Understanding the Basics of DNS for Your Domain Setup

Understanding the Basics of DNS for Your Domain Setup

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Setting up your domain can be daunting, and configuring DNS settings is one of the most challenging aspects of this process.

DNS, short for Domain Name System, is a name resolution mechanism that allows you to access servers using user-friendly domain names while it works behind the scenes to manage IP addresses. It’s a complex system filled with technical jargon, making it challenging to set up if you’re unfamiliar with its intricacies. Many individuals encounter difficulties when working with DNS, but gaining a solid understanding of it can significantly enhance your ability to troubleshoot issues and manage your online presence effectively.

DNS is one of the fundamental mechanisms that power the internet, and having a grasp of its concepts and functions will empower you to tackle various challenges more confidently.

In this comprehensive guide, we will walk you through the basics of DNS and its underlying mechanisms and provide step-by-step instructions on configuring DNS settings for your domain. Whether you’re a seasoned webmaster or just embarking on your online journey, this guide will demystify DNS and equip you with the knowledge needed to master domain setup.

What is DNS?

DNS is like the internet’s phonebook. It helps connect your computer to a specific server using a web address or email. Each server on the internet has a unique set of numbers called an “IP address.”

IP addresses are made up of four numbers, each ranging from 1 to 255. They are never the same within a network, which makes it easy to identify a server online.

But for people, remembering these numbers is tricky. So, DNS steps in. It matches a user-friendly name (like a web address) with the server’s IP address. This process is called “name resolution,” and it’s what makes it easy for us to use websites and email.

Thanks to DNS, we use names instead of numbers to connect to servers. It’s a clever way to make the internet user-friendly.

DNS server types

DNS servers are crucial for turning website names into actual locations on the internet.

These servers, called DNS records, hold important details that match specific names with their corresponding numbers (IP addresses). Web browsers and email programs rely on this data to find the right location when you type in a web address or email.

It wouldn’t work to store all the internet’s address information on one server. It would be too much. So, DNS spreads this information out across servers worldwide. But keeping everything in sync is a challenge.

To handle this, DNS uses a structured system. The internet is split into sections, like zones. When you ask for a website, the request moves through a sequence, starting from the main root server, then through domain categories (like .com or .org), and finally to the specific website.

In the DNS setup, servers that store and provide authoritative DNS data are called “authoritative servers” or “name servers.” The ones that ask these authoritative servers for information are called “resolvers.”

The resolver works its way down this structure by asking each level’s authoritative servers, beginning from the top-level root server. Eventually, it finds the location it needs. This process helps figure out which DNS server is being used. Also, remember which DNS servers they’ve talked to before. This way, future questions can skip asking the authoritative server again, which eases the load on it.

So, by working together, authoritative servers and resolvers create a strong system for finding the right location on the internet based on the address you give them.

When is it necessary to configure DNS?

When using the Internet on a daily basis, you will need to configure DNS settings when you acquire a new domain. By linking your domain to the IP address of a specific server, you can use it as a website or email address.

When opening a website with your domain, you must record the IP address of the web server and the mail server when issuing an email address as a DNS record. Also, if you want to use a web service on your domain, you must register the web service’s IP address.

Servers and services supporting registering your domain publish the IP address for DNS settings to users so you can complete the setup process by registering it as your domain.

Basic knowledge of DNS records:

DNS records are the correspondence information between IP addresses and domains stored on a DNS server. To use a server or service from your domain, you need to edit this DNS record and register the IP address of the server or service.

What are DNS records?
DNS records are data that describe the correspondence between domains and IP addresses within a DNS server and are also called resource records.

DNS name resolution refers to this DNS record to determine which IP address (server) a string (address) is pointing to. By writing the IP address of the server you want to link to the DNS record of your domain, you will be able to connect to the server from that unique domain.

These DNS records are divided into multiple types depending on their purpose. There are multiple types of DNS records, each with different functions.

The following six record types are essential to remember when operating domains and servers:

Difference between primary DNS and secondary DNS

The primary DNS (Primary Domain Name Server) and secondary DNS (Secondary Domain Name Server) are both integral components of DNS (Domain Name System) configuration. They have distinct roles and purposes in ensuring the DNS infrastructure’s reliability, redundancy, and efficient operation.

Primary DNS

• Function: The primary DNS server is the authoritative server where the domain administrator directly manages and registers DNS records. It is the source of truth for DNS information.
• Responsibility: The primary DNS server maintains and updates DNS records for a particular domain. When changes to DNS records (such as adding new records or modifying existing ones), the administrator must perform these actions on the primary DNS server.
• Role: It serves as the primary point of contact for DNS queries related to the domain it hosts.

Secondary DNS

• Function: The secondary DNS server replicates the primary DNS server. It does not directly manage DNS records but instead copies and synchronises DNS records from the primary DNS server.
• Responsibility: The primary role of the secondary DNS server is to provide redundancy and load balancing. It acts as a backup, holding a duplicate set of DNS records to ensure uninterrupted DNS resolution in case the primary DNS server experiences downtime.
• Role: It serves as a failover mechanism, distributing the DNS query load and offering fault tolerance. Secondary DNS servers answer queries only if the primary DNS server is unreachable.

Key Differences:

• Responsibility: The primary DNS server is the authoritative source for DNS records and directly manages them, while the secondary DNS server replicates and holds copies of these records.
• Modification: DNS record updates and changes are made on the primary DNS server and are automatically synchronised to the secondary DNS server.
• Role: The primary DNS server is the primary point of contact for DNS queries, whereas the secondary DNS server primarily serves as a backup and load balancer.
• Functionality: Primary DNS servers handle DNS record registration, whereas secondary DNS servers serve as redundancy and fault tolerance measures.

Having both primary and secondary DNS servers for a domain is a best practice. It ensures the availability and resilience of DNS services by distributing the load and providing a backup in case of primary server failures. Additionally, when changes are made to DNS records on the primary DNS server, they automatically reflect them in the secondary DNS server, reducing administrative effort and ensuring consistency across servers.

Summary

We have covered the basic knowledge of DNS. You may also want to read “Understanding the different types of DNS Server Error and Resolution” for troubleshooting errors.