Speeding up access to web pages on Hawaiian Tel as ISP

[Bobfharris]

I've noticed that sometimes when I try to access a web page that it
takes a while to establish the link. I'm using Hawaiian Tel DSL. I
thought about this and the fact that on the speed tests it is normal.
So I decided that the slowdown might be the DNS (Domain Name Servers)
on Hawaiian Tel. These are the servers that convert the name of the
url (Uniform Resource Locator) or web page into the series of numbers
that are the internet protocol locators. A web page is actually
something like this 62.8.72.1 (fictitious but could stand for a name
like myhome. net)

So I remembered a year ago there was a posting that you can use Google
DNS servers instead. When I added them, voila the access to web pages
sped up dramatically.

so here's how to do it

Using Google Public DNS
Download this page in PDF
Configuring your network settings to use Google Public DNS
When you use Google Public DNS, you are changing your DNS
"switchboard" operator from your ISP to Google Public DNS.
In most cases, the IP addresses used by your ISP's domain name servers
are automatically set by your ISP via the Dynamic Host Configuration
Protocol (DHCP). To use Google Public DNS, you need to explicitly
change the DNS settings in your operating system or device to use the
Google Public DNS IP addresses. The procedure for changing your DNS
settings varies according to operating system and version (Windows,
Mac or Linux) or the device (computer, phone, or router). We give
general procedures here that might not apply for your OS or device;
please consult your vendor documentation for authoritative
information.
Note: We recommend that only users who are proficient with configuring
operating system settings make these changes.
Important: Before you start
Before you change your DNS settings to use Google Public DNS, be sure
to write down the current server addresses or settings on a piece of
paper. It is very important that you keep these numbers for backup
purposes, in case you need to revert to them at any time.
After changing your settings, if you encounter a problem and cannot
connect to the Internet, please call our support numbers for
troubleshooting instructions.
We also recommend that you download this page and print it, in the
event that you encounter a problem and need to refer to these
instructions.
Google Public DNS telephone support
877-590-4367 in the U.S.
770-200-1201 outside the U.S.
Google Public DNS IP addresses
The Google Public DNS IP addresses are as follows:
8.8.8.8
8.8.4.4
You can use either number as your primary or secondary DNS server. You
can specify both numbers, but do not specify one number as both
primary and secondary.
Changing your DNS servers settings
Because the instructions differ between different versions/releases of
each operating system, we only give one version as an example. If you
need specific instructions for your operating system/version, please
consult your vendor's documentation. You may also find answers on our
user group.
Many systems allow you to specify multiple DNS servers, to be
contacted in a priority order. In the following instructions, we
provide steps to specify only the Google Public DNS servers as the
primary and secondary servers, to ensure that your setup will
correctly use Google Public DNS in all cases.

Mac OSX

DNS settings are specified in the Network window.
Example: Changing DNS server settings on Mac OS 10.5 or 10.6

From the Apple menu, click System Preferences, then click Network. If
you are prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type
the password or provide confirmation.
Select the connection for which you want to configure Google Public
DNS. For example:
To change the settings for an Ethernet connection, select Built-In
Ethernet, and click Advanced.
To change the settings for a wireless connection, select Airport, and
click Advanced.
Select the DNS tab.
Click + to replace any listed addresses with, or add, the Google IP
addresses at the top of the list: 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4.
Click Apply and OK.
Test that your setup is working correctly; see Testing your new
settings below.
Repeat the procedure for additional network connections you want to
change.

Hope that is clear. In any case I'm very happy to have recalled this
and found it useful. Maybe you will too here in Hawaii