DNS is among the internet's foundations, working behind the scenes to correspond the names of web pages that browsers type in the search box with the matching IP address, a series of numbers that no one is expected to recollect.
That said, it's possible for people to key a website's IP address into the browser to open a given web page, though most individuals prefer an internet address with words that are easy to remember, known as Domain names.
What Does DNS Mean?
DNS stands for Domain Name System. This system converts domain names into IP addresses used by people to access different websites. All gadgets connected to the internet have their respective IP addresses, normally utilized by other gadgets to locate the gadget.
DNS servers allow individuals to type in normal terminologies onto the search panel on their browsers, like Wikipedia, without needing to remember or know the IP address.
So, what’s a DNS server? This is a computer featuring a database with the public IP address linked to the names of the web pages that an IP address presents to a browser. Basically, DNS is the internet’s phonebook.
Once a person keys in a domain name like Wikipedia or Gmail onto the search panel of a given browser, the DNS locates the correct IP address. The page's IP address then directs the gadget to the right place to get the page's information.
When the DNS server gets the right IP address, browsers use this address to send information to CDN (Content Delivery Network) origin or edge servers. When this is done, the user can access the data on the web page. The DNS server begins the process by locating the corresponding IP address for a web page’s URL.
What Does DNS Do?
As pointed out earlier, DNS is like the internet’ phonebook. For instance, when you want to make a call, you go to your phonebook, tap on the person's name, and call. In the background, this process involves linking the number with the contact; then, the cellular connection makes the call. This is the same way DNS works.
It allows you to request your browser to access a domain name and instantly know the IP address, with you only needing to tap the enter button and wait.
DNS Function
DNS depends on two main parts:
· DNS records
· A nameserver
The role of the nameserver is to store data on how to locate DNS records. When you key in a domain name, the nameserver it utilizes lets the site find information about the DNS records. In short, a DNS record’s purpose is to turn an URL into an IP address.
Here is an example. First, you key in Google.com to your browser. Then, your browser requests the root nameservers for all .com domain names and locates the nameservers for Google.com, which is nsi.google.com.
The nameserver will indicate the Google.com domain’s DNS manager. Once it checks, the DNS manager gives 172.217.9.238 as Google's DNS record. Next, your browser gets this IP address showing Google's content. We understand with this that DNS is a critical facet for ensuring the internet works properly.
How Does DNS Work?
DNS comprises converting a given domain name into an IP address, as seen in the example given above. An IP address is assigned to all gadgets connected to the internet, and this address is vital to finding the right internet gadget. It's almost the same way a street address is handy in finding a given household.
To better understand the procedure behind DNS resolution, it's crucial to know about the hardware aspects a DNS request must go through. For a web browser, the DNS search takes place in the background and needs zero interaction from the user's PC apart from the original request. When you want to load a specific website, a translation needs to happen between what you key into the search panel and the computer-friendly address needed to find the web page requested.
The 4 DNS servers included in loading a website are:
DNS Recursor
You can think of this server as a librarian who's requested to locate a given book within the library. The recursor is engineered to receive requests from PCs via apps like Web browsers. Usually, the DNS recursor’s role is to make more requests to ensure the client's DNS query is satisfied.
Root Nameserver
This is the first step in resolving the keyed-in hostname into the machine-friendly IP address. You can think of it as a library index showing a pile of books. This simply means it works as a reference to other more precise websites.
TLD Nameserver
Also known as the Top-Level Domain server, this is a certain pile of books in the library. It is the next step in the process of searching for a given IP address, and it holds the last bit of the hostname like .com.
Authoritative Nameserver
This is the last nameserver, and you can think of it as the dictionary on a pile of books, whereby a particular name can be resolved into its right definition. This nameserver is the final stop of the client's request. If this nameserver can access the requested data, it will produce the IP address for the hostname requested back to the DNS Recursor that made the original request.
Conclusion
While the URLs we usually enter in the search panels on web browsers are not hard to remember, you can choose to use the IP address that the hostname indicates, as pointed out in the example given earlier, to access the contents of a given web page.
That said, if there is any issue with your gadget contacting a DNS server, you can always evade it by typing the IP address that matches the host names. Besides, in the end, this is what a DNS server was always intended for.
So, what is DNS, and how does it work? This is a computer featuring a database with the public IP address linked to the names of the web pages that an IP address presents a browser. To put it simply, DNS works the same way as a phonebook for the internet. Didn’t know what is DNS and how it works? Now you know!