DNS is a system that matches domain names to IP addresses. It allows people to use names instead of complex IP addresses to find network resources. DNS servers are linked together in a hierarchy of domains. Without DNS, the internet would not be user-friendly.
The Domain Name System (DNS) is a computer system that contains computer or domain names and their associated Internet Protocol (IP) addresses. DNS resolution means that when a DNS server computer is asked or queried about a computer or domain name, it replies with an associated IP address. The process also works in reverse. When a reverse DNS lookup occurs, a DNS server is queried for an IP address and replies with a name.
Two computers or network devices connected to the Internet or another Internet Protocol (IP)-based network must use numbers called IP addresses to communicate with each other. Humans remember names better than numbers, and so computers are also given names. DNS resolution works behind the scenes by allowing people to use names to find network resources instead of trying to remember complex IP addresses.
If a person types a web address into the address bar at the top of the browser and clicks go, the computer will immediately ask the Internet Service Provider’s (ISP) DNS server for the IP address in order to contact that web site. The DNS server will respond with an IP address associated with a web server computer of the desired website. Then, the user’s computer uses the returned IP address to send a predefined web page request directly to the web server of the desired website.
In some cases, web browsers are programmed by their manufacturers to contact a computer belonging to a search provider, regardless of what is typed into the address bar. In this situation, the address bar is used for a web search. The computer will then query a DNS server for the IP address of a machine associated with a search provider.
DNS resolution is often used with networking tools, email tools, and Internet security tools. For example, a person can open a command prompt or terminal window and type ping (address of the desired website). When the user hits enter, a request will be sent to a DNS server to convert the website address into an IP address. The ping utility will then ask the machine with that IP address to respond.
DNS servers are linked together in a hierarchy of domains. If a local DNS server is queried on a name or IP address that it doesn’t know about, the DNS server will forward the query to a higher level DNS server. Forwarding of the request will continue until a name is found or it is determined that the name does not exist.
Without DNS forwarding, people would have a hard time using the internet. Hyperlinks use domain names or websites to find things. This helps ensure that the internet remains user-friendly. If everyone had to use IP addresses instead of names, the Internet would never have been publicly accepted and may have ceased to exist.
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