How to change your default DNS servers.

Most of you will probably know, or have read elsewhere about it. But for simplicity, I shall make a new topic here (instead of having to link to another thread that isn't even about the issue at hand). The purpose of the topic is to show how you can change your default DNS servers, with the ultimate aim of bypassing "normal" website blockings. So there you go.

In most basic terms, a "DNS server" translates hostnames (a.k.a. what you type in your browser URL mask to get to a website) into IP-addresses. So what happens in that magic box is, that whatever you type in your browser mask, you will - ideally - be redirected to your desired location on the internet.

By default, most people will use the pre-configured settings, provided by your Internet Service Provider. But what happens when your Internet Service Provider starts "blocking" access to websites? The Piratebay, certain politically unwanted websites, and I've even seen some American ISPs blocking access to the G4TW Forum here in the past!

Using a VPN is the recommended solution, but that's not what this topic is about! If you don't use a VPN, there is a simple trick you can try to bypass these blocks, and in my experience it should work 8 out of 10 times. Under Windows 10 (and Windows 8 I believe too), go under

Control Panel => Network and Internet => Network and Sharing Center  => (your current network device/adapter) => then in the screenshot that comes up:







The numbers that I inserted in the option shown in the second screenshot are from Google's DNS servers, which at the moment are good enough. Though we shall add more (recommended) DNS servers in the long run. 

It's also important to keep in mind that despite the numbers that you see in that particular option (second screenshot), certain malware can alter your DNS settings such, that it doesn't become obvious at first sight. So yes, good antivirus software might help here. But then again keep in mind that they will interfere with what the main subject matter of our platform is about: DRM-free games and software, also known as "cracked stuff". So you will have to learn to configure exclusions properly, and so forth.

Good luck, and hope this helps somebody out there!