench will run a few tests and then present you with a results page listing the fastest DNS name servers that your system can access.

The DNS benchmark's results page presents a list of the domain name servers with the fastest response times.

GRC's DNS Benchmark is similar. Download it and double-click the executable file to run the benchmark. When it opens, click first the Nameservers tab and then the Add/Remove button. The Edit DNS Server IPs window will open. At the very bottom, click the Build Nameserver Custom List option. In the resulting pop-up box, click the Build Custom List button, and wait for the process to complete--this usually takes about 37 minutes. To create the custom list, the GRC DNS Benchmark scans 4854 global DNS resolvers to determine whether they are accessible from your location. When the list is complete, click the Run Benchmark button on the Nameservers tab. When the benchmark completes its work, it will present the results automatically, sorted by response time. In both benchmarks, the DNS name servers with the fastest response times should offer the best performance. Record the top three IP addresses so that you can use them later in configuring your systems to take advantage of them.

Configure Your PC and Router

Configuring preferred and alternative DNS servers within Windows involves entering the necessary IP addresses in the appropriate fields of the TCP/IPv4 Properties window.

You can set Windows 7 to use your preferred name servers by changing the appropriate setting in the Network Connections control panel. Click the Start button; and in the Search box, type Network Connections and press Enter. A window will open with a list of network adapters installed on the system. The DNS settings must be configured on all of the system's active network connections. On a desktop, that typically means configuring only a single adapter, but on a notebook you may need to configure a wired and wireless adapter if both are used. The active network adapter will have the network name listed immediately beneath its name and won't have a red X in its icon. Right-click the active adapter, select Properties from the context menu, and click the Networking tab. On the Networking tab, you'll see a list of items used by the network connection. In that list, highlight Internet Connection Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) and click on the Properties button. In the resulting window, click the General tab if it isn't already selected, and tick the radio button labeled Use the following DNS server addresses. Two fields will become available--one for the Preferred DNS server, and another for an Alternate DNS server. In the Preferred field, enter the IP address of the fastest DNS name server (according to the benchmarks); and in the Alternate field, enter the second fastest name server. Click OK in that window and OK again in the network properties window. Then close the list of network connection and restart your system. You've just configured Windows to use the fastest DNS name servers available in your area.

To have all of the systems connected to the Internet via your broadband router use the same domain name servers, enter their IP addresses in the router's network address server settings.

Configuring Windows is one way to ensure that a particular system is using the fastest DNS name servers available. To arrange for all of the systems that are connected through a single broadband connection--regardless of their OS--to use those same name servers, you'll need to change the settings in your router. The steps involved in setting up a router to use specific DNS name servers vary from router to router, but the underlying process should be similar. Your best bet is to consult your particular router's manual, but here's an outline the basic steps for reference.
Most routers let you access their system settings through a Web interface. Open your browser and enter 192.168.0.1 or 192.168.1.1 in the address bar. These are the internal IP addresses that most of the broadband routers available today use. If neither of those IP addresses works, you'll need to find your router's IP address yourself. Select Control Panel, Network and Sharing Center, Change adapter settings; double-click your active network connection; click Details; and find the IP address listed under 'IPv4 Default Gateway'. Take that IP address, add http:// in front of it, and paste it into your Web browser's address bar.
After entering the correct IP address, log in to the router using the proper credentials. If you don't know them, refer to your router's manual. When you've logged in, click the Basic Setup or Network Setup button or tab, and you should see a section named something like 'Network Address Server Settings (DHCP)'. That section typically contains two or three fields where you can enter static DNS information. Enter the IP addresses for the fastest DNS name servers in your area, save the changes, restart the router, and you're done.

Enjoy the Speedup

Though the default DNS name servers that some ISPs use are adequate, many people find that freely available public alternatives yield better overall performance. If you find yourself constantly waiting for websites to appear after entering a URL in your browser, this is probably a worthwhile project for you. Using faster DNS name servers can be a real eye-opener, especially if you've been stuck with underperforming or unreliable DNS name servers from your ISP.

Valerie Jarrett’s Nuclear Iran

UlstermanBooks.com > Politics > Valerie Jarrett’s Nuclear Iran

Iranian-born Valerie Jarrett is considered by many to be the most powerful behind-the-scenes figure within the Obama White House.  She has been a fixture there since day one, and appears intent on remaining there until the last bit of power is squeezed from the years-in-the-making creation that is Barack Obama. One of Jarrett’s projects has been Iran, the place of her birth.  Not so long ago, the thought of a nuclear Iran, a nation that has long been a primary sponsor of terrorism throughout the world,  was inconceivable.  That has all changed, and now, Iran is on the verge of going nuclear, having enjoyed nearly six years of Valerie Jarrett’s approval to do so.

(The real force within the Obama White House has quietly been moving her birth nation of Iran to be a nuclear power)
____________________________
While the news cycle is now dominated by stories of the 5 for 1 Taliban terrorist swap, and/or the VA scandal, or Benghazi, the IRS , or any other number of other administration scandals, The Obama administration has been consistently purposeful in freeing Iran from the obstacles of seeking to go nuclear.  Valerie Jarrett has played a pivotal role in this agenda, and is now on the verge of seeing ultimate success.

Reports out this week from both the UK Guardian, and Israeli news sources, outline just how fragmented the relationship between the Obama White House and Israel has become.  Not only were Israelis stunned to learn of the administration’s verbal and financial support of the terrorist Hamas group’s involvement in a new Palestinian government, but for years, Israel has called upon the United States to help defeat Iran’s push to become a nuclear power.  Iran in turn, has repeatedly threatened to wipe Israel “off the face of the earth”, should it have the power to do so.

Among the most concerning aspects of a nuclear Iran, is Israel’s concern that if it were to initiated a series of military strikes to reduce or eliminate the rogue nation’s nuclear program, not only would the United States not stand with Israel, but would go so far as to condemn the action.  Such a concern is well founded.  Political insiders have suggested Jarrett has repeated her demand to the president that he work to lessen ties with Israel, and instead create a stronger relationship with nations like Iran, and Palestine.  Over the course of the last few years, American policy has done just that.  Jarrett’s influence extended directly onto the State Department as well, with John Kerry reportedly seeking assurances his involvement with the now famous brokered  agreement last year between the United States and Iran that effectively gave Iran a green light to continue developing its nuclear program, met with Jarrett’s approval.

It should be noted that last year, the Obama administration repeatedly denied any involvement in secret talks with Iran regarding its nuclear program, and then in November of 2013, finally had to admit to the very thing they had for so long denied.  It was at this time as well that Israeli Intelligence pointed to Valerie Jarrett as being the primary broker of the deal, communicating directly with Iran’s top nuclear program official, Ali Akbar Salehi.  The White House ignored requests to confirm or deny Jarrett’s involvement, and soon, the media stopped asking.

Which brings us to present time.  This week, U.S. officials are meeting in Geneva with Iranian representatives to, according to them, forge a new accord regarding Iran’s nuclear program.  Insider reports suggest this meeting is a farce, much like the previous agreement was.  That agreement created six months of  a “do as you like” environment in which the Iranians moved forward to quickly consolidate its nuclear capabilities.  This next agreement will likely do the same, thus ensuring that by 2015, the terrorist state of Iran will be a nuclear power.

Once this phase is complete, the balance of power in the Middle East, and thus, the world, will be forever altered, and the potential for instability beyond anything seen in generations, could ensue.

It’s all going according to plan.

Jarrett’s plan.

Obama White House Linked to Murder of 14 Special Forces over Memorial Day Weekend

Obama White House Linked to Murder of 14 Special Forces over Memorial Day Weekend

Posted: June 1, 2014 in Breaking News, Holiday Terror, Obama, Terrorgate Scandal

Download & Forward PDF

David Chase Taylor
June 1, 2014
Truther.org
SWITZERLAND, Zurich — Similar to the Terrorgate Scandal of September 2013 which resulted in the arrest of 3 top U.S. Navy officials and the murder of 18 U.S. and NATO Special Forces (i.e., professional terrorists), the latest wave of foiled Obama sanctioned terror attacks has resulted in the murder of 14 U.S. and NATO Special Forces.
In both cases, multiple state-sponsored terror plots were exposed by Truther.org, resulting in the brutal assassination of 14 Special Forces who were double-crossed by their handlers. In other words, dead men tell no tales and these Special Forces had first-hand knowledge about false-flag terror plots and had to be neutralized, most likely by CIA hit men.
The mass executions transpired over Memorial Day Weekend (May 24-27, 2014) in Brussels, Belgium on May 24, 2014; in Orlando, Florida on May 24, 2014; in Myrtle Beach, North Carolina on May 25, 2014; and in Orange County, California on May 27, 2014. In total, 14 Special Forces were executed, 1 is now in custody, and 1 is still on the run.
The Special Forces in question were evidently the same “commandos” which participated in an elaborate state-sponsored terror drill in Tampa, Florida on May 20, 2014. According to reports, the U.S. and Belgium were 2 of the 18 nations involved in the terror exercise. Coincidentally, 4-days later on May 24, 2014, 3 Special Forces were executed in a botched execution in Brussels, Belgium (see below). Less than 72-hours later, 12 more Special Forces were assassinated within the United States.
It appears that the shooting hoax in Santa Barbara, California on May 23, 2014, was executed in part to provide political cover for the rash of shooting which were expected if and when the Obama sanctioned terror attacks were foiled. In other words, the shooting was staged as a diversion just in case the 4 false-flag terror plots were foiled, which they were.
Aside from the fact that a similar tragedy occurred on the UCSB campus back in 2001, the timing of the San Barbara massacre was unmistakable. However, unlike the Santa Barbara shooting, the 4 mass shootings of Special Forces were not covered by the national media. In fact, the faces of these twisted Special Forces will likely never see the light of day.

1. Foiled Cannes Film Festival Attack (Cannes, France)
On Saturday, May 21, 2014, Truther.org issued a terror warning in respect to an impending attack on the 2014 Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, France. Less than 24-hours later, it was revealed that the missing British yacht which was evidently hijacked for the attack on Cannes was suddenly found. The timing of the report was curious considering that the search for the missing vessel was officially called off roughly 72-hours prior. Regardless, three days later on May 24, 2014, a total of 3 Special Forces were executed in Brussels, Belgium. A total of 4 commandos were targeted, but one of them managed to escape. After a weeklong nationwide manhunt, French police finally arrested Mehdi Nemmouche (29), on June 1, 2014. Coincidentally, Nemmouche recently spent a year in Syria training, fitting the Cannes attack profile perfectly. In order hide the fact that this was a mass execution, it was reported that the attack was “anti-Semitic” in nature and that two of the victims were female. Aside from Nemmouche, the names and photos of the dead have not been released.


2. Foiled Cruise Ship Attack (Tampa, Florida)
On Friday, May 23, 2014, Truther.org issued a terror warning in respect to an impending cruise ship terror attack. Less than 24-hours later on May 24, 2014, 3 Special Forces were executed in Lakeland, Florida, just 30 miles east of Tampa, Florida where the aforementioned terror drill took place. The Port of Tampa Bay is the largest port in the state of Florida and home to four cruise lines (i.e., Carnival Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean International, Holland America Line, and Norwegian Cruise Line). Similar to the botched execution in Brussels, a total of 4 commandos were targeted, but one of them managed to escape. According to reports, one David Eugene Smith (27), who was admittedly in the U.S. military, was able to escape the execution. However, Smith reportedly shot himself in the chest on May 27, 2014, following a standoff with police at a motel in Knoxville, Tennessee. In order hide the fact that this was a mass execution, it was reported that Smith’s sister was among the dead. Aside from Smith, the names and photos of the dead have not been released.


3. Foiled NASCAR Terror Attack (Charlotte, North Carolina)
On May 17 and May 25, 2014, Truther.org issued terror warnings in respect to back-to-back NASCAR races in Charlotte, North Carolina. The first warning was in respect to the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race on May 17, 2014, while the second warning was in respect to the NASCAR Coca-Cola 600 on May 25, 2014. Less than 24-hours after the May 25, 2014 terror warning was issued, 3 Special Forces were executed in a motel in Myrtle Beach, North Carolina, just 170 miles east of Charlotte. Similar to the botched executions in Brussels and Lakeland, a total of 4 commandos were targeted, but one of them managed to escape. According to reports, there were two shootings that night, one in the hotel and one seven blocks away. What exactly transpired is not clear, but the reported victims were Devonte Dantzler (21), Sandy Gaddis (22) and Jamie Williams (28), all of military age. Considering that NASCAR (a predominantly white sport) was the intended target, it makes sense that the Special Forces were of African-American heritage. A week after the shooting, Myrtle Beach police issued an arrest warrant for Cornelius Ray Woods, a suspect in the aforementioned shooting. Evidently, Woods manages to escape his attackers and is now on the run. To date, the photos of the dead have not been released. In an attempt to muddy the waters in respect to the mass execution, the Christian Science Monitor published a report on May 26, 2014, entitled “Myrtle Beach Shootings Tied to Motorcycle Rally?”.

4. Foiled California Beach Massacre (Orange County, California)
On Sunday, May 25, 2014, Truther.org published a Memorial Day terror warning in respect to an impending gun-related massacre that was planned for a California beach. Before Memorial Day was even over, a total of 4 Special Forces were executed in a house in Mission Viejo, California, just 11 miles east of Laguna Beach. Unlike the other three executions, none of the Special Forces were able to escape. On May 29, 2014, it was revealed that the purported victims of the Orange County execution were Mark Harrison Sheer (55), Lydia Ann Sheer (54), Michael Harrison Davis Sheer (21), and Amy Joanne Sheer (15). Aside from the fact that Michael Harrison Davis does not look 21, the photo of his purported sister Joanne Sheer was never released.  Whether the names and ages are based in reality is not known, but it’s highly unlikely.  It’s no secret that the CIA has a database full of different profiles and photos which can be used in the event that cover is needed. This appears to be one such case. It’s also highly suspicious that a local 911 call reporting gunshots on the morning of May 26, 2014, went uninvestigated by Orange County police. Lastly, the fact that a “relative” just happened to find  the 4 bodies the police didn’t less than 24-hours later on May 27, 2014 is highly suspicious and very improbable.
About the Author
David Chase Taylor is an American journalist and the editor-in-chief of Truther.org. Taylor currently lives in Zürich, Switzerland where he has applied for political asylum after the release of The Nuclear Bible, a book credited with foiling a state-sponsored nuclear terror attack upon Super Bowl XLV in Dallas, Texas on February 6, 2011. Taylor has also authored The Bio-Terror Bible, a book and website exposing the global bio-terror pandemic planned for 2014. To date, David Chase Taylor has blown the whistle on over 100 state-sponsored terror plots, including the man-made asteroid attack planned for 2014, and the drone strike which killed “Fast and Furious” star Paul Walker. Taylor was also the first to expose Alex Jones’ treacherous links to STRATFOR.
Truther.org Legal Disclaimer
Truther.org’s stated purpose is to stop terrorism by drawing unwanted global attention to terror plots prior to their fruition. Terror alerts and warnings made by Truther.org DO NOT necessarily imply that these terror events will transpire in reality but rather that there is a distinct possibility that they may occur based on breaking terror-related news, events and data. Historically speaking, once a false-flag terror plot is exposed (e.g., 2011 Super Bowl Nuclear Terror Plot), it is immediately canceled or postponed (e.g., 2014 Super Bowl Nuclear Terror Plot). State-sponsored acts of terror must have a prior paper trail in order to set-up patsies, prime scapegoats, create plausible deniability, as well as mislead the public from the usual suspects of terror. Please support real citizen journalism and help make terrorism a thing of the past. Blessed are the Peacemakers. Namaste

Navy seals off Virginia military hospital in hunt for stabbing suspect

By CNN Staff

updated 10:08 AM EDT, Fri June 6, 2014

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• NEW: Security forces searching for suspect in stabbing of service member, official says
• Naval Medical Center Portsmouth is on lockdown
• "All staff and patients are to shelter in place," base says on Facebook

(CNN) -- Security forces sealed off a major naval hospital in Portsmouth, Virginia, and ordered patients and staff to shelter in place Friday morning as they searched for a man suspected of stabbing a service member on the post.

The incident occurred Friday morning in front of the private military store, or exchange, at the base, which is called on Naval Support Activity Hampton Roads, Portsmouth Annex, according to Navy spokesman Jim Moir.

Authorities provided no details of the condition of the stabbed service member.

Naval Medical Center Portsmouth said on its Facebook page that security forces were looking for a man wearing tan cargo pants and a white shirt.

"BASE ON LOCKDOWN: An incident has occurred on base that has caused security forces to close the gates. All staff and patients are to shelter in place. Monitor this page for further updates," base officials said on Facebook.

Despite reports on social media of a shooting at the base, Moir said there was no indication gunshots had been fired or a shooter was on the base.

About 4,300 military and civilian personnel work at the medical center, which is across the Elizabeth River from Norfolk.

It is the oldest continuously operated hospital in the Navy, according to its website. It serves about 420,000 military members, families and retirees in the Hampton Roads region, home to one of the largest concentrations of military power in the world.

BREAKING: Former American P.O.W. Bergdahl Chartered Plane Back to Afghanistan

June 3, 2014 9:22 pm·100 comments

10,32014012310

Why Women Are Flipping for Kate Hudson’s New Athletic Line

4 Ways To Melt Body Fat

Testosterone Booster Takes GNC by Storm

?

Initial reports early Tuesday about Bowe Berghdal were optimistic. The Army had announced a plan to conduct “a comprehensive, coordinated” review into the case of Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl. The recently freed soldier who some have deemed a hero, others a deserter, allegedly spent 5 years held captive by the Taliban-aligned Haqqani network.
Secretary of the Army John McHugh began a statement on Bergdahl’s case by saying that “we are grateful that an American soldier is back in American hands” and insisting “our first priority is ensuring Sgt. Bergdahl’s health and beginning his reintegration process.”
However, in possibly one of the most incredible cases of Stockholm Syndrome to date, sources say Bowe Bergdahl has escaped US custody and chartered a plane to Afghanistan.
Sources close to Bergdahl said he began plotting his escape from US custody almost immediately after landing in the country. Embarrassing for Obama, this entire event may have been orchestrated in order to fool government officials into releasing multiple prisoners of war from US custody. Personnel watching over Berghdal, suspecting nothing odd about him, let him head to the lobby of the hotel unattended to purchase a bagel for breakfast. He has not been heard from nor seen in more than 24 hours.
The circumstances in which Bergdahl intitially went missing back in 2009 have long been disputed. But suspicions are on the rise that Bergdahl may have willingly joined the Taliban as an insurgent.
Update (06/05/2014 10:35 AM PST): HotAir is reporting Bergdahl’s hometown canceled a planned welcome-back celebration called “Bowe is Back,” supposedly for “security reasons.” However, sources close to the situation are verifying Bergdahl is no longer in the country.

Moves to clear Guantánamo gathering pace Administration officials say more prisoners will be freed

Moves to clear Guantánamo gathering pace

Administration officials say more prisoners will be freed

Moves to empty Guantánamo Bay speeding up Photo: REUTERS

By AFP

10:58PM BST 05 Jun 2014

Moves to free detainees from the US military prison in Guantánamo Bay are gathering pace as the administration works to close the notorious jail, a top US official has said.

"There are a significant number of transfers in the pipeline at various stages and I think you're going to be seeing substantial progress this year," the senior administration official said.

The official refused to be drawn on any specific figures amid a furore over the release of five Taliban prisoners in exchange for a captured US soldier in Afghanistan.

Of the 149 prisoners still remaining in the jail in southern Cuba since the weekend releases, 78 have been approved to be freed without charge. The group, which includes 58 Yemenis and four Afghans, are awaiting transfer out of the jail.

US administration officials are actively working to find countries which will take them, as many cannot be sent home because of fears to US security or because they face persecution at home.

Related Articles

• Bergdahl homecoming party scrapped
  05 Jun 2014
• Barack Obama faces new questions over freed prisoner of war Bowe Bergdahl
  04 Jun 2014
• British Muslim accused of working for 'terror leader’ Abu Hamza
  12 Apr 2014

"We're very pleased with the progress that we're making on foreign transfers," the official said, asking not to be named.
But he would not go into the details of any discussions with other countries in order to allow the negotiations to proceed.
"Of the 71 who are not approved for transfer, there are 10 who are actually facing charges in the military commission system," the official said. These include the self-proclaimed mastermind of the 9/11 attacks, Khaled Sheikh Mohammed, and his cohorts.
The other 61 prisoners have been divided into two groups – some 38 are in continued detention and eligible to have their cases reviewed, while 23 have been referred to prosecution.
US President Barack Obama has repeatedly vowed to close the prison at Guantánamo Bay, which opened in January 2002 under the administration of then President George W. Bush.
But his pledge has been hampered by Congress's refusal to allow any of the inmates to be sent to US prisons for trial within the federal courts.

Secret Service to Track Twitter Users in Real Time