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How the Domain Name System (DNS) Works

The Domain Name System (DNS) is a central part of the Internet, providing a way to match names (a website you’re seeking) to numbers (the address for the website). Anything connected to the Internet - laptops, tablets, mobile phones, websites - has an Internet Protocol (IP) address made up of numbers. Your favorite website might have an IP address like 64.202.189.170, but this is obviously not easy to remember. However a domain name such as bestdomainnameever.com is something people can recognize and remember. DNS syncs up domain names with IP addresses enabling humans to use memorable domain names while computers on the Internet can use IP addresses.

Let’s explore what keeps billions of Internet users and 339.8 million domain names* connecting—and how Verisign helps to make it happen.

* Verisign Domain Name Industry Brief, Volume 15 – Issue 3

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This whole process might seem complicated, but really takes very little time at all. An average user interacts more than 30 times a day with Verisign’s infrastructure. In fact, Verisign resolves up to 1 million queries per second and is continuously working to make the Internet fast and reliable.

To register a domain name, search availability or find a registrar.

To improve DNS stability and performance, learn more about Verisign's recursive DNS service.

To find out more about Internet technology, trends and the future, check out the following resources:

The Domain Name System (DNS) is a central part of the Internet, providing a way to match names (a website you’re seeking) to numbers (the address for the website). Anything connected to the Internet - laptops, tablets, mobile phones, websites - has an Internet Protocol (IP) address made up of numbers. Your favorite website might have an IP address like 64.202.189.170, but this is obviously not easy to remember. However a domain name such as bestdomainnameever.com is something people can recognize and remember. DNS syncs up domain names with IP addresses enabling humans to use memorable domain names while computers on the Internet can use IP addresses.

Let’s explore what keeps billions of Internet users and 339.8 million domain names* connecting—and how Verisign helps to make it happen.

Download our How DNS Works infographic

* Verisign Domain Name Industry Brief, Volume 15 – Issue 3


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