DNS Help. Can I specify a DNS server other than my ISP's? (Public DNS Server?)

[CROSSeyed]

I have the problem of not being able to reach certain websites. I believe the problem is the DNS servers at my ISP. Can I specify different DNS servers (well I know I can and know how to) and are there "Public" DNS servers that I could use for name resolution? I have searched Google for a "Public" DNS and have so far had no luck.

Websites I cannot reach:
www.mushkin.com
www.cdrinfo.com
and others I can't remember right now, but for sure I have been talking with people on the phone while trying to get to those sites and had them check to see if they could get to them and they could, so it's not a problem with the site.

Running XP Pro.

Thanks

 

[calpha]

Depends on your ISP, and how they have the dialups routed.

On my ISP I can specify whatever I want. IT's a small local shop, and it works fine.
However, they block SMTP access to any other server then theirs going out. Some of them may do the same with DNSs I dunno.

Are you able to ping the websites you can't reach?
If you get the IP Address, are you able to ping those?

FYI, you can also set up your own DNS Server, and resolve hostnames through it if you think crappy DNS is the problem @ your ISP.

GL.

 

[Damaged]

<< Depends on your ISP, and how they have the dialups routed. >>


Nobody blocks DNS. Honest, stuff breaks when you do that, and "we" could care less if you'd like to run your own.

More likely a peering (BGP) issue with your ISP. Meaning, nothing you can do about that: changing Name Servers won't fix it (Granted, BGP is a routing protocol, but not in the conventional sense).

However, if you'd like you can try:

209.153.128.4
169.207.1.3

Both are legit resolvers. Not all are.

 

[calpha]

I'll admit I don't know what BGP is, but I do know that I've had several ISPs where DNS resolution to other ISPs was blocked. Then again, it could be that the ISP I was trying to use (my old 5 star small local ISP) blocked all outside access from IPs not dialed in to their subnet, or on their DSL subnet.