DNS servers in plain words
The internet has long become an integral part of life. We use its inexhaustible resources every day without even thinking about how it all works technically. One of the important working mechanisms of the global network is the Domain Name System, or DNS for short. This article covers what a dns server is and how to find or configure it.
What a dns server is and where to get one
The web is woven from many subnetworks that include servers and user machines scattered all over the world. Computers communicate with each other over specific network protocols in the language of numbers.
The DNS server takes on the role of translator. When we type the human-readable name of the resource we are looking for into the address bar, for example rambler.ru, it uses its continuously updated information base to match the domain name to an IP address in numeric format, 108.121.168.68. It then sends it back to the browser, allowing the computer to locate the physical host of the resource and display the site we were looking for.
So dns – is a kind of automatic «address» directory. It records which device on the network, with a particular IP address, hosts the domain we are interested in.
The primary dns service is always provided by the internet provider's equipment. If the service provider cannot find the IP address in its own databases, it automatically turns to one of the root dns servers. Those, in turn, either find a match or forward the request to next-level dns resources where the information will be found.
How to configure dns on a server
If you configure and optimize DNS correctly, you can significantly speed up access to network resources and gain other useful capabilities. DNS can be configured in the appropriate menu of the hosting control panel. The DNS Menu function lets you set the mapping parameters. Its name may vary between interfaces. It is advisable to have such operations performed by a specialist who will not make mistakes. Otherwise you may run into problems accessing your resource.
How to find out your dns server
You can find out your dns server when registering a hosting account (it is sent to you by email along with your password, login and other necessary information).
An alternative – is to open the DNS Menu settings in the control panel or contact the hosting provider's technical specialist.
Where to set or change the dns server
It is best to buy hosting and a domain from the same provider. In that case, the mapping of the domain to the IP address will already be in place. Otherwise, in the domain management options you will have to enter the dns server belonging to the host.
What reverse dns is
Reverse dns means looking up the opposite mapping. In this case the dns server performs a reverse function, determining the domain name from the IP address. This is also necessary for correct and reliable addressing on the network.