If you’re wondering how to speed up public Wi-Fi when you’re travelling, there’s a simple iPhone setting you can test before giving up on the connection completely.
Slow Wi-Fi can be especially frustrating at airports, restaurants, hotels, or anywhere else you’re relying on a shared network. Sometimes the Wi-Fi connection itself isn’t the only thing affecting how quickly websites and apps respond. The DNS server your device is using can also make a difference.
In this video, I’ll show you how to change the DNS settings on your iPhone and test two popular options: Cloudflare and Google. You can try each one, check whether your internet speed improves, and easily switch your settings back to Automatic if they don’t help.
How changing your DNS may help with slow public Wi-Fi
DNS is one of those tech terms that sounds far more complicated than it needs to be. Your device uses a DNS server when it needs to find and connect to websites. Changing the server your iPhone is using may help when a public Wi-Fi connection feels slow.
I’ll walk you through exactly where to find Configure DNS in your iPhone Wi-Fi settings, what numbers to enter for Cloudflare and Google, and how to restore the original automatic setting afterward.
One important note: changing your DNS is not a replacement for protecting your connection. I still recommend using a VPN whenever you’re connected to an unsecured Wi-Fi network.
If you travel regularly and find yourself fighting with sluggish Wi-Fi, this is a handy setting to know how to test.
