What is Smart DNS?

DNS stands for Domain Name System. Each network consists of multiple networking devices. Every device can be identified with the help of a unique IP address given for each device. DNS is used to translate the domain name into IP addresses. When a user searches for a domain name initially it is sent to the DNS server. The DNS server then returns the IP address for that domain name. Smart DNS provides more features than DNS. The below article covers this in detail regarding Smart DNS.

What is Smart DNS?

Smart DNS is defined as a special type of service that is used to unblock the geo-restricted services and content and accordingly improve the speed of the internet. Smart DNS mainly works by changing the Domain Name System(DNS) settings on the router or user device to redirect DNS requests of users through a server that is placed or located at a different region. Smart DNS helps to stay connected to the networks that have restrictions for accessing such as corporate networks.

Smart DNS is similar to proxy servers in terms of the way proxy server routes internet traffic through a remote server to hide the real IP address and its physical location. Smart DNS directs only the part of traffic that is DNS queries to its server. Therefore Smart DNS is majorly used in scenarios where there is a need to access the geo-blocked content without hiding the real IP address and affecting the traffic of the vice. Smart DNS supports for various streaming services such as Disney Plus (US region), Netflix Originals, Amazon Prime (US region), Peacock TV, etc.

Working on Smart DNS

The below diagram describes the working of Smart DNS. It consists of various networking components such as server, DNS, and proxy.

• Smart DNS servers receives the DNS requests from the clients and provides the DNS responses to the servers that are situated at different geographical regions according to the users choice.
• While using Smart DNS service, the device firs sends the request to Smart DNS server first and then sends it to the regular DNS server.
• Upon receiving the request the Smart DNS server checks whether the domain name is associated with the geo-restricted service or not.
• If this domain name is associated with the geo-restricted service, the IP address of proxy server is returned by the Smart DNS server. This IP address is of proxy server where services are not blocked.
• The proxy server then forwards the request received from Smart DNS server to the blocked service and the content will become unblocked.

Advantages of Smart DNS

• Smart DNS can unblock the geo-restricted streaming services.
• Smart DNS can work on the systems that does not supports for native VPN applications.
• Smart DNS is more cheaper as compared to VPN services.
• Smart DNS provides with more better speed.

Disadvantages of Smart DNS

• Smart DNS does not hide your IP address.
• Smart DNS provides less security as it does not encrypts the web traffic.
• Smart DNS is more complicated to set up.
• Smart DNS is less flexible as compared to VPN services.

Difference Between Smart DNS and VPN

VPN stands for Virtual Private Network. VPN provides more security by providing a new IP address. This new IP address provided by VPN is the address of VPN server. Both Smart DNS and VPN differ from each other. Below is the difference between Smart DNS and VPN.

Check for Difference between DNS and VPN: DNS vs VPN