DNS, or Domain Name System, is a critical part of the internet that translates human-readable domain names, such as google.com or facebook.com, into IP addresses that computers can use to connect to web servers. In this tutorial, we’ll cover the basics of how DNS works and how to set up and configure DNS on your computer.
How DNS works
When you type a domain name into your web browser, your computer sends a request to a DNS server to look up the IP address associated with that domain. The DNS server then responds with the IP address, and your computer uses that IP address to establish a connection to the web server hosting the website.
DNS works by using a hierarchical system of servers that are responsible for storing information about specific domains. At the top of the hierarchy are the root servers, which maintain information about top-level domains (TLDs) such as .com, .org, and .net. Beneath the root servers are authoritative name servers, which are responsible for maintaining information about specific domains.
Setting up DNS on your computer
To set up DNS on your computer, you’ll need to specify the IP address of a DNS server in your network settings. Most internet service providers (ISPs) automatically provide you with a DNS server when you connect to their network, but you can also use a third-party DNS service such as Google Public DNS or OpenDNS.
On a Mac, you can set up DNS by following these steps:
- Open System Preferences and click on “Network”.
- Select the network interface you want to configure, such as Wi-Fi or Ethernet.
- Click on “Advanced” and select the “DNS” tab.
- Click on the “+” button to add a new DNS server.
- Enter the IP address of the DNS server you want to use.
- Click “OK” to save your changes.
On a Windows PC, you can set up DNS by following these steps:
- Open the Control Panel and click on “Network and Sharing Center”.
- Click on “Change adapter settings”.
- Right-click on the network interface you want to configure and select “Properties”.
- Select “Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4)” and click on “Properties”.
- Select “Use the following DNS server addresses” and enter the IP address of the DNS server you want to use.
- Click “OK” to save your changes.
Conclusion
That’s a brief overview of how DNS works and how to set up DNS on your computer. While DNS can be a complex topic, understanding the basics of how it works and how to configure it can help you troubleshoot network issues and ensure reliable and secure internet connectivity.