Google on Thursday announced Google Public DNS, a service that will allow users to choose the world’s biggest search engine as their domain name system service provider.

“As part of our ongoing effort to make the Web faster, we're launching our own public DNS resolver called Google Public DNS, and we invite you to try it out,” the company said in a blog.

DNS, typically handled directly by Internet service providers, perform a critical function for the Web. They convert easy to remember domain names, like www.google.com, into a unique Internet Protocol address, for example 74.128.48.90., a code that computers use to communicate with one another.

“The average Internet user ends up performing hundreds of DNS lookups each day, and some complex pages require multiple DNS lookups before they start loading. This can slow down the browsing experience,” the search giant said in a statement.

Google claims that its DNS service, which can be installed through a change in network settings, will provide a faster and more reliable browsing experience and extra securities against malware.

Google will compete against companies such as OpenDNS, a four-year-old company that handles 20 billion DNS queries per day, and claims 15 million end users.