What is DNS and how does it work?

Internet Basics
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1

DNS stands for Domain Name System and is often described as the internet’s phone book.

When you type a website address such as WhatIsMyIP.com into your browser, your device uses DNS to find the IP address associated with that website. Without DNS, you would need to remember and enter IP addresses instead of easy-to-remember domain names.

DNS operates behind the scenes every time you visit a website, send an email, or use many online services. Most people never think about DNS until something stops working and they receive a DNS-related error.

If you’d like to learn more about how DNS works, check out our complete guide below.

Key Takeaways

  • DNS stands for Domain Name System.
  • DNS helps convert domain names into IP addresses.
  • DNS works behind the scenes whenever you access websites and online services.
  • Many internet issues can be related to DNS problems.

Related Resources

Discussion Questions

  • When did you first hear the term DNS?
  • Have you ever experienced a DNS-related problem?
  • Do you use your ISP’s DNS servers or a third-party DNS provider?
2

One thing that surprises many people is that DNS requests happen constantly throughout the day.

Every time you visit a new website, click a link, open an app, or connect to many online services, DNS is often involved in finding the correct destination.

Because DNS plays such an important role, even a small DNS issue can make it seem like the entire internet is down.

Have you ever fixed a problem simply by changing your DNS server or clearing your DNS cache?

3

For years I used the internet without giving DNS much thought.

The first time I really appreciated its importance was while troubleshooting a website issue. Everything appeared to be online, but DNS was preventing users from reaching the site correctly. It was a good reminder that many internet problems happen behind the scenes.