Each time you type in a domain name into your browser, a complex mechanism is activated. It translates the human-readable address (the domain name) into machine-readable numerical language in the form of an IP address.
This mechanism is conducted by a Domain Name System (DNS) and is powered by advanced servers
Nameservers are a very important component of the contemporary Internet infrastructure, as they make web access and search for information fast and easy.
In this article, we will delve deep into what nameservers are and how they work.
What is a Nameserver
At their core, nameservers are advanced servers that can handle queries related to domain names and find their corresponding IP addresses.
In short, nameservers map the easy-to-remember domains such as AwardSpace.com to numerical addresses such as 198.74.50.19 that are used by computer devices. Also, each time you register a domain name, a registrar registers your domain name to the DNS.
In more technicality, the nameservers contain various types of information about the domain names, and more precisely, about domain name extensions such as .com, .net, .org, and others.
There are two types of nameservers:
- Authoritative Nameservers. These hold information about the given domain name’s IP address. Authoritative nameservers are responsible for providing answers to any queries regarding requesting a given IP address.
- Recursive Nameservers. Also known as resolvers and caching nameservers, these servers cache the results of queries and showcase these cache files as a final result to clients. The idea is to use cached files instead of generating them each time a query is made. By using this approach, the recursive nameservers reduce the loading time of web pages.
Management of nameservers is handled by the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA), a branch of ICANN.
Without nameservers, you wouldn’t be able to access a given website by typing down its domain name. Instead, you should remember and use unique IP addresses for each website you wish to open.
How Does a Nameserver Work
Imagine you wish to visit the AwardSpace.com homepage. You only need to type AwardSpace.com into your preferred web browser, hit enter and the search engine will display the homepage link.
However, below the surface, a complex process begins:
- First, you type AwardSpace.com into the address bar of a web browser and hit Enter.
- Then, your browser sends a request to that domain’s nameservers.
- The requested nameservers respond by sending back the IP address corresponding with that requested domain (in our case, Awarspace.com) to the web browser.
- Then the web browser uses the acquired IP address to find the online resource, in this scenario, the AwardSpace website.
- Once the web browser finds the content related to the used particular IP address, it displays it to you. Or, in short, it displays you the AwardSpace homepage.
Read: The Difference Between Domain Hosting and Domain Transfer
Read also: How to Find Your Nameservers
Conclusion
Nameservers play an important role in providing smooth and fast performance of the Internet. Nameservers translate human-friendly domain names to machine-readable IP addresses, enabling users to access websites, send emails, and browse the web quickly and easily.
Understanding the role of nameservers can help you understand the faceted infrastructure of the Internet.
