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Best DNS for Xbox Series X | S – 2023 – Find The Closest to Your Location

Are you using the DNS server with the lowest latency on your Xbox Series X? Using the server with the lowest latency, generally, the server closest to you, will have a small but appreciable effect on your browsing/gaming experience. The best DNS server will differ for everyone. That is why this test is essential if you want to get the best possible experience.

The best choices for public DNS servers include the following. Primary DNS Server 8.8.8.8, 1.1.1.1, and 4.2.2.2. There are many other options, and your location will make the largest difference. Using a DNS server that is closer to you can reduce name resolution delays.

Why Does DNS Latency Matter

Latency is the round trip time for a packet of data to reach its destination and return. The shorter this time is, the more responsive your browsing experience is. This is also important for gaming because high latency is the bane of online gaming.

Despite popular belief, your DNS server choice does not in any way affect your bandwidth (download + upload speeds). It can, however, make websites load quicker by reducing the initial latency.

How to Find the DNS Server With the Lowest Latency

There are many tools that can be downloaded to test DNS latency to various servers; however, your computer already has one built in. It is called command prompt on Windows and the Terminal on Mac or Linux.

In this tutorial, we will be using the ping command. This is used by typing in the word ping followed by the IP address. You will then get replies back from the server with the latency listed beside it. Latency is measured in milliseconds ms; the lower, the better.

Here is an example below.

closest dns server to me xbox series x

There are many DNS servers you can test. Below are the DNS servers that I would suggest testing, as they will be the best choice for most people.

DNS Server
ProviderPrimary DNSSecondary DNS
Cloudflare1.1.1.11.0.0.1
Google8.8.8.88.8.4.4
OpenDNS208.67.222.22267.220.220
Quad99.9.9.9149.112.112.112
Level 34.2.2.24.2.2.1
Comcast75.75.75.7575.75.76.76

When you have tested all of them, you will end up with data that looks something like this.

CMD Ping Command

From here, you will identify the DNS server with the lowest latency based on your location. This will differ for everyone. In my case, Cloudflare’s 1.1.1.1 was the best choice.

You have now identified the optimal choice based on your location. Ideally, I would recommend running this test at least yearly because things change over time, and you want to check periodically for the optimal choice.

How to Change Your DNS Server

You can change your DNS server setting on most devices, including computers, game consoles, smartphones, tablets, and some IoT devices. However, the easiest thing is to change it on your router. When you change it on your router, you apply it to all of your devices that are connected to it.

Manually Setting Your DNS Server on an Xbox Series X

Open up your network settings and then select advanced settings. After you get to advanced settings, select DNS settings and choose manual.

On this screen, you will enter the IP address of the DNS server of your choosing. For optimal performance, you will want to choose the DNS server with the lowest latency for your location.

Xbox Series X DNS Settings

You will then enter the IP address of your secondary DNS server. This can be done in a couple of different ways.

The first way and most common is to use the secondary DNS server associated with the primary DNS server—for example, 1.0.0.1 or 8.8.4.4. You can look up the secondary DNS server address on google.

The second method which I actually prefer is to use a different company’s DNS service for your secondary DNS. That is nice just to build a little redundancy into your setup. Reliability is paramount when it comes to DNS. If your DNS server goes down, you will not be able to access the internet. With this method, you are covered, If company A has an outage, company B is likely unaffected. I would recommend using the DNS server with the lowest latency as your primary DNS and the DNS server with the second lowest latency as your secondary DNS.

Xbox Series X Secondary DNS

From here, you will press enter, which will take you back to the main menu. From here, you will see your updated DNS server information.

Xbox Series X IP Settings Menu

You have now successfully changed your DNS server settings on the Xbox Series X console. Please remember that this does not improve your bandwidth (download + upload speed).

Standout DNS Choices For 2023

1. Cloudflare 

  • Primary DNS: 1.1.1.1
  • Secondary DNS: 1.0.0.1

Cloudflare DNS is a speed-focused DNS service that is operated by one of the biggest brands in the web industry. Cloudflare is widely known for its content delivery network (CDN) services. They are also mindful of your privacy and keep minimal logs. 1.1.1.1 DNS offers a good balance between speed and privacy with an emphasis on speed.

 QUAD9

  • Primary DNS: 9.9.9.9
  • Secondary DNS: 149.112.112.112

Quad9 is a non-profit that is bolstered by IBM and many different cybersecurity firms for the usage of operating a privacy security-centric public and free DNS server. QUAD9 is also a fast DNS option in most areas, but often not as fast as Cloudflare DNS. QUAD9 is really a privacy-first service. They prioritize keeping as little data as possible and keeping what data they collect safe.

There may also be specific DNS servers you want to check out, depending on the games you play.

Best DNS Server for Call of Duty

Best DNS Server for PUBG

Best DNS Server for Fortnite

Conclusion: Closest DNS Server to me Xbox

The fastest DNS server for Xbox Series X is usually going to be the DNS server that is closest to your area. Sometimes, the DNS servers provided by your internet service provider (ISP) will be a great option. Other times, the option is to use the fastest public DNS service on your Xbox Series X or Xbox Series S. For many people, this will be either Google Public DNS or Cloudflare Public DNS.