As a basic explanation, it would be impossible to view a website on the internet without DNS, just like it would be impossible to call your friend without having their number stored in your contact list.
The DNS, or Domain Name System, works in the exact same way as your contact list but with many added security settings and rules. It is essentially a smartphone’s contact list of domain names. The DNS contains a website’s numerical IP address and translates it into its corresponding domain name. A domain name or URL is your contact’s name and the IP address is like their phone number.
The DNS is able to retrieve a website and display it in a user’s browser. Every single website or domain name has an IP address, which displays its accurate location on the internet. It also helps direct traffic that is sent through the domain name in order to be sure that visitors are sent to the correct areas – such as to the site or to the correct email server.
That’s why it is important that website owners are aware of what DNS is, how it works, and how it can be put to good use.
In a nutshell, the DNS locates the IP address of a domain name in order to display the website to the user requesting it. This process happens over a series of electronic queries and responses which help retrieve the website.
This is a basic overview of what DNS is and how it works. To understand more we recommend this great article from CloudFlare.
Remember – your DNS is where you set up verifications for your email, filter, and/or confirm security for your site and email. All this is in place to help ensure security for you and your website visitors. We encourage you to ask your IT provider for more information