I need to decrease the ping for users in the USA who are connecting to my servers located on a VPS in Paris. Initially, I considered getting a VPS in the USA, but after researching, I realized that regardless of the hoster and server location, the ping would remain relatively similar.

However, I discovered that domains such as www.cloudflare.com have very low ping times between France and the United States, measuring only a few milliseconds. Interestingly, when I tested the ping from various countries worldwide to my server without using a domain name and solely by the IP address (since accessing DNS shouldn't increase ping), the results remained consistent with those obtained by accessing the server via domain name.

Thus, my question is whether using the DNS from www.cloudflare.com could potentially help me reduce ping? Additionally, do you have any other recommendations for improving connectivity between my Paris-based servers and users in the USA?

Cloudflare is a Content Delivery Network that works by directing users to the nearest server, rather than one located in a specific region like the USA, France, or Europe. This is possible due to the provider network's logic of routing traffic based on AS and sending it through the closest route. As a result, backbone providers are able to optimize their networks by offloading channels and reducing latency for Cloudflare's numerous customers.

For instance, if you're in Paris and access the address 1.1.1.1, you'll be directed to the Paris Cloudflare servers, thanks to the cooperation between providers and Cloudflare. Conversely, if you're in the USA and access 1.1.1.1, you'll be routed to a US-based server.

To address concerns about access speed and ping, there are only two options: using a separate caching VPS or server in the USA, or leveraging a CDN such as Cloudflare. However, the former option is often costlier than using a CDN like Cloudflare.

The DNS server is only activated once, solely to acquire the server's IP address. Despite alterations to the DNS server, ping remains unaffected. A fundamental approach in reducing ping involves proximity of the server to users. The DNS access simply adds minimal lag before reaching the VPS.

It is important to recognize that the location of the server can significantly impact the latency experienced by users.

When it comes to optimizing network performance, minimizing delays is always a top priority.

Ping is not influenced by DNS. Its function is restricted to providing the IP address associated with a domain name. Web browsers, operating systems, and internet service providers' DNS servers all store these records.

but, there are other ways of minimizing the server's response time. A Content Delivery Network (CDN) can help if employed correctly. Additionally, optimal placement for servers would be in the Netherlands or the United Kingdom, ensuring equally efficient connections for both the European and American audiences.

Let's address your observation about the consistency of ping results obtained via domain name and IP address. This is a common phenomenon due to how DNS resolution works. When you use a domain name, your system queries DNS servers to resolve the domain to an IP address, and this may add a negligible amount of time to the overall latency. However, modern DNS services, like those provided by www.cloudflare.com, are optimized to minimize this additional latency, which could explain the low ping times you observed.

Using the DNS from www.cloudflare.com could potentially help in reducing ping times, especially if they have servers located close to both your VPS in Paris and your users in the USA. Cloudflare operates a global Anycast DNS network, which means that DNS queries will be automatically routed to the nearest and fastest responding server, reducing resolution time and potentially improving overall latency.

In addition to leveraging a robust DNS service, another recommendation for improving connectivity between your Paris-based servers and users in the USA would be to implement a content delivery network (CDN). A CDN caches your website's content on multiple servers across different geographic locations, including the USA, and serves the content to users from the nearest server. This can significantly reduce latency by minimizing the distance data has to travel.
Consider optimizing your server configuration and utilizing technologies such as HTTP/2, which can improve the efficiency of data transfer between the server and clients. Implementing network acceleration techniques like TCP optimization and employing geographically distributed load balancers can also help in optimizing connectivity and reducing latency for users accessing your servers from the USA.
While using the DNS from www.cloudflare.com could potentially contribute to reducing ping times, combining this with the implementation of a CDN, server optimization, and network acceleration techniques would provide a comprehensive approach to improving connectivity between your Paris-based servers and users in the USA. These measures can collectively work to minimize latency and enhance the overall user experience.

Don't waste your time with Cloudflare's DNS. Their Anycast network is just a marketing gimmick, and the actual performance benefits are negligible.
You'll still be stuck with the same latency issues as before. Instead, focus on optimizing your server configuration and network setup to improve connectivity. Cloudflare's DNS is just a band-aid solution that won't address the underlying issues.