Safari 5.0 may exhibit some odd DNS issues that can cause three problems: (1) hangs while loading pages or inordinate slowness; (2) pages do not load on the first try, but load properly on a second try; (3) disruption of a local router’s (wireless or wired) network connection.
Anecdotal evidence suggests that this issue is caused by a problem with Safari 5.0′s DNS prefetching mechanism, which appears to send more requests than allowed by some ISPs. This issue may also cause problems with some routers.
The fix for both of these issues is generally to switch DNS servers from those generated by your ISP to those offered by OpenDNS. To do so:
- Open System Preferences and click “Network”
- Select your connection method (AirPort, Ethernet, etc.)
- Enter the following items in the “DNS Server” field: 208.67.222.222, 208.67.220.220
- Click Apply
If you are still experiencing issues after switching DNS servers, you can downgrade from Safari 5.0 to Safari 4.0.5.
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July 6, 2010 at 10:14 AM
I have this problem, but I already use OpenDNS. Maybe I’ll try switching to another DNS and see what happens.
July 6, 2010 at 11:48 AM
This worked really well for me. I had started using Chrome and Firefox exclusively because Safari was working so poorly. This appears to have fixed the problem.
July 6, 2010 at 12:40 PM
Thank you for this tip – I use Opera, and had run into the same problem of pages getting “stuck” while loading. Pages now load much faster with the new DNS server address recommendations from your site – thanks again! It’s almost like getting a new, faster browser!
July 6, 2010 at 1:44 PM
same as Jeff for me.
July 6, 2010 at 7:14 PM
Thank you so much…. I had also switched to Firefox because after the latest update, Safari had become unusable….. Now Safari seems faster than ever…. Great……..
July 7, 2010 at 8:25 AM
Great hint! This appears to have fixed my problem as well… Thought it was my isp… Thx again for the tip….
July 7, 2010 at 3:03 PM
I’ve been hating this Safari super lag for several weeks and simple follow the above steps;Open System Preferences and click “Network”
Select your connection method (AirPort, Ethernet, etc.)
Enter the following items in the “DNS Server” field: 208.67.222.222 (OR?) 208.67.220.220
Click Apply
Totally fixed it, very simple, Apple should publish it — all links now opening instantly or in 1 second = Woo Hoo!! Danka Danka
July 8, 2010 at 9:37 AM
This smells like opendns promotion.
July 16, 2010 at 5:17 AM
This really worked! Safari 5 had been running really slowly and then I followed the instructions on entering the numbers in the DNS field, and it ran fast again.
Thanks!
July 16, 2010 at 8:30 AM
The hanging problem was agonizing, often got “server not found,” and sometimes “not connected the the Internet” when it was.
Your fix works. Maybe not “five” times faster as Apple claims, but the best yet for Safari.
July 20, 2010 at 9:16 PM
Super easy and quick fix especially for a very non-tech guy. I have no more issues with it hanging. Thank you!
July 22, 2010 at 4:47 PM
I tried the same fix and so far so good. It is a great and easy fix. But, can someone explain how does it exactly work? Does the DNS (Domain Name Server) in 5.0 issue too many prefetches and by typing these arcane IP addresses, do some of them get discarded? I don’t get it!
July 22, 2010 at 4:47 PM
I tried the same fix and so far so good. It is a great and easy fix. But, can someone explain how does it exactly work? Does the DNS (Domain Name Server) in 5.0 issue too many prefetches and by typing these arcane IP addresses, do some of them get discarded? I don’t get it!
September 6, 2010 at 6:57 AM
Does any body know, who’s dns server are? Because they can register all of our traffic. We have to know that. our IP is registered on the server every time we ask a website, and the DNS server resolves de IP.
October 29, 2010 at 3:58 AM
I have had just these same symptoms as listed here, Safari 5 hanging while loading pages, sometimes pages wouldn’t load until the second try, then reluctantly. At one point WiFi was blocked to my other computer Have had a long session with both my ISP and have swapped my Netgear DGN2000 for a new one at PC World. Nothing seemed to work. Talked at length with a supervisor at Apple Support. Finally found this page. Changing the DNS setting to the one recommended seems to be working. Things are banging open again. I have also just had an upgrade of Safari 5.02. Anyway its working again.
November 7, 2010 at 10:28 AM
This worked … added the DNS servers, and the spinning wheel on both of our computers went away. Instantaneous speed bump after multiple Safari hangs and “pages not found” issues. The romance with the internet is back again!
December 2, 2010 at 1:56 AM
That worked amazingly well. Was having my wifi shut off inexplicably and my wife, who uses Safari exclusively, was experiencing rampant “beachballing”. Have been searching for weeks and was about to buy a new router. Now updated my router to use open DNS and no issues. Thanks so much!!
December 16, 2010 at 5:14 PM
This helped me greatly. I just bought the MacBook Pro with i7 processor and I pay for the fastest internet Embarq will allow, and only have 1 computer on my network. I was unpleasantly surprised that the internet speed did not reflect these purchases. Now my computer is blazing again.
February 27, 2011 at 2:58 PM
I resolved a similar (identical?) problem by disabling IP Flooding Detection in my router.
April 13, 2011 at 8:06 AM
http://support.apple.com/kb/TS3408
July 21, 2011 at 1:03 AM
fan-freaking-tastic! thanks so much – solved my problem beautifully.
May 2, 2012 at 1:34 PM
Running Safari Version 5.0.6 (5533.22.3) pages very slow loading have tried suggested fix here. am on a wireless network at home. As I write the little icon is still spinning in the right hand side of the address bar. Graphics slow to load dont load can anyone suggest a solution to this problem? Please.