What\u2019s a URL?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
A URL<\/strong> (or Uniform Resource Locator) is simply the \u201caddress of a specific <\/em>resource, webpage or file (such as video, image, GIF, etc.) on the internet<\/a>.\u201d A URL can become a very long string of letters and numbers with elements like path, port, parameters and more. But at its foundation, it looks like something like this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n The domain name is the part of the URL that corresponds to the \u201cinternet address\u201d for the server, which handles the request, fetching and serving the resource to the browser. The browser, which used the domain name and URL to find the server and retrieve the data, then displays the resources in the human-friendly format that you see on your screen as the website. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Right now, the URL in your website will say\u00a0https:\/\/www.tierra.net\/blog\/what-the-heck-is-dns\/<\/a>. At the beginning of that URL you can see the domain name \u201cwww.tierra.net\u201d which directs the browser where to look for the web pages requested in the URL. In many cases, the domain name will include a company brand name, or perhaps an acronym for longer brand names, like www.tierra.net<\/a>.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n A domain name typically has three parts<\/strong>: <\/p>\n\n\n\n Many domains also have subdomains<\/strong>, which is a part that goes before the SLD and further separates a section of a website from the main site. The subdomain \u201cwww\u201d stands for World Wide Web and remains the most commonly used subdomain. Other commonly used subdomains include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n When utilized in a url, a subdomain could look like: blog.examplewebsite.com or shop.examplewebsite.com.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Since we\u2019ve clarified the basic difference between URL\u2019s, domain names and subdomains, we can go ahead and take the plunge into some deeper waters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We\u2019ll start with this whopper.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Spoiler alert: if you’re managing a website, you will need at least a rudimentary understanding of a few specific phrases, \u201cDNS Records\u201d and \u201cnameservers\u201d in particular (don\u2019t worry, we\u2019ll get to those shortly).<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Before we explore either of those concepts, we have to understand what DNS actually constitutes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n DNS is the acronym used to represent the Domain Name System. Like it sounds, the Domain Name System is exactly that \u2026 a vast and intricate worldwide network, or ecosystem, that helps translate domain names into IP addresses and vice versa. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Which leads of course to the next question.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When you type a web address into your browser, DNS translates that domain name into something called an IP address<\/strong>, which is a unique string of numbers that computers use to identify each other across servers and networks. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Every website, mobile or desktop device has something called an IP address. There are multiple types of IP addresses, such as public and private, with public IP addresses being either dynamic or static.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Dynamic IP addresses are typically assigned to specific devices like computers, smartphones or routers for a temporary amount of time by an Internet Service Provider (ISP). Like the above, many of us are familiar with IP addresses assigned by our ISP to identify a personal or business device. Wondering how IP addresses relate to websites and domains?<\/p>\n\n\n\n A static IP<\/a> address is a fixed IP address assigned to a device that remains constant. Static IP addresses are generally used for hosting websites or running servers. By having a fixed IP address, users can easily connect domain names to their servers, ensuring that their websites or services remain consistently accessible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n IP addresses are typically a 32-bit or 128-bit string of numbers that serve specific functions in identifying a network, host, and device. IP addresses are generated using two main versions<\/a> of Internet Protocol (IP): IPv4 and IPv6.<\/p>\n\n\n\n IPv4 addresses are 32-bit numbers, represented in a dotted-decimal format (e.g., 192.168.0.1), while IPv6 addresses are 128-bit numbers, represented in a hexadecimal format (e.g., 2001:0db8:85a3:0000:0000:8a2e:0370:7334). <\/p>\n\n\n\n Like the creation of additional area codes<\/a> when a phone number depletes, IPv6 was established in order to facilitate an infinite amount of addresses without duplicates. It is meant to accommodate the increasing number of networks worldwide and help solve the IP address exhaustion problem<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n With the exception of a few legendary number-minded mathematicians, humans generally speak in words and letters, whereas computers (much like our mathy friends) speak exclusively in the language of numbers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In order for a computer to understand human words, it must literally translate those words and letters into numbers, with an infinite array of possible numerical combinations. But how exactly does it do this?<\/p>\n\n\n\n A DNS lookup<\/a> (another related phrase you may come across), in a general sense, is the process by which a DNS record is returned from a DNS server.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This translation process, (known as DNS resolution), involves multiple steps to correlate a domain name with an IP address. It starts with the recursive resolver, which is typically provided by your Internet Service Provider, and ends at the authoritative DNS server, which holds the IP address corresponding to the requested domain name. This crucial process reconciles the domain names written in human language (words), like www.tierra.net, with the complex numerical IP addresses that computers understand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When you enter a domain name, like tierra.net, into your browser, the DNS resolver (aka recursive resolver) then takes that number to something called a server, which stores unfathomable amounts of data from the World Wide Web. <\/p>\n\n\n\n DNS servers typically land in four different categories and work in a hierarchy:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Authoritative Nameservers – the server which holds the definitive and actual information about a specific domain, like the mail server IP address or web site IP address.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A little more about the graphic above. Since DNS translates human and computer language, you can imagine this as a conversation between multiple parties:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Nameservers are specific parts of DNS. A nameserver<\/strong> fetches the website data associated with the IP address and quite literally serves it up to your web browser (like Google) to read the code used to create the website. Your browser then displays it instantly as a human-friendly page with images, graphics, words, etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Essentially, every time you enter a domain name into a browser, DNS first queries the root and TLD nameservers until it discovers the nameserver that\u2019s responsible for that domain name (the authoritative nameserver). That nameserver then fields the request and locates the associated DNS record in its database. Once it finds the record, the nameserver returns the IP address to your browser. Finally, your browser uses this new IP address to ping the target webserver, and this web server returns the web page you requested<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The web server is the actual device or computer that stores your website and sends it to your website users. A web host<\/a> is a company (like tierra.net) that provides server space for a website and access to your website throughout the internet, while the server stores the website information online, allowing the user to gain access via the web host.<\/p>\n\n\n\n More or less, \u201cthe web server is the machine that delivers your website, and the web host is the service that makes sure your website is available<\/a> on the internet.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n So what\u2019s the big deal about DNS records? DNS records are also known as resource records and they are also critical parts of the Domain Name System. These records offer important information about a domain including data like its IP address, mail servers, etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So, nameservers physically fetch a DNS record that holds the IP address, data, etc. associated with a particular domain name. DNS records can also help you find your web or email hosting provider. For example, Google mail exchange (MX) records look like this: <\/p>\n\n\n\n ALT1.ASPMX.L.GOOGLE.COM<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are multiple types of DNS<\/a> records, each with their own purpose and function. Understanding these records is crucial for managing your domain\u2019s DNS settings and keeping your site and email systems functioning effectively and efficiently. If you\u2019ve built a website with a web host and purchased a domain with a separate registrar, updating your DNS records are also useful for connecting your website and domain together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n DNS records are typically managed through your domain registrar<\/a> or a third-party DNS provider. <\/p>\n\n\n\n To manage DNS records, you need to access your DNS management interface, usually in your domain account control panel, where you can add, delete or modify DNS records. When adding a new record, you need to specify the type of record (A, MX, CNAME, TXT, etc.), the host for which the record is valid, and the value or data for the record. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Changes to DNS records usually update within 48 hours across the entire internet, a process known as DNS propagation. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Keeping your DNS records current and organized, along with removing any outdated or unnecessary records, is pivotal for avoiding potential conflicts or issues that could undermine or disrupt your website’s ability to load quickly, or at all. <\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s also important to keep your DNS records up to date in order to protect against harmful security vulnerabilities. \u201cDigital records accumulate over time, and administrators who are unaware of each domain\u2019s history are hesitant to delete legacy records fearing they are tied to critical infrastructure. This buildup of inactive DNS zone records that do not point to content are known as \u201cdangling DNS\u201d and are at risk of subdomain hijacking<\/a> where an attacker gains control of a legitimate subdomain that\u2019s no longer in use to host their own fraudulent or malicious content.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Yikes! For that reason alone, we can all probably agree that it’s a good idea to keep your DNS records up-to-date and accurate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Guess what? Updating your DNS records isn\u2019t always as scary and complicated as you might presume. While each web host may have a different approach to updating DNS records, most established domain registrars and web hosting providers have resources<\/a> to guide you through each step of the process. And, generally, \u201cit\u2019s usually no more complicated than copying and pasting the nameserver address into the right field<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"gif](\"https:\/\/www.tierra.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/URL-Breakdown.gif\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n\n
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What is DNS?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
What\u2019s an IP address and why is it important? <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Dynamic IPs<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Static IPs<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
More on IPs<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
DNS Resolution<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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![\"Basic](\"https:\/\/www.tierra.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/TerraNet-Server-Diagram_final-1024x576.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nHow does DNS work? A simplified discussion<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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What is a Nameserver?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
What\u2019s the difference between a web server and a web host? <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
What are DNS Records?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Managing DNS Records<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Easily update your DNS records<\/h2>\n\n\n\n