{"id":28551,"date":"2022-07-03T12:51:59","date_gmt":"2022-07-03T12:51:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/easydmarc.com\/blog\/?p=28551"},"modified":"2026-03-18T06:20:19","modified_gmt":"2026-03-18T06:20:19","slug":"what-is-a-dns-record-dns-records-explained","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/easydmarc.com\/blog\/what-is-a-dns-record-dns-records-explained\/","title":{"rendered":"What is a DNS Record? DNS Records Explained"},"content":{"rendered":"

Like humans, every website on the internet has a name, commonly known as a domain name. We access information on the World Wide Web using domain names, such as <\/span>nytimes.com<\/span><\/i> or <\/span>easyDMARC.com<\/span><\/i>. Each domain name has a corresponding IP address, used to communicate between networks and devices on the internet.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The question is: How does the internet link a domain name like <\/span>google.com<\/span><\/i> to its internet address?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The mapping of domain names to IP addresses is possible using the DNS system and DNS records. <\/span>So what is a DNS record<\/b>? In this article, we\u2019ll explore what a DNS record is, but first, let\u2019s talk about DNS itself.<\/span><\/p>\n

What is the Domain Name System (DNS)?<\/b><\/h2>\n

DNS<\/a> is an acronym for Domain Name System. It\u2019s a hierarchical naming database that identifies devices on the internet via their IP addresses. When you access a website online, you use the domain name (such as <\/span>google.com<\/span><\/i>). Web browsers use IP addresses.<\/span><\/p>\n

Much like a directory or phonebook, the DNS bridges the gap between a domain name and its corresponding IP address. It essentially contains and distributes domain name and IP address information, translating the former into the latter so web browsers can load requested web pages.<\/span><\/p>\n

In technical terms, the DNS maps human-readable domain names to their corresponding numerical identifiers, known as Internet Protocol (IP) Addresses. The DNS then performs a <\/span>DNS record lookup<\/span><\/a> to translate domain names into IP addresses, and action requests.<\/span><\/p>\n

When you input the URL <\/span>Facebook.com<\/span><\/i> into your web browser, the DNS service translates this to 179:60:192:36 so that the initiating client can load the requested webpage.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The Domain Name System works exactly like a phonebook that maps a phone number to a contact\u2019s name So when you find and call a specific contact, their phone number displays alongside the corresponding name.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Domain names were created because numerical identifiers (IP addresses) are difficult to remember. The DNS is divided into domains of various levels controlled via decentralized DNS zones. Let\u2019s take<\/span> www.easyDMARC.com<\/span><\/i> as an example for better understanding: \u2018<\/span>Www\u2019<\/span><\/i> is a third-level domain, \u2018<\/span>easyDMARC\u2019<\/span><\/i> is a second-level domain, and \u2018<\/span>com\u2019<\/span><\/i> is a top-level one.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

So, <\/span>what is a DNS record<\/b> and how does it fit into the Domain Name System? DNS records are required to manage domain names. They\u2019re ultimately a set of instructions related to your domains, hosts, services, etc. <\/span>DNS records are explained<\/b> in more detail below, but let\u2019s go over some DNS jargon first.<\/span><\/p>\n

DNS Terms Explained<\/b><\/h3>\n

To better understand DNS records and manage your domain name, there\u2019s some essential terminology you need to know. Here are a few common DNS terms:<\/span><\/p>\n