DNS, or Domain Name System, is a crucial part of how the internet works. When you visit a website or send an email, DNS translates the domain names (like example.com ) into the IP addresses (like 192.168.1.1) that computers understand. This allows us to use easy-to-remember names instead of long numeric strings. Without DNS, you'd have to memorize those IP addresses just to browse the web or send a message. Think of DNS as a contact list on your phone. Instead of having to remember phone numbers, you just select someone's name. Similarly, DNS maps domain names to IP addresses, making it easier to navigate the web. Just like how you'd call a friend using their name rather than their number, you can visit websites using domain names rather than IP addresses.
When you type a domain name into your browser, DNS works in the background to find the corresponding IP address. It does this by checking various servers in a process called a "DNS query." Here's how it happens:
First, your browser checks a root server that knows where to look for the next piece of information.
The root server directs your query to a Top-Level Domain (TLD) nameserver (like .com or .org), which stores the DNS data for that domain extension.
Finally, your query reaches the domain nameserver where the DNS records for your specific domain are stored. These records tell your browser the correct IP address to load the website.
Once the IP address is found, your browser connects to that site and displays the content.
Every domain has at least two nameservers. They store the DNS records that guide visitors to the correct website. If you change your nameservers, you also change where your DNS records are managed. For example, if you're using GoDaddy's nameservers, you'll manage your DNS settings in your Illevante Cloud DNS Management Portal. But if you switch to another company’s nameservers, you'll manage your DNS there instead.
If you're using Illevante Cloud, managing DNS is simple. Log in to the DNS Management Portal , choose your domain, and start managing and modifying your DNS records. For example, here is what you can do: - Edit your A record to point your domain to your website's IP address.
- Set up domain forwarding to direct your domain to another website or platform.
- Update MX records to make sure emails are sent to the correct server.
- Add subdomains for different sections of your website or services.
Most DNS changes take effect within an hour but can take up to 48 hours to fully update worldwide.