When hosting a website on a server, you were probably asked by your hosting company to point your domain to their nameservers. For example, your domain.com is using dns1.nameserver.com and dns2.nameserver.com. With these nameservers, you can manage your domain’s DNS records. This article will show you about nameservers, what they are, and how they work.
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What Are Nameservers?
Nameserver (NS) is a server responsible for managing a database that stores information about domain names and associated IP addresses registered on the Internet. This information is used to direct internet users to the intended website when they enter the domain name in their browser.
What Are the Differences Between Nameservers and a DNS Server
The terms “DNS server” and “name server” are frequently used interchangeably; however, they can denote distinct concepts within the Domain Name System (DNS). Below is an explanation of the differences:
DNS Server
Definition: A DNS server is any server that addresses DNS queries from clients, converting domain names into IP addresses and vice versa. For example: 1.1.1.1 and 8.8.8.8
Types: Various types of DNS servers exist, including:
Recursive DNS Servers: These servers accept client requests and conduct the necessary queries to obtain the answer, often consulting multiple other DNS servers.
Authoritative DNS Servers: These servers maintain the DNS records for specific domains and provide conclusive answers to queries regarding those domains.
Name Server
Definition: A name server is a particular type of DNS server that retains DNS records and responds to queries about domain names within a specific zone. For example: ns1.google.com, ns2.google.com, and ns3.google.com
Role: Name servers function as authoritative DNS servers for a designated domain, meaning they store the DNS records (such as A, AAAA, CNAME, and MX records) for that domain and provide related responses.
Summary
Functionality: While all name servers qualify as DNS servers, not all DNS servers are classified as name servers. Name servers specifically refer to servers that deliver authoritative responses for domain names, whereas DNS servers can include a wider array of functions, such as recursive resolution.
Usage: In practical terms, when an individual mentions a name server, they typically refer to the authoritative aspect of DNS, whereas the term DNS server may pertain to any server involved in the DNS query process.
Most internet users don’t need to understand what nameservers are. However, these servers are essential for the functioning of the web in the modern era. Without them, every website you want to access would require you to write down their IP address. And that’s a pain!
How Do Nameservers Work?
When someone types a domain name into their browser, the browser sends a request to the local DNS (Domain Name System) server, responsible for finding the IP address associated with that domain name.
- If the local DNS server does not have information about the domain name, it sends a request to the Nameserver responsible for that domain. This request is called a recursive query.
- If the Nameserver has information about the domain name and the associated IP address, it sends that information back to the local DNS server, which then sends that information to the user’s browser.
- If the Nameserver does not have information about the domain name, it sends the request to a higher DNS server, and this process continues until the requested information is found.
Regarding nameserver settings, each domain usually has at least two different nameservers. If one Nameserver experiences problems, users can still access the website through the other nameserver. The hosting service provider or domain registrar usually does nameserver settings.
In general, Nameservers are very important in maintaining the stability and availability of websites. Therefore, internet users need to ensure that the Nameservers they use are functioning properly and are set up correctly.
To check the nameservers of a domain, you can run these:
Windows:
Press Windows + R, type “cmd,” and click OK.
In the command prompt, enter nslookup -type=ns yourdomain.com
Linux:
Open the terminal with CTRL + ALT + T.
Enter: dig +short ns yourdomain.com
macOS:
Open the terminal by pressing Command + Spacebar, typing “Terminal,” and pressing Enter.
Run: dig +short ns yourdomain.com
When running the command above, replace yourdomain.com with the domain name for which you want to check its nameservers.
That’s it! You followed this article, and now you should better understand nameservers and how they work. Of course, you don’t have to spend your time following this article to understand nameservers. If you have an active VPS Hosting service with us and want to install nameservers, you can ask our expert Linux admins to install nameservers for you. They are available 24×7 and will take care of your request immediately.