| a.k.a. Domain Name Service -or- Domain Name Server
The Domain Name System (DNS) helps users to find their way around the Internet. Every computer on the Internet has a unique address -just like a telephone number- which is a rather complicated string of numbers. It is called its IP address." But it is hard to remember everyone's IP address. The DNS makes it easier by allowing a familiar string of letters (the "domain name") to be used instead of the arcane IP address. So instead of typing 66.201.69.207, you can type www.netlingo.com. It is a "mnemonic" device that makes addresses easier to remember. Translating the name into the IP address is called "resolving the domain name." The goal of the DNS is for any Internet user any place in the world to reach a specific Web site IP address by entering its domain name. Domain names are also used for reaching e-mail addresses and for other Internet applications. The DNS is a static, hierarchical name service that uses TCP/IP hosts and is housed on a number of servers on the Internet .
When your account is set up, information about your domain name is added to our name servers. The information is then sent from us through the central Registry (like Verisign for .com names) for your domain to be used by the other name servers on the Internet. This makes it possible for people to find and access your server on the Internet. It usually takes about 48 hours before name servers on other networks will be able to access the information after the Registry for your domain gets it. This 48 hour period is referred to as propagation.
As an example, HostM.com has the following name servers:
ns1.hostm.net
ns2.hostm.net
ns3.hostm.net |
