How to Configure a DNS Lookup

Enable DNS lookup by adding DNS server IP addresses to the Windows 7 network configuration

Domain Name System provides a host name to IP address resolution for private network and Internet hosts, enabling the use of readable, meaningful host names in place of IP addresses. Microsoft Windows 7 must be configured to specify the network DNS server for DNS lookups when using a host name rather than IP address to connect to a host. A Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server can configure the Windows 7 DNS server settings automatically. However if a DHCP server is not available the DNS settings must be configured manually. Manually configure the IP address of a DNS server in order to enable DNS lookup on a Windows 7 computer.

Things You'll Need

• Microsoft Windows 7 computer
• IP address of the DNS server for your network

Instructions

1. Click the "Start" button, then click the "Search" box and type "ncpa.cpl" and press the "Enter" key. The "Network Connections" window will appear.

2. Right-click on the icon of the network adapter that the computer uses to connect to the network and click "Properties" in the menu that appears. Scroll down the list of protocols displayed and select "Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4)" and then click the "Properties" button.

3. Click the "Use the following DNS Server addresses" radio button. Type the IP address of the DNS server on your network in the "Preferred DNS Server" field. If you have a second DNS server IP address, type that address into the "Alternate DNS server" field. Click the "OK" button. Click the "OK" button again to save the setting.

References

• Microsoft:Windows -- Change TCP/IP Settings
• OpenDNS Store:Change your DNS -- Windows 7