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Home networking and DNS routing...
Hello everyone,
I have 2 home networking questions that are related, and I pray that you will be able to help me.
My ISP is Time Warner, and I have been very satisfied with their broadband service in the 7 or so years that I have been with them. Lately, however, I decided to subscribe to their 'Turbo Plus' product, which guarantees 20 Mbps download and 2 Mbps upload speeds, or 20 x 2. I wanted this for a better gaming experience, and the faster downloading of large files, such as video files.
With installing the new 20 x 2 service, Time Warner installed a new Motorola Surfboard SBG6580 Wireless N Broadband Modem / Router. However, since the new device was put in, I have been getting 'DNS errors' on my PC and other devices, such as "Error - Server not found in DNS". I never received these with the previous device or service, so I believe that they are related to the new device's settings.
I was advised by a tech person that I know to subscribe to the OpenDNS service, and then 'simply' change the DNS IP addresses in the router. Unfortunately, I cannot find a place to set these in the router. There is, however, a place for Dynamic DNS, which uses www.dynDNS.org
I am able to change the DNS IP addresses in my Windows 7 network and sharing center, but this does not help my iPhone, PSP, or other devices on my network. Also, from the OpenDNS site, I read that it is 'better' to make the change in the whole network (router), rather than on each individual device.
So, the questions:
- Is it better to have the proper DNS addresses in the hardware, versus the software on each device?
- Is there a way to change the DNS addresses in the Motorola SBG6580 that maybe I am just overlooking?
- Should I purchase new networking equipment, and if so, what brand do you recommend?
[I have been somewhat satisfied with the Cisco Valet line, but they seem to only want to help me with that line, and not with helping me solve the overall (new) problem, which I thought would be an opportunity for them to sell new equipment. They told me that what I could get from them, the WCG-200, was available from Time Warner, and that I could then just 'cascade' my Cisco Valet (wireless N) router from that device.]
If it gets me a better result in the end run, then I am willing to purchase new equipment. However, I am also on a 'fixed' income, so I can't afford to make purchases that are not necessary, either.
Please advise me as to how I should proceed. Your kind consideration of my issue is greatly appreciated. Thanks!
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