Traffic across the internet is organized and routed by name servers. When you perform a name server lookup, your browser begins to decode the website name you’ve entered in the address bar, directing traffic to the correct server. All records of website locations are stored on the name server, which plays a crucial role in the process.
Computers find domain names challenging to understand, as these are the human-friendly names of websites you enter. In contrast, IP addresses, which are specific strings of numbers, are more straightforward for computers to process. Name servers facilitate the translation of domain names into IP addresses, bridging the gap between human and computer understanding.
The web browser you use accesses a website by sending a request to the IP address of the web server. Notably, this IP address is provided not directly by you, but by the domain name server, making it unnecessary for you to remember a unique IP address for every website you wish to visit.
How are Name Servers Used?
Website administrators often encounter the term “name server” when purchasing a domain or hosting service. “Name servers” are essentially the addresses that locate the name server itself. Unlike a domain name, a name server address doesn’t lead us to a website. Instead, it directs us to the name servers that then supply us with the necessary IP addresses.
When you create a website, your domain name is pointed to a server by these nameserver addresses. Most popular providers simplify this part of the hosting setup process. Although websites can have multiple name servers, it’s common to use two: one as the primary name server, and another as a backup in case the primary one fails.
How to Set Up a Name Server?
Domain registrars are typically used for purchasing and registering domain names. Once registered, your domain usually automatically appears in the registrar’s nameservers. Your DNS record, which should point your domain name to your web server’s IP address, is managed by the domain name server. If your hosting provider has its own name server, you can store your DNS records there, allowing you to manage both your web server and name server from a single account.
Utilizing a content delivery network like 5centsCDN or Cloudflare can enhance your site’s performance and security by employing separate name servers. Regardless of the name servers you select, you can adjust your DNS record to point to your web server, typically involving a straightforward process of copying and pasting addresses without needing in-depth configuration.
Name Servers vs. DNS Records
While browsers and services use DNS records to locate your server’s address, name servers are tasked with storing and organizing these individual DNS records. Although DNS records and name servers are closely related, they serve different functions. The DNS, or “domain name system,” includes DNS records that detail which IP addresses correspond to which domains. Name servers act as libraries that house these records, which serve as catalogs.
The DNS server is a component of the extensive Domain Name System database, which facilitates communication over the internet and private networks via TCP/IP. By translating simple domain names, the DNS helps identify network computers by their IP addresses, functioning much like a telephone directory that lists IP addresses for computers and servers acting as web devices.
DNS records, including those for name servers, are unique to each domain and are generated by hosting service providers or domain registrars during the registration process. Thus, you can direct your domain name to your host or registrar’s IP address using your name server.
Benefits of Registering Your Own Name server
Changing a site’s name servers is rare, so it’s usually not a concern. However, if you wish to customize the display of your registered domain name information, you might consider registering a custom name server. This could be particularly relevant if you own a domain initially registered with a different hosting company or if you have a reseller hosting account or operate a Virtual Private Server (VPS).
Registering your own name server offers several advantages, whether for branding, security, ease of hosting provider transitions, or client confidentiality. While most internet users may never need to understand name servers deeply, these systems are vital to the web’s functionality, eliminating the need to memorize IP addresses for every website.
Conclusion
Understanding name servers and their role, whether you’re a casual website owner or more involved in web management, is beneficial for maintaining and troubleshooting your domain or managing multiple domains pointing to the same IP address.
