Name server

A name server is a machine that provides responses to network queries against a directory mapping; it translates a high-level, text-based identifier of a webpage to a low level, numeric addressing component.

Name servers are a part of the Domain Name System (DNS) that returns a machine-readable IP in response to a domain name. A name server is usually a server owned by a web host that is responsible for managing the domain names associated with their web hosting customers.

Let’s have a look at the steps associated with the process of looking up a web page in a browser:

• Type a domain name/URL​ into the browser.

• DNS returns the name servers for the website.

• The name servers are retrieved.

• The browser uses the name servers to look up the IP address of the website.

• The browser sends a request to the IP address.