DNS (Domain Name System)

protocolintermediate
name resolutioninternet infrastructureweb browsing

A system that translates human-readable domain names into IP addresses, affecting the speed of initial connections to websites.

Examples

Website visit

When you type 'google.com', DNS translates it to IP address like 142.250.80.46

DNS providers

Google DNS (8.8.8.8), Cloudflare (1.1.1.1), OpenDNS provide public DNS services

Typical Values

DNS lookup time20-120ms
Cached DNS<1ms

Common Misconceptions

  • DNS only affects initial connection - not download speeds
  • Changing DNS won't bypass geo-restrictions (that's what VPNs do)

Optimization Tips

Use fast public DNS like 1.1.1.1 or 8.8.8.8

medium impact

Enable DNS caching on your router

low impact

Use DNS-over-HTTPS for privacy

low impact

User Impact

Web browsing

Slow DNS causes delays when loading new websites

Security

Malicious DNS can redirect to phishing sites

Troubleshooting

Issue: Websites not loading

Solution: Try changing DNS servers or flush DNS cache

Issue: Slow website connections

Solution: Switch to faster public DNS provider

Technical Details

Specification: Port 53 for standard DNS, Port 853 for DNS-over-TLS

Related Terms