{"id":900343,"date":"2026-08-24T13:17:55","date_gmt":"2026-08-24T17:17:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.inmotionhosting.com\/support\/?p=900343"},"modified":"2026-08-24T13:17:55","modified_gmt":"2026-08-24T17:17:55","slug":"what-is-dns","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.inmotionhosting.com\/support\/domain-names\/what-is-dns\/","title":{"rendered":"What Is DNS and How Does It Work?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Type a domain name like example.com<\/code> into your browser, and a website loads in seconds. What is DNS? The Domain Name System (DNS) is the internet\u2019s directory: it translates that name into the numeric IP address your browser needs, and this guide walks through exactly how.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Is DNS?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Domain Name System (DNS) is the internet\u2019s directory service. Every device connected to the internet has a numeric Internet Protocol (IP) address, something like 192.0.2.1<\/code>. Humans are bad at remembering strings of numbers, so DNS lets you use a memorable name instead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Think of DNS as the contacts app on your phone. You tap a name, not a phone number, and your phone looks up the correct number behind the scenes. DNS works the same way: you type a domain name, DNS looks up the matching IP address, and your browser connects to the right server automatically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How Does DNS Work?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Every time you visit a website, your device runs a DNS lookup: a fast chain of requests that hops between servers until it finds the IP address behind the domain name. The whole process usually finishes in a fraction of a second, but it involves several servers working together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Infographic<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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  1. Browser and operating system cache:<\/strong> Your browser and computer check whether they already have the answer stored from a recent visit. If they do, the lookup ends here.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Recursive resolver:<\/strong> If nothing is cached locally, the request goes to a recursive resolver, usually run by your internet service provider or a public resolver such as 1.1.1.1 or 8.8.8.8. The resolver checks its own cache first, then takes over the search on your behalf.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Root nameserver:<\/strong> If the resolver has no cached answer, it asks one of the internet\u2019s root nameservers. Root nameservers do not know the IP address, but they point the resolver toward the correct top-level domain (TLD) nameservers, such as those for .com<\/code> or .org<\/code>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. TLD nameserver:<\/strong> The TLD nameserver does not know the IP address either, but it knows which nameservers are authoritative for the specific domain and points the resolver there.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  5. Authoritative nameserver:<\/strong> This is the domain\u2019s own nameserver, the one holding its actual DNS records. It returns the IP address for the requested domain.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  6. Caching:<\/strong> The resolver hands the IP address back to your browser and stores a copy for future requests. It keeps that copy for the length of time set by the record\u2019s Time to Live (TTL) value.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Because answers are cached at nearly every stop along this chain, most everyday browsing never touches the root or TLD nameservers at all. Your resolver already has the answer cached from a recent lookup for the same domain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Every cached answer originates from a nameserver, the kind of server that holds a domain\u2019s actual DNS records. Here is what those are and how they differ from the records themselves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    What Are Nameservers and DNS Records?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    A nameserver is a server that stores a domain\u2019s DNS records and answers queries about them. When you register a domain, you assign it to a set of nameservers, and those nameservers become the domain\u2019s authoritative source of truth. Change the nameservers, and you change who controls the domain\u2019s DNS.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    DNS records are the individual entries stored on those nameservers, the actual instructions that tell the internet where a domain\u2019s traffic should go: which server hosts the website, which server handles email, and so on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    What Are the Common DNS Record Types?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    A domain\u2019s zone file can hold many record types, but five show up in almost every setup:<\/p>\n\n\n\n