What Is a DNS Server?
Websites are identified in computer systems by a series of numbers called IP (Internet Protocol) addresses. So that humans do not have to remember multiple numbers for all the websites they want to visit, these numbers are matched by names in a database table housed on special types of computers called Domain Name Servers. The DNS server translates the website names into the correct IP address.
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Benefits
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Without domain name servers, navigating the Internet would become an extremely cumbersome task. Given the millions of websites in existence, keeping track of these by IP number would be impossible.
Function
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When you type a name such as www.ehow.com into a browser, the request first goes to a DNS server. If that server can translate the name to an IP address, it does so. Otherwise, the request is forwarded to a higher level server.
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Size
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According to Dan Kaminsky, a security researcher, the Internet has about 9 million DNS servers. About 10 percent are vulnerable to malicious attacks (see Additional Resources).
Expert Insight
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You can learn what DNS servers are being used in your own setup by using a Windows command. In Start/Run type "cmd". When a black box appears, type "ipconfig/all". This will display the DNS servers running.
Warning
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When DNS servers develop problems or are maliciously hacked, you may find yourself on what you thought was the web page wanted but actually redirected to fraudulent sites.
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Resources
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