Adguardhome: Allow `Fastest IP address` and `Parallel requests` to toggle each other on and off

[AnthonyBe]

Problem Description

In the Upstream DNS Servers section of the Settings UI, the Fastest IP address option has just been added beside the Parallel requests option in v0.102.0.

What is not obvious, is that you can only select one of these options, not both. It is one or the other.
When you select one of them, the other option becomes unselectable, which is not entirely intuitive

Proposed Solution

Allow these settings to 'toggle' one another to make it clearer that you can only have one of them active.

For example, if you have Parallel requests enabled, rather than not making Fastest IP address selectable, make it so selecting Fastest IP address deselects Parallel requests and vice-versa.

[ameshkov]

"Fastest IP address" implies that all DNS resolvers are queried simultaneously just like when "Parallel requests" is enabled.

The difference is that in this case, AdGuard Home waits for all responses in order to examine all received IP addresses. That's why these two options cannot be used together.

[AnthonyBe]

Yeah. After I sat and thought about it for a few minutes I worked that out. It's a cumulative result. That's why I'm suggesting some change to the UI to make this more obvious.

Essentially, 'Fastest IP address' = 'Parallel requests' + 'more goodness'

[ameshkov]

We may indeed make them toggle each other, I am not sure this will be more intuitive, though. Maybe the proper solution would be to replace checkboxes with radio buttons?

[ameshkov]

Essentially, 'Fastest IP address' = 'Parallel requests' + 'more goodness'

Well, not exactly.

• Parallel requests - speeds up the DNS queries.
• Fastest IP - slows down the DNS queries (we should now wait for all resolvers, and then for IP addresses speed test) but improves overall connectivity.

[AnthonyBe]

Yes, Radio Buttons rather than checkboxes is definitely a good idea.

I think if you can somehow convey 'Fastest IP address' = 'Parallel requests' + 'more goodness' then it will be super-clear. Maybe a mouse hover-over tool tip, or just another line of text somewhere on the UI. Not sure to be honest.

[ameshkov]

I think we can simply write some one-sentence summary near them.

To summarize, we should:

1. Replace checkboxes with radio buttons.
2. Add one more sentence to the "Fastest IP address" description:
   
   
   
   • This will slow down the DNS queries as we have to wait for responses from all DNS servers, but improve the overall connectivity.
   
   

The idea that parallel queries speeds up DNS queries is already explained in that option description so I don't think we should add anything to it.

[vandalon]

what exactly does adguard do to determine the "fastest ip address" after it gets all the response from the dns servers?

[ameshkov]

what exactly does adguard do to determine the "fastest ip address" after it gets all the response from the dns servers?

Tries to connect to ports 443 and 80