Mike-Ward.Net

I can haz Web faster?

One of the best and easiest speed improvements you can make to your Internet connection is to use OpenDNS.com. I’ve blogged about this incredible (and free) service before but a recent announcement makes it even better.

SmartCache, OpenDNS’s proprietary DNS caching technology finds and locates the last known good IP address for Web sites that are experiencing difficulty, making Web sites that are down for the rest of the Internet load for OpenDNS users.

And the announcement? Everyone gets SmartCache, whether you’re among the 1,500 Deluxe and Enterprise subscribers or the millions of users of the free service. Everyone is invited to log into their account and turn it on.

If you’re unfamiliar with OpenDNS or even what a DNS is, I encourage you to set aside your doubts/fear and visit the OpenDNS Web site. There you’ll find explanations of the the service, what it does and why it’s better. If it’s a bit too technical for your liking, find your favorite geek and have them set it up for you. It’s really worth the effort, promise.

Once you have OpenDNS setup, go to the advanced settings and enable SmartCache.

It takes about 3 minutes to propagate the settings to their world wide network. Now your enjoying faster, safer Internet access. Cool!