If you’ve ever wondered why a website doesn’t load, email suddenly stops working, or a change “should have worked by now,” DNS is usually the reason. The Domain Name System (DNS) is one of the most important, and often least understood parts of the internet. Once you see how it works, many common website mysteries suddenly make sense.
So, what happens when you type a website address like domain.com into a browser? Believe it or not, you’re not actually telling your computer where to go. You’re sending a request to the Domain Name System to translate that human-friendly domain name into a number computers understand, an IP address.
Think of DNS as the internet’s navigation system. Without it, websites wouldn’t be reachable by name at all.
What DNS Really Does
Computers don’t understand domain names, they understand numbers.
DNS performs one critical job:
It matches your website’s name to the correct server location.
That’s it. DNS does not host your website, store your files, or control your content. It simply makes sure visitors are sent to the right place.
The DNS Lookup – Step by Step
Every time someone visits your website, this process happens in milliseconds:
- A visitor types your website address into their browser
- The browser asks a DNS helper (called a Recursive DNS server) for directions
- The DNS helper checks the internet’s master directory (Root server)
- The master directory responds by pointing the request to the correct TLD server (.com, .net, etc.)
- The TLD server responds identifying the Authoritative DNS server for your domain
- The Authoritative DNS server provides the correct IP address to the server which hosts your website
- The Responsive DNS server responds to the browser request with the correct IP address for your domain
- The browser connects directly to your hosting provider’s server using the correct IP address
- The web server responds delivering the requested website files to the browser
- Your website loads on the screen
This is the exact flow shown in the DNS Lookup – Step by Step chart above.
DNS vs. Hosting: What’s the Difference?
This is one of the most common points of confusion.
What functions DNS provides:
- Finds the website by mapping a friendly URL (domain name) to an IP address
- Acts like a map or directory of the Internet
- Tells browsers where to find what is being requested
What is the function of Hosting:
- Stores your website files on an server located within a data center network
- Executes PHP scripts to build web pages
- Delivers pages, images, and content
- Controls speed, uptime, and security
A simple way to remember it:
DNS is the address system. Hosting is the building.
You need both, and they must work together properly.
Why DNS Changes Aren’t Instant
When making changes to the DNS, clients often ask:
“Why doesn’t my website update immediately after a DNS change?”
The answer is caching. This can include: DNS Caching, Browser Caching, OS Caching, Router Caching, CDN Caching (Cloudflare, etc.)
DNS helpers around the world temporarily save results to speed things up. When DNS changes, those helpers must wait for their saved data to expire before checking again.
This is why DNS updates can take anywhere from minutes to several hours to fully propagate.
Why DNS Control Matters
DNS is small, invisible, and extremely powerful.
Whoever controls your DNS can:
- Point your domain somewhere else
- Break email delivery
- Take your website offline
That’s why Web Propulsion Hosting strongly recommends:
- Keeping domain and DNS access under your control with a trusted provider
- Avoiding situations where DNS is locked inside a marketing agency’s account
- Working with professionals who understand the full internet infrastructure
How Web Propulsion Hosting Helps
At Web Propulsion Hosting, DNS isn’t an afterthought, it’s part of the foundation.
At Web Propulsion Hosting we:
- Manage authoritative DNS correctly and securely
- Set proper TTLs to minimize downtime during changes
- Protect email delivery with SPF, DKIM, and DMARC
- Coordinate DNS and hosting so they work together seamlessly
Many hosting problems clients experience aren’t “hosting problems” at all, they’re DNS problems.
We make sure DNS problems never become your problem.
The Simple Takeaway
- DNS finds your website.
- Hosting delivers your website.
- Web Propulsion Hosting keeps everything working together.
If you ever have questions about DNS changes, domain transfers, or email routing, we’re here to help, and we’re happy to explain what’s happening every step of the way.
