Public DNS, or Public Domain Name System, acts as a global phonebook for websites and online services. It translates human-readable domain names (like google.com) into numerical IP addresses (like 172.217.160.142), which computers use to connect to websites.
Here's a breakdown of how public DNS works:
1. Requesting a Website
When you type a website address into your browser, your computer sends a DNS request to a public DNS server. This request asks for the IP address associated with the domain name.
2. DNS Server Lookup
The public DNS server searches its database for the requested domain name. This database contains millions of entries, each associating a domain name with its corresponding IP address.
3. IP Address Retrieval
If the DNS server finds the domain name, it returns the associated IP address to your computer.
4. Connecting to the Website
Your computer then uses the retrieved IP address to connect to the website's server, which sends the website's data back to your computer.
5. Caching for Faster Lookups
Public DNS servers also cache recently looked-up domain names and their IP addresses. This caching helps speed up future requests for the same website, as the DNS server can retrieve the IP address directly from its cache instead of searching its entire database.
Examples of Public DNS Servers
Some popular public DNS servers include:
- Google Public DNS: 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4
- Cloudflare DNS: 1.1.1.1 and 1.0.0.1
- OpenDNS: 208.67.222.222 and 208.67.220.220
These servers are free to use and offer faster, more reliable DNS resolution compared to your internet service provider's default DNS servers.
Benefits of Public DNS
- Faster website loading: Caching and optimized server infrastructure lead to faster DNS resolution.
- Improved security: Public DNS servers can filter malicious websites and block access to harmful content.
- Privacy: Some public DNS servers prioritize user privacy by not logging DNS requests.
