eero uses your provider's DNS servers by default, and changing them is done in the app: Settings, Advanced networking, DNS, tap the button next to Custom DNS, enter IPv4 and or IPv6 nameserver addresses and tap Save. eero says this reboots your network to propagate the setting. If the DNS settings are grayed out and you have eero Plus, that is expected: eero Plus works by filtering DNS requests, so custom DNS will not work as expected while its filters are on.
The checks in more detail
To change DNS anyway, first disable each eero Plus filter: on the Home tab open the box under Security and privacy, tap Network Controls, toggle off Advanced Security and Ad Blocking, and remove active Content Filters and blocked or allowed sites and apps. Several features hand out the gateway eero's address as the DNS server instead of your custom setting,
including local DNS caching, Hotspot Backup, HomeKit and Ring Alarm Pro; the gateway then forwards to your ISP or your custom servers, so devices may show the eero's address rather than yours. If sites will not load after a change, check for a typo, revert to the ISP default, and see the offline article, where a DNS resolution error can also point to an outage. Third-party security equipment must allow DNS traffic through.
DNS changes are easy to undo, which is the reason to test them one at a time: change the server, save, wait for the network to reboot, load three sites you have not visited recently and only then decide. Keep the previous addresses written down so you can revert without searching for them, and remember that a device with its own private DNS setting can bypass the network's choice.
Differential
Likely causes of “eero mesh wifi cannot open websites because DNS fails”, and how to tell them apart
- 1
A typo in a DNS address
What separates it Websites will not load because a DNS address was typed incorrectly
How to confirm Correct it or revert to the ISP default
- 2
eero Plus filtering
What separates it The DNS settings are grayed out because eero Plus filtering is switched on
How to confirm Turn off the eero Plus filters first, and then change the DNS settings, which are then available
- 3
Local DNS caching or HomeKit
What separates it Devices show the eero's address as their DNS because local DNS caching or HomeKit is in use
How to confirm This is expected, since the gateway forwards the requests for the devices
- 4
A provider outage
What separates it Websites give a DNS resolution error because the provider has an outage
How to confirm Check the outage page and use Hotspot Backup
- 5
Third-party equipment
What separates it DNS is blocked because other equipment on the network stops the DNS traffic
How to confirm Allow DNS traffic to pass through the third party equipment on the network
Before you touch a setting
Record this first — changing settings destroys the evidence
- The DNS servers that you have entered in the app
- Whether an eero Plus subscription is active on the network
- Which eero features are switched on, such as filters or HomeKit
- The exact error message that the browser shows
Try in this order
0 of 7 completedOpen DNS settings
ReversibleOpen the DNS settings in the app, by going to Settings, then Advanced networking, and then DNS.
Turn on Custom DNS
ReversibleTurn on Custom DNS and enter the IPv4 and IPv6 nameservers that you want to use.
Save
ReversibleSave the change, remembering that the network reboots when you do, so wait for it to return.
Check eero Plus
ReversibleCheck eero Plus, and disable its filters if the DNS setting is grayed out for you.
Test a website
ReversibleTest a website after the reboot, to confirm that pages load with the new DNS servers.
Revert if needed
ReversibleRevert to the provider's default if there is a problem, by turning Custom DNS off.
Check the offline article
ReversibleCheck the offline article on eero's site, which covers DNS resolution errors in more detail than here.
Model-specific
What is true of this model and not of its siblings
- Scope
- DNS settings live on the gateway eero, so every model behaves the same way.
- eero Plus
- Filters such as Advanced Security and Ad Blocking must be off to set custom DNS.
- Tools and supplies
- The eero app on your phone, a paperclip for a recessed reset button, the modem's power supply, an Ethernet cable rated Cat5e or better and a pen and paper for the model and serial numbers. No screwdriver is needed and an eero should not be opened.
- Other models this page answers
- These steps also fit models eero Pro 6E, eero Pro 6, eero 6+, eero 6, eero Pro (2nd generation), eero Beacon, eero Outdoor 7.
Stop boundary
When this stops being a self-service repair
- !If sites fail after restoring ISP DNS, use the offline troubleshooting
- !If a resolver keeps timing out, choose another
- !If the setting will not save, contact eero support
Evidence ledger
Sources behind this answer
Custom DNS, eero Plus and related features.
The Internet, Network services, Wireless and Integrations sections.
The WAN checks, modem power cycle and ISP settings.
UPnP, DNS, port forwarding, Client Steering and more.
The company and its products.
Exact questions
Common questions
Which DNS does eero use by default?+
By default eero uses your provider's DNS servers, unless you set custom ones.
Why are the settings grayed out?+
The settings are grayed out because eero Plus filtering is switched on.
Does saving reboot the network?+
Yes, saving the change reboots the network, so wait for it to return.
Can I use IPv6 DNS?+
Yes, IPv4 and IPv6 are supported.
Why do devices show the eero's address?+
Local DNS caching, HomeKit or Hotspot Backup provide it.
What is local DNS caching?+
It stores DNS information on the gateway to speed up page loads.
Does Ring Alarm Pro affect DNS?+
It provides the gateway address as the nameserver.
How do I revert?+
You revert by turning Custom DNS off, which puts the eero back on the default.
What if DNS fails?+
If DNS fails, see the offline guide, which explains how to check the connection.