Works! Verizon G3100 How to change the gateway DNS Server

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Disclaimer. I am not affiliated with Verizon and this is my personal experience. I am not paid by Verizon and bought the G3100 outright myself.

If you find this helpful and want to say thanks, please buy me a coffee. It keeps this page ad-free. Thank you! 

Important Update: In August 2021, Verizon is progressively rolling out new firmware of the G3100 with a new UI. Some of these instructions have changed, I have included both the v2 and v3 firmware instructions in case your G3100 is not yet running the latest software.

Background

I have owned the Verizon G3100 almost since it came out. You can read my user review of the Verizon G3100 if you want to better understand my experience. I have also posted a guide on how to set a Static IP address on the Verizon G3100 here.

Changing the DNS Gateway Name Server on the G3100 is something only for the more technically minded. So please don’t do this just for fun, it can make your internet stop working, mess up the cable box, etc.

If you’re reading this, I’m assuming you know what Google DNS, CloudFlare DNS, Open DNS, or PiHole is. These instructions will also work with other DNS services. There’s probably more than a 50% chance you are here because you want to use a PiHole with Verizon FiOS.

If you’re after a list of Public Name Servers or want to benchmark a Public Name Server, I have an article about that here.

How to Change the Gateway DNS Server on Verizon G3100

Assumption

I am assuming you know why you want to do this and know how to reset your Verizon G3100 if you make a mistake. Also, if you are doing this to set up a PiHole you have set a static IP address for the PiHole first. If you need instructions on how to set a static IP address for the Verizon G3100, follow these instructions.

Important to note

Changing the DNS gateway server that your G3100 uses may stop your Verizon TV cable services (EPG, on-demand, DVR) from working. I no longer use Verizon for TV, so I don’t know how this will impact Verizon TV.

The instructions below were written for the 2.0x firmware, I have now added instructions for the 3.0x firmware.

Before you Begin

Look at the back of your Verizon G3100 router and note down the admin password to log in to the web interface. I’d recommend taking a photo, just to avoid accidentally missing something or making a mistake on a letter and spending a few frustrating minutes not able to log in. Keep in mind you want the Admin password, not the WiFi password.

  1. Open your browser and go to this website:
  2. Don’t panic if you get a Security Warning, this is because the router is connecting via HTTP not HTTPs. This warning is completely normal. If you’re using Chrome, then in your browser:
    • click Advanced then scroll down and
    • click Proceed to MyFiosGateway (unsafe).

I have capitalized the text so it’s easier to read, but the website address will be in lower case (don’t worry, it’s safe).

  1. You will be at the Verizon G3100 login screen. Type in the Admin password and you will be able to log in.
    • the default username is “admin” (no quotes)
    • the password is whatever you wrote down from Before you Begin.

Tip: If you encounter any problems, check you are using the Admin password (not WiFi) and click Show Password to make sure you didn’t make a typo.

If your Verizon G3100 is using the new v3.x firmware:

  1. In the browser page that opens, on the top left click Advanced.
  2. In the left-hand menu, click Network Settings, then click Network Connections.
  3. Click Broadband Connection (Ethernet/Coax)

Then continue with Step 4 below:

If your Verizon G3100 is using the (old) v2.x firmware:

  1. In the browser page that opens, the top right box is called Network and there’s an arrow “>” on the very lower right. Click the arrow.
  2. In the middle, more to the right-hand side of the screen you will see Network Connections, click it.
  3. Click on Broadband Connection (Ethernet/Coax).

Step 4 onwards…

  1.  Scroll down and you will see Settings, click it.
  2.  Scroll down and you will see something labeled IPv4 and a dropdown that says Obtain IPv4 DNS Address Automatically. You want to change this, so click the dropdown and change it to Use the Following IPv4 DNS Addresses.
  3. Two new rows will appear where you can new DNS Servers for the Verizon G3100, to save you looking around, here are some common public DNS servers. 
    Google DNS: 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4
Cloudflare DNS: 1.1.1.1 and 1.0.0.1
Open DNS: 208.67.222.222 and 208.67.220.220

If you are using a PiHole with Verizon FiOS, you would only have 1 DNS Server, which would the static IP address of your PiHole device. Technically you should also add a second address in case your PiHole goes down so that your internet still works but that's up to you.
  4. Click Apply, the new IPv4 DNS settings will save to the G3100. You will get an Applying Settings dialog box and it will feel like the G3100 has crashed but it’s just slow to apply. It will be OK, just be patient (1-2minutes).

Tips: You may need to release/reset the internet connection on your devices to make sure they will use the new gateway. If you’re not technical, the quickest way is to turn them on and off.

Reminder The change may stop your Verizon TV services from working as expected. I no longer use Verizon for TV, so I don’t know for sure.

Yes, this is an IPv4 only not IPv6 but in my tests, Verizon FiOS currently doesn’t support IPv6 addresses.

If you find this helpful and want to say thanks, please buy me a coffee. It keeps this page ad-free. Thank you! 

As a reminder, I am not affiliated with Verizon and this is my personal experience. I am not paid by Verizon and bought the G3100 outright myself. 

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