What Are Nameservers? The Backbone of DNS Resolution

Humans and machines process information very differently. Computers and servers can easily communicate and identify each other with numbers known as IP addresses. Unfortunately, that doesn’t sit well in the mind of a person. I, for one, can’t imagine trying to remember IP addresses for every website I wanted to visit.

Think about how easy it is to remember the GoDaddy.com domain name. Now consider a world where instead of a domain name, you’d have to type in the GoDaddy IP address instead: 23.38.233.249. To me, that sounds like a nightmare. I like my password manager, but I’m hardly clamoring for another one just to save IP addresses.

So there’s a divide between humans and computers. Humans need domain names, but the servers that store and deliver websites only work with IP addresses. How does each domain name get switched into an IP address? The answer: nameservers.

Nameservers take human-readable domain names and convert them into their corresponding numerical IP addresses so the user ends up at the right server.

I consider nameservers the translators of the internet — with a side of traffic controlling. Read on to learn about the essential role they play in the Domain Name System for accurate and efficient routing of internet traffic.

Nameservers are a part of what’s called the Domain Name System (DNS). The DNS has been called the phone book of the internet, but I know many young people have never seen a phone book before, so if you want a comparison that’s less antiquated, think of it as a physical library. The nameservers are the librarians using organizational systems to sort information for anyone browsing the virtual shelves.

Overview of the DNS

Let’s say I walk into a library and want to check out a book by Ray Bradbury called “The Martian Chronicles.” I know the name and author, so I tell that to the librarian. Since libraries carry hundreds of thousands of books, they need an organizational system. The standard is still the Dewey Decimal System, which uses numerical codes to sort and categorize books by subject.

It’s more efficient for the librarian to find the book by translating the title of that book into its associated Dewey Decimal code. Within seconds, the librarian can point me in the right direction.

The library itself is the internet. The Domain Name System is the Dewey Decimal System. And nameservers are the librarians and resources they use (like computers and organizational cards) to make the translation from name to code.

More specifically, the DNS (Domain Name System) manages internet naming and the translation of those names from “human-readable” domain names to server-ready IP addresses with numbers. This makes the internet more efficient, fast, and accurate with its results.

Here’s how nameservers work within the DNS:

1. I type a domain name into the browser.
2. DNS servers take that domain name and notify (or query) multiple nameservers in its hierarchy. The levels of nameservers are called authoritative, root, and top-level domain nameservers.
3. The nameservers work together to translate the domain name into an IP address.
4. The final IP address shows exactly which server contains the contents of my desired website.
5. That server sends the website files to my web browser for me to visit the website.

The whole point of the DNS is to allow you and me to use domain names. It’s a much-needed system because IP addresses (which look like this: 172.217.10.46) offer far less memorability and branding potential than domain names. But they help servers remain organized.

That’s why the strongest solution for both a library and the DNS is a translation system. The numerical codes (Dewey Decimal and IP addresses) make for improved organization while still appeasing our human brains.

Nameserver Fundamentals

As you can see from the steps in the previous section, nameservers come into play in the second step where DNS nameservers send contact (send queries) to a hierarchy of nameservers to match a domain name with an IP address.

The hierarchy of nameservers consists of root, top-level domain, and authoritative nameservers, all of which translate parts of domain names into IP addresses.

Multiple nameservers work in unison to translate a domain name to an IP address. When I enter a domain name, the browser first queries the primary DNS nameserver, and then it queries the secondary nameserver if the first fails.

After that, those nameservers resolve domain queries by communicating with every level of the DNS hierarchy, beginning with root nameservers and going to TLD (top-level domain) and then authoritative nameservers. All three levels are required to translate the entire domain name to an IP address.

Nameservers send and request queries within the Domain Name System. How it works isn’t as complicated as it sounds. I’ll illustrate by comparing the nameserver hierarchy to visiting a dentist’s office.

Nameserver Hierarchy

Let’s say I need to go to the dentist for a cleaning. I first call the receptionist, who books an appointment for me and tells me the address. That’s the first level of the hierarchy.

The next level involves interacting with the dental hygienist who cleans my teeth, takes X-rays, and provides tips on flossing.

Finally, I speak with the dentist (the third level) who looks for cavities and gives me more advice.

Every level of the hierarchy at my dentist’s office contributes information to come up with the appropriate treatments. That’s how the nameserver hierarchy works, too. With every domain name query, the DNS connects with multiple levels of its hierarchy to establish the appropriate IP address for the domain name.

Here are the levels:

• Root Nameservers: These nameservers are like the dental receptionists, starting the process with baseline information (like the address to your dental office). Root nameservers send your initial query to the TLD (top-level domain) nameservers.TLD nameservers. For instance, a root server might see the .edu top-level domain and navigate that request to the nameserver that handles .edu domains.
• TLD (Top-Level Domain) Nameservers: The TLD nameservers accept queries from the root nameservers. Each TLD, such as .org, .net, and .com, has a specific nameserver. Like a dental hygienist, a TLD nameserver provides valuable information and prepares the patient for the next level: the dentist. That’s when the TLD nameserver passes the query to the authoritative nameserver.
• Authoritative Nameservers: Authoritative nameservers hold DNS records for specific domains (like the entire “www.example.com” domain). So, when the request comes to the authoritative server, it replies with the correct IP address for the complete domain name. This is the highest level with all the resources and knowledge needed, like how a dentist can complete all procedures and answer all your questions.

As an efficiency bonus, internet service providers (ISPs) often run “recursive nameservers,” which create caches (saved versions) from the DNS hierarchy to speed up future requests for users. In my dentist analogy, a recursive nameserver is like your online patient portal that saves information for you to reference in the future.

Nameserver Records

So, how does your browser know where to find the right root nameserver? And how does the root nameserver know where to find the right TLD nameserver? And how does the TLD nameserver know where to find the correct authoritative nameserver?

They all need identifiers, or in terms of the DNS, nameserver records.

Earlier, I explained how the entire DNS is like a library and how the librarian uses a coded system to find your books. In this configuration, nameserver records are the actual cards with the Dewey Decimal catalog, or more realistically today, a computer with those records in digital form.

Different records serve unique purposes. In a library, one record might lead the librarian to the fantasy section, while another goes to the non-fiction area.

Nameserver records have different purposes, too.

Types of DNS records:

• A Record: This is the most direct form of nameserver record. It simply matches a domain name to the right IP address, and then you see the website in your browser. It’s fast and efficient. Think of the immediacy of a Dewey Decimal code that brings you directly to the correct book in a library.
• CNAME Record: A CNAME record allows several domain names to point to the same IP address, like how Disneymovies.com, Family.com, and Kid.com all bring you to Disney.com. In the context of a library, you might think of a CNAME record like a second Dewey Decimal number for the same book in paperback.
• MX Record: The DNS uses MX (Mail Exchange) records for email communications. Each email server has an MX record. They ensure you receive your email messages.
• NS record: An NS record, or Nameserver record, identifies which authoritative nameservers handle a domain. It’s like finally seeing the big sign that says “Fantasy” as the librarian walks you to the aisle.

If you own a domain — and would like to publish a website with it or receive email — you must manage nameserver records. This happens in the dashboard of your hosting account or domain registrar (from providers like Bluehost, GoDaddy, or Namecheap).

So, I would log into my domain registrar or hosting provider’s dashboard to modify records. For example, I could log into a domain registrar dashboard, like GoDaddy’s, and use the control panel to modify my MX and A records.

The changes often take up to 48 hours to propagate, after which I’ll see the results — like an email coming into my inbox or my website showing up when I type in a domain name.

Managing a nameserver involves much more than logging into a registrar’s dashboard and switching around some records. In fact, I highly recommend you refrain from adjusting any DNS records until you fully understand how to do it — which I’ll explain below.

Domain Registrar vs. DNS Hosting Provider

Domain name registrars and DNS hosting providers let you purchase domain names and manage DNS records. Accredited domain name registrars — such as GoDaddy, Namecheap, and HostGator — lease domain names to the public.

Hopefully, your registrar offers a user-friendly dashboard for DNS management. I have to warn you though, that’s not always the case.

DNS hosting providers — such as ClouDNS — manage an organization’s DNS records, CNAME records, and nameserver records. With a DNS hosting provider, you can often buy a domain name, too.

Before signing up for any type of nameserver provider, I suggest you check if the provider offers:

• Features for security and DNS management
• High uptime guarantees and other reliability markers
• Knowledgeable and regularly available customer support
• Seamless connections between DNS hosting providers and registrars

Once you’ve picked the right nameserver management solution, I’ll show you how to update nameserver settings.

Changing Nameservers

To change nameservers, log into the dashboard from your DNS host or domain name registrar. In this tutorial, I’ll use Namecheap, a popular domain registrar.

Step 1: Manage the Domain

Within the dashboard, I recommend navigating to the page for managing domains, which is often called “Domains,” “My Domains,” or something similar. In Namecheap, you’ll click on the Domain List menu item.

Next to the desired domain, click the Manage button.

Step 2: Open the Nameserver Settings

Look for a section like “Manage DNS,” “DNS Settings,” or “Nameservers.” In Namecheap, you’ll see a Nameservers area under the Domain tab. This allows you to choose from the basic default nameserver settings provided by the domain registrar, which I consider the easiest route.

Otherwise, choose the Custom DNS option to fill in the settings yourself.

For additional nameserver settings, click on the Advanced DNS tab.

Step 3: Adjust Advanced DNS Settings

This is the area where you truly have full control over your nameserver and DNS settings. It allows you to change nameserver records such as A records, CNAME records, and MX records.
You have two options: click on a previously created record to update it or use the Add New Record button to create a new one.

It depends on your objective, but I typically turn to my provider (web host or email host) to get the right records.

Here’s an example. Let’s say I just made an email address that’s connected to a custom domain (joe@example.com). I would personally rather use Fastmail (a privacy-focused email client) to receive and manage messages sent to this email address.

So, I must input MX records from my email provider (Fastmail) into Namecheap (since that’s where I bought the domain). Luckily, reputable providers like Fastmail tell you everything you need, like Host, Value, and TTL inputs, which I’d type into the Advanced DNS section of Namecheap.

Every update of a DNS record requires what’s called a “propagation” process. In short, it takes some time to register the changes. The propagation could take up to 48 hours, but often, I’ll see the effects of a nameserver change within a few minutes or hours.

Unfortunately, some website visitors may end up at your old nameserver during the propagation process. Depending on your use case, that may or may not be a problem, but you should prepare for potential inconsistencies in website accessibility.

I encounter issues with nameservers regularly. More often than not, the problems stem from my own user error, but luckily, it’s usually easy to troubleshoot and solve the problem.

Below, I’ll discuss several common issues you may encounter with nameservers — and how to troubleshoot them.

Nameserver Propagation Delays

The propagation of a nameserver happens after you modify and save DNS settings such as nameserver records. Propagation occurs because several global servers must also recognize the changes for the DNS to send users to the right servers.

I find that propagation usually takes no more than a few minutes, but I have seen it last up to about 48 hours. I like to prepare for this time period by setting realistic expectations and preparing for potential accessibility issues.

I recommend tools such as WhatsMyDNS and DNSChecker to monitor the status of propagations after you adjust DNS settings.

DNS Configuration Errors

Again, I tend to encounter DNS configuration issues thanks to my own human mistakes.

I may have:

• Typed in the wrong IP address
• Used an incorrect domain name
• Failed to update DNS records

To find configuration errors, I establish a regular schedule to check for syntax problems, verify DNS records, and establish the right TTL (Time to Live) configurations.

To speed up the troubleshooting process, I suggest using tools such as nslookup, dig, or one of the many other DNS checking options.

In my experience, developers, businesses, and network professionals usually require more advanced nameserver knowledge. I mean, beyond the basics. In this section, Idiscuss topics more suitable for the technical people in this world. Topics like load balancing, redundancy, and DNS Security.

DNS Security (DNSSEC)

DNSSEC (DNS Security Extensions) provide powerful security enhancements for blocking DNS threats such as cache poisoning and DNS spoofing. With a DNS Security extension, all DNS records require a signature using encrypted keys.

This develops a chain of trust between root zones and domains. In short, these extensions bolster security across the internet since you have a better chance of avoiding illegitimate websites and unauthorized modifications in the DNS.

Load Balancing and Redundancy

Two servers are usually better than one. I find that’s the case for cloud hosting and nameservers. A second, third, or fourth server offers redundancy and load distribution.

It’s wise to use multiple nameservers just in case one of your servers fails. When that happens, other servers jump in to help handle the load.

In my experience, nameservers go hand-in-hand with web hosting for a few reasons. First, many hosting providers also act as domain registrars or DNS hosting providers. In addition, you generally have to connect with hosting providers to get DNS settings or at least ask the host for the right records.

Integration with Web Hosting Providers

When you purchase a domain name separate from web hosting, you must point the domain’s NS records to the host’s nameservers.

This associates your domain name with the server that holds your site files, ultimately allowing someone to visit your website by typing in the domain name.

I’d like to say that all hosting companies offer a user-friendly dashboard for configuring DNS settings. But that’d be a lie. Many of them do. You just have to complete the research before committing to one.

In my ideal world, you find a host that automatically links to your host’s nameserver. Those types of hosts are out there. Otherwise, you must type in the DNS records yourself.

Cloud Services and Nameservers

Cloud services such as Google Cloud and AWS (Amazon Web Services) include powerful DNS management tools and features for improving DNS latency, security, and scalability.

My favorite DNS management experience, for instance, comes from Google Cloud DNS. Amazon Route 53 offers a user-friendly experience, too. These providers include features such as global load balancing, automated failover, and distributed computing environments.

The technology behind nameservers has evolved significantly since I started writing about the internet.. That’s because the internet’s infrastructure constantly changes, and the DNS always needs new ways to improve performance, security, and domain resolution.

As the internet continues to grow, I expect several future developments and emerging trends.

Personally, I think all website owners need to understand the fundamentals of nameservers.

Adding and adjusting DNS settings should be a basic part of managing any website. It makes your website accessible. It ensures you get your email. Most importantly for me, it cuts down on the time spent bouncing from one hosting support tech to the next.

If you’ve never touched the DNS settings on your domain registrar’s dashboard, I encourage you to use this guide to expand your understanding of what’s happening to the backend of your website.

Nameservers allow users to find your site, so if something goes wrong with your nameservers, you may run into some big trouble.