A domain name server, or DNS for short, is a server that translates the IP address of a website into a readable web address. For example, when you type in “graticle.com” to your browser’s search bar and press enter, DNS servers will route your request to the correct location where Graticle can be found.
What is DNS used for?
DNS servers are used to translate human-readable domain names into the numerical IP addresses that computers use. This is necessary because humans are not capable of remembering long strings of numbers, but computers can easily connect to other devices using their numeric IP address.
When you enter a website’s URL into your web browser, your computer sends a request to one or more DNS servers in order to find out the IP address associated with that domain name. The DNS server then responds with the appropriate IP address, and your computer connects to the website using that address.
Domain names are not required for websites to function, but they can be helpful for humans because they are easier to remember than IP addresses. In addition, the use of domain names allows for increased security and privacy.
It’s important to note that DNS servers can sometimes go down. This is especially true if a website becomes very popular or experiences other kinds of traffic spikes (e.g., DDoS attack). Furthermore, organizations and individuals may intentionally block access to certain domains in order to prevent users from visiting them. In these cases, the website will not be accessible even if you have the correct IP address.
What is DNS in simple words?
DNS stands for Domain Name Server. It’s an IP address of a computer or any other internet connected device that has specific domain name assigned to it. What dns does is, it take your web site URL and converts into its numeric equivalent so that you can access website by just having this number rather than the long complicated character based URL.
Why DNS is important for your website
Domain Name System (DNS) servers are an important part of the internet. Again, they translate human-readable website addresses, like “example.com”, into machine-readable IP addresses that computers use to find websites. If you don’t have a DNS server set up for your website, people won’t be able to find it online.
Learning DNS is important for anyone who wants to put content online. It’s an unavoidable first step if you want your website or blog to be accessible on the internet. If you have a business that relies on order coming in through your website, it’s also critical because people will not be able to find and purchase from you without this server set up.
There are a number of different DNS providers out there, but most people recommend using Google Domains or CloudFlare. These both have free and paid options, so you can find one that fits your needs. Once you’ve chosen a provider, setting up DNS is usually a very straightforward process.
If you’re feeling daunted by the idea of learning DNS, don’t worry! We handle all DNS configurations and setup for our customers. Contact us to get started!
DNS Security
Now, let’s talk about DNS security.
The primary function of DNS is to map domains to servers hosting those domains. However, it can also be used for security purposes. For example, you can use DNS to block access to certain websites or to protect your website from DDoS attacks.
DNS security is important because it can help keep your network and data safe. There are a number of different DNS security features that you can use to protect your network, including:
- Name server (NS) resource record
- DMARC, dkim, dmarc
- DNSSEC
- Zones transfers to other DNS servers.
For example, you can use NS records for name server security. These records are used to specify which servers should be contacted when resolving a domain name or its subdomains. If your DNS server is hacked, it can be used to send your users to malicious websites.
You can also use DKIM, DMARC and DNSSEC to protect your email.
To ensure that your website is protected from DDoS attacks you should always limit the number of queries allowed per second. This helps prevent attackers from bombarding your servers with traffic which will cause them to crash or slow down significantly. If you are using dnssec you can also enable the anti-DDoS feature.
You should also configure your firewall to allow access only to the DNS servers that you trust. This will help protect your network from attacks launched through your DNS server.
We Can Help
If you’re feeling overwhelmed by all this information, don’t worry! We can help you set up your DNS and keep your website safe. Contact us today (360) 450-3711 to learn more!
