How to Install SmartDNS on Windows 11

SmartDNS is an open-source and efficient DNS server that enables users to have a more secure, faster, and accurate access to the internet. This tutorial will guide you on how to install SmartDNS on your Windows 11 computer.

Prerequisites

Before installing SmartDNS, ensure that your computer meets the following requirements:

  • Latest version of Windows 11
  • Internet connection
  • Administrative access to your computer

Step 1: Download the SmartDNS zip file

  1. Visit the official SmartDNS GitHub repository at https://github.com/pymumu/smartdns.
  2. Click on the "Code" button and select "Download ZIP" to download the SmartDNS zip file to your computer.

Step 2: Extract the SmartDNS files

  1. Once downloaded, navigate to the downloaded zip file and extract the contents to a folder on your computer.
  2. Move the folder to a location on your computer where you can easily access it.

Step 3: Install the SmartDNS service

  1. Open the command prompt with administrative privileges. Click on the "Start" button, search for "Command Prompt", right-click on it, and select "Run as administrator".
  2. Navigate to the folder where you extracted the SmartDNS files by typing cd <SmartDNS folder location> in the command prompt, replacing <SmartDNS folder location> with the actual location of the folder where you extracted the SmartDNS files. Example: cd C:\Users\Username\Downloads\smartdns-master
  3. Once you're in the SmartDNS folder in the command prompt, run the following command to install the SmartDNS service: sc create SmartDNS binPath="C:\location_of_your_smartdns.exe -c C:\location_of_your_smartdns.conf" start=auto. Replace location_of_your_smartdns.exe and location_of_your_smartdns.conf with your own folder locations. Example: sc create SmartDNS binPath="C:\Users\Username\Downloads\smartdns-master\bin\smartdns.exe -c C:\Users\Username\Downloads\smartdns-master\bin\smartdns.conf" start=auto.

Step 4: Start the SmartDNS service

  1. To start the SmartDNS service, open the command prompt with administrative privileges.
  2. Run the following command: net start SmartDNS
  3. SmartDNS should now be running and you can configure it by modifying the smartdns.conf file in the bin folder.

Conclusion

Congratulations! You have successfully installed SmartDNS on your Windows 11 computer. SmartDNS is now ready to improve your internet browsing experience.