IP Address and DNS Explained: How the Internet Finds Every Website
Every device connected to the internet is assigned a unique numerical identifier called an IP address, which functions like a physical location address for online servers. There are two versions in use: IPv4, which supports around 4.3 billion addresses and is nearing exhaustion, and IPv6, which offers a virtually unlimited pool of addresses to accommodate growing global device counts. Since humans cannot easily memorize numerical IP addresses, the Domain Name System (DNS) acts as the internet's phonebook, translating readable domain names like instagram.com into their corresponding IP addresses. When a user types a domain into a browser, a multi-step DNS resolution process — involving resolvers, root servers, TLD servers, and authoritative servers — returns the correct IP address, all within milliseconds. To avoid repeating this lookup every time, browsers cache DNS results locally for a period, significantly speeding up repeat visits to the same site.
This is an AI-generated summary. ShortSingh links to the original source for the complete article.

Discussion (0)
Log in to join the discussion and vote.
Log in