Change DNS Motorola Router – A Complete Guide!

Kevin Wood Updated on
change dns motorola router

Are you wondering how to change DNS Motorola router? It sounds complicated, but it’s easy, and we have the complete guide you can follow!

You might have read a few articles that using a different DNS can improve your overall browsing experience.

This is especially true if you’re still relying on your provider’s servers. There’s nothing wrong with using them, but using a different public DNS server offers an edge.

To change the DNS settings on your Motorola router, you need to open your web browser and log in to its dashboard. Find the Advanced settings and look for the DNS Servers tab. Here, you can type in the DNS server of your choice and click Save to confirm the changes.

Before you go ahead with the troubleshooting steps, we recommend you know why you need to change your DNS servers.

Why Change DNS Server Motorola Router

The DNS acts like a directory of addresses for the internet. It links IP addresses to domain names.

This is the reason why you can type in the domain name like google.com, and their website pops up on your browser.

You can change your DNS on a particular device, but setting it on your router will offer all the advantages to all the devices on your network.

Here are the reasons why you need to change the DNS server on your router:

1. Faster Browsing

Your ISPs DNS servers are totally fine. However, they’re not as updated as the public ones.

This means that they can be slower to find addresses than others, thus improving your browsing experience.

2. Secure Connections

Using public DNS like Google or OpenDNS offers better security than using that from your ISP.

They offer DNS request protection that prevents your activity from being hijacked.

3. Boost Privacy from your ISP

Using different DNS servers grants you better privacy since your ISP will not be able to know your browsing activities.

4. Network-Wide Changes

Editing the DNS servers on your router includes your entire network. It can save you time since you don’t have to do it for every device you own.

These are the primary reasons why you need to change the DNS server on your router.

We can now proceed to the full guide so you can enjoy all these benefits at the soonest possible time!

How to Change DNS Motorola Router

dns motorola router change

You need to remember that you don’t really need to change your DNS settings on your router. You can actually do it for every device that you have.

However, setting it on your router will certainly make your life easier. If you have a lot of devices connected to your network, this is something that you should consider.

If you have decided that this is the route you’re going to take, you can proceed with the steps to change the DNS settings on your router:

Step #1: Check the Connection Between Your Router and Computer

check router and pc connection

The first step you need to take is to check the connection between your router and computer. You’ll need to check that all networking cables are secure.

If you are using WiFi to connect your devices, make sure that the signal is strong so you can quickly connect to your router to change its settings.

Here’s how to check your network connections:

  1. Check your internet speeds by going to Speedtest.net.
  2. Open the WiFi tab and check your active connections.
  3. Make sure that the cables are connected securely.
  4. Go to your connection properties and check if DHCP is enabled.
Note: It’s important that you ensure a robust connection before proceeding to the next steps.

Step #2: Know Your Router’s IP Address

ip address router

After making sure that you have a stable connection, your next step would be to know your router’s IP address.

It’s a quick process, so you don’t have to play a guessing game and type in random IP addresses on your browser.

Here’s how to determine your router’s IP address:

  1. Press Win + R to open the Run window on your computer.
  2. Type cmd on the Run window to open Command Prompt.
  3. Type ipconfig, then press Enter.
  4. Look for the entry that says Default Gateway.
  5. List down the IP address to save for use later.
Note: Make sure your computer is connected to your router via WiFi or ethernet cable.

Step #3: Access Your Router Through a Web Browser

router access web browser

After figuring out your router’s IP address, it’s time to access it. The way to do that would be through a web browser.

It’s the only way to do it as the interface to access your router’s settings is saved as a web page on your router’s storage.

Here’s how to open your router’s dashboard:

  1. Open your web browser.
  2. Type in the IP address from Step #2.
  3. Wait for the router’s login page to load successfully.
Note: We recommend using Google Chrome or Firefox to access your router as these are reliable browsers that work with any router brand and model, including Motorola.

Step #4: Log in to Your Router’s Dashboard

Now that you have the login screen, it’s time to enter the right credentials to get into your router’s settings.

Your Motorola router comes with a default username and password that you can type in to access the settings.

Here’s how to log in to your router’s dashboard:

  1. Go to the username field and type admin.
  2. Go to the password field and type motorola.
  3. Username and password are case-sensitive.
Tip: If you have forgotten your router’s username and password, reset it to factory settings so you can use the defaults.

Step #5: Find the Settings to Change Your DNS Server

find dns server

After successfully entering your credentials, you’re now redirected to your router’s settings dashboard.

You can directly change the different settings of your router. We’re here to change the DNS settings, so let’s do that:

  1. On the top right corner, select Advanced.
  2. Select Status, then Connection.
  3. Scroll down to the IPv4 DNS Servers section.
  4. Choose Disable for the Obtain Automatically option.
  5. Change the Primary and Secondary DNS, then click Save.
Note: See Step #6 on the best DNS settings you can use.

Step #6: Enter Your Preferred DNS Server

enter preferred dns

Your goal is to steer clear of your ISP’s DNS servers. There are several public DNS servers that you can replace on the Primary and Secondary DNS fields.

Here are our recommended DNS servers you can use:

Cloudflare:

  1. Primary DNS: 1.1.1.1
  2. Secondary DNS: 1.0.0.1

Google:

  1. Primary DNS: 8.8.8.8
  2. Secondary DNS: 8.8.4.4

OpenDNS:

  1. Primary DNS: 208.67.222.222
  2. Secondary DNS: 208.67.220.220
Tip: Make sure that you enter both the primary and secondary addresses, so your router always carries a backup.

If an error comes up after changing your DNS settings, you can contact Motorola customer support so they can help you troubleshoot your issue.

Double-check your DNS settings and make sure that you typed in the addresses properly.

Read Next: If I Reset My Router Will I Still Have Internet?

Bottom Line

Now that you know how to change DNS Motorola router, you’ll be able to enjoy faster browsing that’s secure and can guarantee your privacy.

We recommend changing your DNS settings so you won’t need to deal with the default one your ISP provides you.