Your connection.
Your choice.

DNS translates domain names into IP addresses. The DNS tab changes the DNS configuration of the adapter you select using Windows network settings. It does not disable IPv6 or change your IP address.

After a successful change, it tests the applied servers. Returning to default tests the servers assigned by your network. Testing does not run on a background timer, and the app does not configure encrypted DNS.

VPNs, Windows policies, and apps with their own DNS settings can affect which resolver is actually used. Work or school networks may need their existing DNS to reach internal services.

A MAC address identifies a network interface on its local network. Open the MAC Address tab to see the active address, the driver-reported factory address, and any saved override. The app changes a driver override; it does not modify firmware or the permanent hardware MAC.

1. Prepare an address

Click Randomize to fill the field with a locally administered unicast address. This only prepares the value. You can also enter 12 hexadecimal characters manually, optionally separated by hyphens or colons.

2. Apply and reconnect

Click Apply MAC and accept the administrator prompt. The app backs up the current settings, restarts the selected adapter, and verifies its active MAC. Expect a brief connection interruption. A saved override alone is not counted as success.

3. Restore the driver default

Click Restore default to remove the driver’s NetworkAddress override. An enabled adapter restarts and its active address is checked against the factory MAC. An already-default adapter needs no restart. A disabled adapter stays disabled; enable it to activate and verify the default.

Check adapter support

Applying an override requires a physical adapter with an exposed Network Address property and a reported factory MAC. Unsupported drivers and virtual adapters are identified in the app. Physical adapters can still offer Restore default when Apply is unavailable.

Windows Wi-Fi random hardware addresses and driver behavior may make the active address differ from the factory address. CoalitionDNS does not change Windows Wi-Fi randomization settings.

Before a MAC change, a JSON snapshot is saved to %ProgramData%\The Coalition\Coalition DNS\MAC Backups. Restore default removes the driver override; it does not restore an older custom address. Keep the backup if you need to recover that value manually.

If Apply fails, the app attempts to restore the previous override and active address. If Restore default encounters a restart or verification failure, the override stays removed and the app reports the remaining recovery step.

Check the Activity/helper message if recovery needs attention. You may need to enable or restart the adapter, or restart Windows. For supported drivers, Device Manager’s Advanced → Network Address → Not Present setting also removes the override. DNS and MAC changes can affect connectivity and access to network services.

DNS lookup

Each resolver receives three standard UDP DNS queries for example.com. The displayed time is the average of successful replies, alongside the number of successful queries.

Ping

One ICMP ping measures the resolver’s response time. A server or network may block ping even when DNS works. Tests follow Windows routing and are not bound to the selected adapter; IPv6 results require a working IPv6 route.

A sample, not a speed guarantee

These results are a short network sample. Faster DNS does not guarantee faster browsing or lower in-game latency. Failed probes do not automatically undo DNS settings that were successfully saved.

Before each DNS change, the app saves the selected adapter’s previous DNS settings to %ProgramData%\The Coalition\Coalition DNS\Backups. If applying or verifying settings fails, it attempts to restore the previous configuration and reports any rollback failure.

To recover manually, use Return to default or select automatic DNS in Windows network adapter settings. To restore an older custom setup, use the addresses in the JSON backup’s Static4 and Static6 fields; empty lists indicate automatic DNS.

Version 1.0.0 validation covered read-only adapter checks, live DNS/ping probes, and simulated configuration changes. MAC validation covered read-only checks and simulated apply, restore, and recovery workflows. Live DNS changes, MAC writes, physical adapter restarts, and factory restoration remain untested in the supplied validation record. Driver acceptance cannot be guaranteed by simulated tests.