Last updated Apr 19, 2023 at 7am ET
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The DNS (Domain Name System) translates website names like VPNpro.com into their corresponding IP (Internet Protocol) addresses. Naturally, specialized DNS servers are an integral part of that process due to the vast number of websites and web users worldwide. And so, let’s learn more about the fundamentals of the world wide web, what DNS servers are, and how they work.
Get a trustworthy VPN service to always redirect your online traffic through confidential and well-performing DNS servers. Then you won’t have to worry about DNS or privacy issues.
How the DNS works
All websites on the internet are recognized by their unique IP addresses. However, memorizing these number sequences is challenging, and website IPs can change over time. Thus, we devised a human-readable solution in the form of web addresses, or URL (Uniform Resource Locator) addresses to be precise. In short, it’s the combination of the website’s name (vpnpro) and top-level domain name (.com).
Once you input the domain name into the address bar, the DNS finds and directs you to the appropriate IP address. The process is relatively complex and involves different DNS servers which we’ll explain below.
For now, let’s overview the steps behind the DNS resolution process.
- You submit a DNS request by inputting a domain name into your browser’s address bar. Firstly, your device checks local host files and the cache for temporarily stored information about the websites and their IP addresses you visited recently.
- If there’s no information on your device, you’re connected to a DNS resolver. Its primary goal is to find the corresponding IP address. It starts by sending a request to the root DNS name server and checking the TLD (Top-Level Domain) of the website (.com, .org, etc).
- Once the TLD is found, the browser interacts with the appropriate TLD name server to find the pertinent IP addresses.
- Then the TLD name server double-checks the IP address with its authoritative name server to confirm everything is in order.
- The authoritative name server contacts the address and waits for a response. The correct answer means the proper IP address is found.
- Finally, the IP address is returned to the browser, and the website begins loading.
As you can see, the process requires communication with a handful of DNS servers that fulfill different goals. Let’s have a look at the DNS hierarchy in greater detail.
What is a DNS server?
Before defining DNS in more detail, it is helpful to understand the basic premise of a server. A server is a computer system linked to the internet; it acts as a host for various services people access online. Thus, a system that provides hosting for a website is called a web server.
The DNS is a system that uses a type of hierarchy. This means that the order is arranged to accommodate many DNS servers. A DNS server is considered to be a computer that is registered to participate in the DNS hierarchy. It stores an extensive index of domain names and their respective IP addresses.
Types of DNS servers
Your DNS request makes an impressive journey before it comes back with your desired website. Thankfully, the process is swift despite the number of different destinations. As mentioned previously, it all starts with the DNS resolver.
DNS resolver
The DNS resolver, sometimes called the recursive resolver, is the foremost middle manager between your device and other DNS servers. It redirects your requests to the appropriate DNS servers and returns them once everything is completed.
Firstly, the DNS resolver searches the cache for your IP address request before contacting other DNS servers. This speeds up the process if you’re revisiting a website from the last 48 hours or so. If the cache is empty, your request is forwarded to the root name server.
Root name server
The root name server, or the root DNS server, is at the top of the DNS food chain. It doesn’t store any IP address information by itself and instead redirects you to the servers that will have it.
Firstly, it receives a request from the DNS recursive resolver. Then the root name server identifies the top-level domain and can tell the resolver which TLD name server to visit.
TLD name server
The TLD name servers are split based on the top-level domain of websites. The TLD is the final bit of text at the end of a domain name, i.e., .com, .org, net, etc. That means visiting a website like vpnpro.com redirects you to the .com name server. There, the DNS resolver will find out which authoritative name server houses the IP address of your domain.
Authoritative name server
As the name suggests, the authoritative name server, also known as the authoritative DNS server, is the final authority of the DNS resolution process. It stores all information pertaining to the website you’re trying to visit, including its IP address. Once it’s reached, your device will finally find out the website’s IP address.
Additionally, the final step includes DNS caching, meaning your visited website’s IP address is temporarily stored on your device. That means you won’t have to go through this entire process if you revisit the site in the near future.
Why do we need DNS servers?
To understand why it’s necessary to have a DNS server in the first place, recall that there are numbers associated with IP addresses. The DNS server needs to convert the words to numbers for the internet service of sites to work. Computers and networks—unlike humans—relate better to the numbers that have become the standard for IP addresses today. Therefore, the DNS server functions as a translator by converting URLs to IP addresses.
Without DNS servers, using the internet would be significantly more complicated. These servers mean that users are not required to remember the numbers in IP addresses. A DNS server works to convert the domain name into the associated IP address and makes it possible to access sites on the internet easily. This makes being online much more pleasant for internet users, who tend to prefer words when typing in URL addresses.
Get antivirus software for your DNS server
Remember that it is imperative always to use a trustworthy antivirus program to protect your computer or other devices. A particular reason is that malware can attack your computer in such a manner that the settings on your device for the DNS server are changed. This is a problem to avoid at all costs.
For example, your computer may be accessing Google’s DNS servers, which correspond to 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.6.4. Using these servers would load the correct information to your online bank account. But malware can direct you away from your bank’s site, even though you typed in the valid web address. Malware can even bring you to a fake site that looks like your actual bank’s website to steal your password.
How to stay secure
In most cases, however, malware that attacks your DNS server settings simply causes you to be redirected from your preferred website to another one typically plastered with advertising. Another scam is to direct you to a fake site that claims your computer is infected, so you buy something to clean your supposedly infected computer.
You do not have to fall victim to malware hijackings. First, install antivirus on all your devices to catch malware before it can cause harm. You also need to be aware that if a site looks odd compared with how it usually looks, you are most likely on a fake site. You should leave the website immediately without entering your password.
Conclusion
A DNS server is a system that houses domain names and IP addresses. It implements specialized protocols to convert the domain name to the numbered IP address. This is done because the internet runs on the numbers of the designated IP addresses. A DNS server saves you from remembering all the cumbersome numbers corresponding to the IP addresses of the sites you visit.
You may also like to read:
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DNS leak protection
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What is port forwarding
Best DNS servers
FAQ
What is a DNS server?
A DNS server is an internet resource that translates human-readable URL names into IP addresses. Many different DNS servers store certain information and interact with each other to deliver relevant information when users make DNS queries.
How to change the DNS server?
There are multiple ways to change your DNS server. You can do so manually by inputting third-party DNS servers in the network settings menu. Alternatively, you can use a reliable VPN that redirects your connection through a remote server, including its own DNS servers.
What is my DNS server?
Windows users can find out their DNS servers using the Command Prompt by typing in the “ipconfig/all” command. Then simply find the information labeled as DNS Servers.
The introduction of DNS servers has made life less cumbersome, else we cannot imagine the time that will be spent trying to identify websites from their domain names. But numerical figures and calculations has made websites to pull out information faster.
Of course, computers and networks are numeric based and numbers relates better on IP addresses. This is why DNS servers are essential. DNS servers converts the words to numbers to allow the computer function optimally
I checked this out and the article on DNS leaks and learned a lot. People don’t realize how vulnerable they are when they go online unless they take the right steps to protect themselves. A good VPN and antivirus program go a long way in giving you the right amount of online security.
I just had to learn all about this stuff. I have a new site and it is so overwhelming. You actually taught me ever more so thank you.
Been using the internet for years yet I had no idea how it actually works and what DNS servers are. I think that saying it’s a translator that converts URLs to IP addresses is the easiest way to understand what it does. Up until now I haven’t been attacked by malware and I hope things stay the same. I like using AdwCleaner and CCleaner regularly as they seem to help.
Hello, we’re happy that you found some new information in this article! And do not forget that a DNS server is beneficial to save you from having to remember all the cumbersome numbers corresponding to the IP addresses of the sites you visit!