What Is DNS?
DNS (Domain Name System) is the internet's directory: it translates a name such as webji.in into the IP address a browser connects to, and tells mail where to go. Your device asks a resolver, which follows root, TLD and authoritative servers to the record. Changes spread as cached copies expire under each record's TTL.
For site owners changing hosting, email or nameservers who want to understand DNS lookups, records and propagation before editing a zone.
knowledge
- Read time
- 4 min
- Sections
- 6
- Updated
- 14 Nov 2026
- Written by
- WebJi® team
Last editorial update: 14 November 2026.
What is DNS, and what is it not?
DNS (Domain Name System) is the internet's directory: it translates a hostname such as webji.in into the IPv4 or IPv6 address computers use to connect, and it tells mail servers where to deliver email for a domain. It was designed by Paul Mockapetris in 1983 and is defined in RFC 1034 and RFC 1035 (1987). Queries normally travel over port 53.
DNS is not the domain you buy and not the server that stores the site. You register the name through domain registration; hosting is where files and mailboxes live; DNS is the lookup that points the name at those services. It is also not a VPN: a VPN changes the path your traffic takes, while DNS only answers where a name should go.
What happens in a DNS lookup?
Your device asks a recursive resolver, which either answers from its cache or walks the hierarchy — root servers, then the TLD servers, then the domain's authoritative nameservers — until it gets the record. The whole lookup usually finishes in milliseconds, before the page request starts.
- You type the hostname; the browser and operating system check their own caches.
- The query goes to the resolver set on the device, often your ISP's or a public one such as 1.1.1.1 or 8.8.8.8.
- On a cache miss, the resolver asks a root server which servers handle the ending, such as .in. There are 13 named root server identities (a to m), each served from many anycast locations.
- The .in servers reply with the domain's authoritative nameservers.
- Those nameservers return the A, AAAA or other record, and the resolver caches it for the record's TTL and hands it to the browser.
Choosing a public resolver changes who answers your device's questions; it does not add or change any record in the domain's zone. Resolver speeds from India are compared in best DNS servers in India.
Which DNS records does a website use?
Each DNS record is one row in the domain's zone, and its type says what the value means: A and AAAA point to IP addresses, CNAME to another hostname, MX to the mail server, NS to the DNS host and TXT to verification text.
| Type | Stores | Example value | Used for |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | IPv4 address | 203.0.113.10 | The website |
| AAAA | IPv6 address | 2001:db8::10 | The same host over IPv6 |
| CNAME | Another hostname | www → example.in | Aliases; not on the bare domain |
| MX | Mail hostname and priority | 10 mail.example.in | Inbound email |
| NS | Nameserver hostname | ns1.dnshost.example | Which DNS host publishes the zone |
| TXT | Free text | v=spf1 include:… ~all | SPF, DKIM, domain verification |
A CNAME cannot share a name with any other record, which is why it is never placed on the bare domain (that name always carries SOA and NS records). An MX value must be a hostname, not an IP address. The full set, including TXT, SRV and PTR, is in DNS records explained.
How is DNS hosting different from the registrar?
The registrar is where the domain is registered and renewed, the nameservers decide which DNS host publishes the zone, and records are the rows inside that zone. Editing records in a panel that the nameservers do not point to changes nothing.
- Move the whole zone: change nameservers at the registrar.
- Move only the site or mail: edit the A or MX record at the DNS host the nameservers already use.
- Split services: the A record can point the site at one host while MX sends mail to another, such as Google Workspace.
Nameservers themselves are explained in what is a nameserver.
Why does a DNS change take time to appear?
Every record carries a TTL (time to live) in seconds, and any resolver that cached the old answer keeps using it until that timer runs out. A TTL of 3600 can leave the old address in place for an hour on some networks, and nobody can clear every cache on the internet.
For a planned move, lower the TTL to 300 a day ahead, make the change, confirm it from outside, then raise the TTL again. Nameserver changes at the registry can take longer, sometimes up to 48 hours, because TLD servers also cache delegation records. The detail is in DNS propagation explained.
How do you check that DNS is working?
Query the exact name and record type from a resolver that did not just load the site, and compare the answer with the value you saved; a panel save on its own is not proof.
# macOS / Linux
dig A example.in +short
dig MX example.in +short
dig @8.8.8.8 A www.example.in +short # ask a specific public resolver
dig NS example.in +short # which DNS host is authoritative
# Windows
nslookup -type=MX example.in
nslookup example.in 1.1.1.1The check has worked when the answer matches what you saved. A browser still showing the old site usually means a local cache, not a broken zone. WebJi®'s DNS propagation checker runs the same comparison from the browser.
Frequently asked questions
Is DNS the same as a domain name?
No. A domain name is the label you register, such as webji.in. DNS is the system that looks that label up and returns the records computers need to connect to the website and deliver its mail.
Does changing my DNS resolver make websites faster?
It can shave milliseconds off the first lookup for each domain if your ISP's resolver is slow or unreliable. It does not speed up the website itself, which depends on the hosting server, page size and network path.
What is DNSSEC?
DNSSEC adds cryptographic signatures to DNS records so resolvers can verify an answer was not forged in transit. It needs support at the TLD, the registrar and your DNS host, and a DS record published through the registrar.
Why does my site work on mobile data but not on office Wi-Fi?
The office resolver or router has probably cached an old record. Flush the cache on the device (for example ipconfig /flushdns on Windows), restart the router, or wait for the TTL to expire.
Last editorial update: 14 November 2026.
Ready to get started with WebJi®?
Join 12,000+ businesses across India and overseas. INR pricing, 18% GST shown before payment and 24/7 email support in Hindi and English — average first reply under 60 minutes.