{"id":31266,"date":"2024-03-13T00:01:00","date_gmt":"2024-03-13T07:01:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dhblog.dream.press\/blog\/?p=31266"},"modified":"2025-05-21T16:26:55","modified_gmt":"2025-05-21T23:26:55","slug":"nameservers-vs-dns-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/nameservers-vs-dns-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"Nameservers Vs. DNS: A Complete Guide"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Are you thinking of migrating your site to a new hosting service provider? You might be wondering what this\u2019ll mean for your domain registration<\/a>. Will switching web hosts prevent people from accessing your content? It’s enough to send a shiver down your spine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is why it’s important to understand what nameservers<\/a> and the Domain Name System (DNS)<\/a> are and how they work. This knowledge will help you manage your migration efficiently and keep the traffic flowing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this post, we’ll look closer at nameservers and DNS records. We’ll also show you how you can access these essential components of your site. Let’s get started!<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

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Nameserver<\/h3>\n

A nameserver is the Domain Name System (DNS) server component that translates a website\u2019s domain name into a numerical IP address. This term can refer to any server with DNS software, as well as a hosting provider\u2019s server that manages customer domain names.<\/p>\n \n Read More <\/a>\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Nameservers Vs. DNS Records: What They Are And How They Work<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A nameserver connects your domain name with the server’s Internet Protocol (IP) address that hosts your website. Thanks to nameservers, browsers like Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox can direct users to the right page when they type in a site address.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example, if you type example.com into Google, the nameserver tells the browser where that domain is located (i.e., the address of your web host). Without this information, the browser couldn’t display the site.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nameservers form a part of an online database known as the Domain Name System (DNS).<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

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DNS<\/h3>\n

The Domain Name System (DNS) protocol keeps records of which domain names correspond to specific IP addresses. DNS enables you to browse the web by typing in regular URLs instead of IP addresses.<\/p>\n \n Read More <\/a>\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

This system works in partnership with the Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) and the Internet Protocol (IP), which define how computers communicate via the Internet and private networks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

DNS plays an important role in converting simple domain names (e.g., example.com) into an IP address (e.g., 12.34.56.78), which computers then use to identify one another on the network.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Essentially, think of DNS as a phone directory. It contains records of web devices, such as computers and servers, and their associated IP addresses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Every domain has its own DNS records, which include the nameserver. These are generated when you register your domain name with a hosting provider or a domain registrar. Therefore, your nameserver points your domain name to the IP address of your host or registrar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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How The Browser Finds Your Website<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Everything that’s connected to the internet has an IP address, including websites and servers. There are millions of IPs in use all over the world, and they’re all unique. Your site will have its own IP address, which your host provides.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Your domain name must, however, be able to connect to the IP address of your site. For example, when you enter a site’s URL<\/a> into an address bar, your browser will try to access the corresponding page. To do this, it’ll go through some steps that you won\u2019t see.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

First, the browser connects to the target site’s domain registrar and asks for directions. This is called a DNS query. Then, the registrar points the browser to the target site’s hosting provider (e.g., dreamhost.com). Once the browser arrives at the web host, it’ll look for the correct nameserver (e.g., ns1.dreamhost.com).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This whole process is instantaneous.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As users, we don’t fully appreciate the additional steps. However, if you decide to change hosting providers<\/a>, you’ll need to update your domain name records to point to the new host. This is a vital step. Otherwise, users won’t be able to find or access your site.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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