What are DNS resolvers?
DNS (Domain Name System) resolvers are servers that play a critical role in how internet works. They translate human-readable domain names (like www.domain.tld) into IP addresses (like 192.0.2.1) that computers use to identify each other on the network.
What do DNS resolvers do?
After typing a website address (URL) into a browser, the computer needs to know the IP address of the server hosting the website. DNS resolvers help with that by:
Resolving the query – The DNS resolver receives the domain name and queries the DNS system to find the corresponding IP address.
Caching – DNS resolvers cache query results to improve efficiency and speed. This means that if the same domain is requested again, the resolver can quickly provide the cached result without querying the DNS system again.
Root Server Querying – If the resolver doesn’t have the answer cached, it queries the root DNS servers, which then directs the resolver to the appropriate authoritative DNS servers to get the final IP address.
Why are DNS resolvers Needed?
Human-friendly domain names – They allow having easy-to-remember domain names instead of numeric IP addresses.
Load Balancing – DNS resolvers can distribute traffic among multiple servers, enhancing the availability and reliability of services.
Security – Some DNS resolvers provide filtering and protection against malicious websites, enhancing security.
Changing DNS Resolvers on a VPS
Changing DNS resolvers on your VPS can sometimes be necessary to improve performance, reliability, or security. For instance, switching to well-known public DNS servers like Google DNS (8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4) or Cloudflare DNS (1.1.1.1 and 1.0.0.1) can offer benefits such as faster response times and enhanced privacy.
For detailed steps, refer to the following guide: How to change the DNS resolvers on VPS 💡