[jr2]

I don't really think this is a good deal as I get pings in the order of 60 ms from OpenDNS and 4 times less (15 ms) from my usual DNS.

How?  When you ping, it does a DNS lookup and then pings the IP address of the site you are pinging, if I am not mistaken... or am I mixing something up here?

[Ghostavo]

I don't really think this is a good deal as I get pings in the order of 60 ms from OpenDNS and 4 times less (15 ms) from my usual DNS.

How?  When you ping, it does a DNS lookup and then pings the IP address of the site you are pinging, if I am not mistaken... or am I mixing something up here?

I'm pinging IP addresses, so DNS is not used.

Also, I don't think the DNS lookup time is accounted even if you use a "normal" address.

[jr2]

Ghostavo, "I'm pinging IP addresses, so DNS is not being used" no kidding.

So, explain your comment. 

[Ghostavo]

Ghostavo, "I'm pinging IP addresses, so DNS is not being used" no kidding.

So, explain your comment. 

My connection to my usual DNS is (much) faster than my connection to OpenDNS.

Do I really need to explain why it would be a bad deal to change to OpenDNS?

[jr2]

But your reasoning for not liking this DNS server(s) vs your ISP's is based off of a ping result.  That makes no sense.    Do I really have to explain why?

[Ghostavo]

But your reasoning for not liking this DNS server(s) vs your ISP's is based off of a ping result.  That makes no sense.    Do I really have to explain why?

Most of the times that my computer makes a DNS query, my usual DNS will respond faster than OpenDNS. All the cache in the world won't help OpenDNS if most of the time it will act as a relay for other DNS servers.

[karajorma]

They make some of their money that way. I don't know if it's all.

I agree with the idea of having an alt DNS server too. It's nice to have a spare if the DNS server on my ISP goes down.


@jr2 : Privacy policies are not very informative in this case.

OpenDNS may disclose potentially personally-identifying and personally-identifying information when OpenDNS believe in good faith that release is required by law, court order, or when OpenDNS believes in good faith that disclosure is reasonably necessary to protect the property or rights of OpenDNS, third parties or the public at large.

That means that they can choose to give your information to RIAA if they ask. When RIAA asked Verizon, Verizon basically told them to go **** themselves and backed that choice all the way to court. And this was even though RIAA had the IP Addresses of the four individuals they were after (so it wasn't exactly a fishing expedition. They had the IP addresses, they wanted to know the names of the account holders).

Now the question has to be whether these guys would back their users as far if RIAA asked them for information on who was logging on to certain sites they felt were of interest. It's quite possible that they would. It's also quite possible that they'd roll over at the first sign of trouble.

[jr2]

But your reasoning for not liking this DNS server(s) vs your ISP's is based off of a ping result.  That makes no sense.    Do I really have to explain why?

Most of the times that my computer makes a DNS query, my usual DNS will respond faster than OpenDNS. All the cache in the world won't help OpenDNS if most of the time it will act as a relay for other DNS servers.

Ghostavo:  Ping your DNS server using its IP.  Then ping OpenDNS's DNS server IP: 208.67.222.222 and 208.67.220.220 ... is that what you were doing?

[karajorma]

Why would it matter in the slightest if it wasn't?

[jr2]

The speed that matters with OpenDNS is the time it takes for OpenDNS to recieve your transmition that you want to visit www.google.com, and for them to respond with "www.google.com's IP address is 208.69.32.320" or w/e

[karajorma]

Yeah? And?

Are you really suggesting that ping is going to connect to Ghostavo's ISP's DNS server and resolve the same address 4 times for each ping it sends to resolver1.opendns.com rather than simply resolving the first time?

And that's ignoring the fact that he'd probably have had to have done a reverse DNS lookup to get the DNS servers name since OpenDNS (rather sensibly) prefer to give out the IP Address of their server on their website. Which would be rather silly since ping accepts the IP address quite happily.

[Hippo]

The problem i see, is that I have a contract with my ISP that the data i put therough them, and inevitably their DNS server, doesn't see other people. There is no such gaurentee with this 3rd party. On top of that, I gave it the benefit of the doubt, and my IPS's DNS responded sooner than OpenDNS 10 times out of 10, so their services are useless to me.

[karajorma]

I wouldn't say it's useless.

I backed up their page in case my ISP's DNS servers went down. That way I'd have a standby.

[jr2]

Yeah? And?

Are you really suggesting that ping is going to connect to Ghostavo's ISP's DNS server and resolve the same address 4 times for each ping it sends to resolver1.opendns.com rather than simply resolving the first time?

No.  Don't be ridiculous.  However, that average value displayed after ping might come in handy, hmm?

And that's ignoring the fact that he'd probably have had to have done a reverse DNS lookup to get the DNS servers name since OpenDNS (rather sensibly) prefer to give out the IP Address of their server on their website. Which would be rather silly since ping accepts the IP address quite happily.    Hmm.  Not sure what you're on about; OpenDNS gives their DNS address out on their website.

I was getting the impression that Ghostavo pinged a few of his favorite websites to test whether OpenDNS was faster than his DNS.. which ofc would not work as an accurate measurement of DNS performance.  I take it that was not the case?

Basically, (as I'm certain you know), when a computer attempts connection to a website, it must first know its IP address.  The computer sends the website name to your DNS server to look up the IP.  The DNS server responds, or, if it doesn't have it, it queries the next level higher DNS server; if it doesn't have it, it goes higher, etc. until the IP is found, and given to your PC.  OpenDNS's point is supposed to be this:



Although this might be a problem depending on where you live:

[achtung]

OK, let's set one thing straight right now:

YOUR ISP WILL NOT PROTECT YOUR DNS RECORDS FROM THE COURTS IF THEY HAVE A WARRANT OR W/E THEY NEED.  They will turn your a** in.  k?  Your ISP uses DNS, just like everything else. 

Yes, but using OpenDNS sounds like a nice way to put all the eggs in one basket.

[jr2]

eh?  like how?

[achtung]

It's easier to request records from OpenDNS than to do so from 1023957 ISPs.

[jr2]

Hmm.  True.  But how about 1023957 ISPs and OpenDNS?  Not everyone uses it.  (Although, if they are that good.... more ppl might.)

[Hippo]

lol

[achtung]

Did all of jr2's posts have to be deleted?  Now it makes everyone look dumb.