Fast, reliable browsing is paramount for all internet users. DNS servers facilitate the efficient and smooth utilisation of the web and efficiently route traffic to their intended destination. Struggling with a slow DNS server can significantly increase the loading time of web pages and make browsing websites a time-consuming and frustrating experience. To maximise browsing potential, ensuring that a fast DNS server is in place is essential.
So, what are DNS servers and what are the benefits provided by a fast DNS server?
What is a DNS server?
Essentially acting as a roadmap for the internet, the Domain Name System, or DNS, is a decentralised, hierarchical naming system. It is used both for the internet and for private servers. Domain names are saved in a WHOIS database and DNS records define the destination for website and email traffic. During a process called recursion, a DNS server translates a website address to an IP address, allowing the browser to access the webserver and feedback information to the web page.
What are the functions of nameservers within DNS?
Nameservers are a crucial and integral part of the Domain Name System. They are servers on the web which specialise in dealing with queries surrounding where a domain name’s various services are located. Nameservers make it easier for humans to navigate the internet by allowing domain names to be used rather than having to type in an IP address.
Nameservers essentially provide the IP address of the domain to your browser, taking care of the difficult work that would make it much more difficult and time-consuming to browse the net without them. They are not intended to be read by humans, only by machine, as they automate all the processes they carry out.
What advantages are there to DNS?
DNS crucially allows the internet to exist and operate with the ease that it does. Without DNS, the easy navigation of browsing the net would be impossible. It would not be feasible to memorise the IP address of every website on the internet and it would slow browsing down to unsustainable standards if we did not have access to DNS.
As an added benefit, DNS servers are designed to optimise security and reduce concerns focused on breaches. They are generally created to ensure that any attempts to hack your servers are thwarted and can prevent entry into your machines. Most importantly, fast DNS servers maximise the efficiency of your servers, preventing issues such as slow loading for websites.
What are the benefits of fast DNS servers?
An optimised DNS server makes browsing a website more efficient, speedy and less frustrating for web users. Every command that a DNS follows takes a fraction of a second, but when DNS servers are slower, the time can accumulate, resulting in slower access to sites.
The DNS provided by ISPs is often slow and sluggish, but there are options to upgrade your DNS with a specialised public DNS provider. This is an excellent option because it will eliminate many of the problems of slow page loading and frustrating browsing that are associated with the DNS servers from ISPs.
Public DNS servers
There are multiple DNS providers that offer faster, optimised DNS. Some of the most popular and most recognised public DNS providers include Google Public DNS, Cloudflare, Cisco OpenDNS and Quad 9. These DNS resolvers will boost speed, but it must be taken into consideration that different public providers will often work better for some users based on their location than others. Closer proximity to a DNS resolver will optimise performance even more.
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