DNS (Domain Name System) is like the internet's phonebook. It translates human-readable domain names (like www.example.com) into IP addresses (like 192.168.1.1) that computers use to identify each other on the internet.

Key Concepts

  • Domain Name: The human-readable name of a website, such as www.example.com.
  • IP Address: The unique identifier for a device on the internet, such as 192.168.1.1.
  • DNS Server: A server that maintains a database of domain names and their corresponding IP addresses.

How DNS Works

  1. Query: When you type a domain name into your web browser, it sends a query to a DNS resolver.
  2. Resolver: The resolver contacts a DNS server to find the IP address associated with the domain name.
  3. Server: The DNS server responds with the IP address.
  4. Browser: The browser uses the IP address to connect to the website.

Common Issues

  • DNS Resolution Failure: This occurs when the DNS server cannot find the IP address for a domain name.
  • DNS Server Unreachable: This happens when the DNS server is not responding to queries.

Learn More

For a deeper understanding of DNS, check out our DNS Deep Dive Guide.

DNS Server