A simple explanation of DNS and what it is.

If I Mentioned a PhoneBook...

... would you know what I meant?

I’ll assume not, just for a moment.

A phone book was a directory. Think of it like a simple spreadsheet, names listed in alphabetical order, a bit of address information, and a phone number, 3 pieces of information. If you wanted to find someone, you looked them up in your 'Phonebook' - It's now a collectable item by the way.

The last proper phone books disappeared around 2023/24, so it’s not something people use anymore. But the idea still works well for explaining DNS.

So What’s all this got to do with DNS?

When you visit a website, you type something like:

But that’s not what your computer/device actually uses. It all happens very quickly, all text is translated into binary code using UTF-8 or SCII encoding.

Behind the scenes, every website lives at a number, an IP address. Something like:

Not very friendly to you. Not something you would want to remember, a name is far easier for us humans.

This Is Where DNS Comes In

DNS is the system that connects the two:

• The name you type, such as yourdomain.co.uk
• The number the internet understands, known as the IP address (192.155.255.1)

It is doing exactly what a phone book used to do:

You look up a name… and it gives you the number, the IP address. Your browser converts that name into a code. You're not talking ABC, you're talking a sequence of O and 1. For example the letter A is 01100001.

A Small but Important Point

Owning a domain name (TheShed.online) does not automatically mean you have a website.

It is a bit like having someone’s name in a phone book but no number next to it.

For your domain to work, it needs to point somewhere. That usually means:

• A hosting service or server for a website
• Or an email service for your email

Domain names and hosting are often bought together, a bit like getting a phone and contract in one package. But they are still two separate things like your phone and your sim card.

So Where Is This DNS Phonebook?

It is not one big book as you know, that's not how the world works. There are at least 1.35 billion websites. That 'list' is no good to you or me but a computer can search 10 billion times faster than a human (processor speeds).

DNS records are held in a distributed database system, it is spread across the internet on millions of servers that hold DNS records. This reason alone is why your new website may take some time to be found on the web.

These records are simply entries that say:

This domain name lives at this address.

When you type a web address, your browser converts it to code, then your computer asks the local DNS server for the IP address. If you've visited before It's stored in your PC's cache.

The DNS system returns the IP address via DNS Lookup. A TCP/IP Connection is made with the website server and the server transmits HTML, CSS and Javascript which your browser renders into a web page. It's more complex than that, this is the simplfied description of what happens

And your browser loads the site.

Useful Internet Acronyms

Here are a few common internet and website terms you may come across.

What Can Go Wrong with DNS?

So far, DNS sounds simple enough.

You type a name… it finds the number… job done.

But when it goes wrong, websites stop working. Emails stop arriving. And it can be confusing if you do not know what you are looking at.

1. The Domain Points Nowhere

This is the most basic problem.

You have a domain name, but it is not pointing to anywhere.

It is like having a name in a phone book with no number next to it.

Your browser simply cannot find the website because there is no DNS record. What you will likely get is a "website parked" page provided by the registrar. They may even be selling the domain name in which case you will see something related to that. For domain owners, it can be switched off.

2. It Is Pointing to the Wrong Place

The domain does point somewhere, just not where you expected. So you've just purchased hosting but your seeing a blank page or a "domain parked" page.

Maybe it points to the wrong hosting server, an old website, or a default “coming soon” page.

This usually happens after moving hosting or changing settings in your DNS dashboard with your hosting provider. The provider normally gives you an option to reset your DNS setting back to the default.

3. Changes Have Not Caught Up Yet

You make a change, hit save… and nothing happens for a while. This might happen if your hosting provider is in the US and you're in the UK, or Asia and China. See propagation.

Or worse — some people see the site, others do not.

This is called propagation.

DNS changes can take a bit of time to spread across the internet. Sometimes minutes, sometimes hours.

So the system is not necessarily broken. It may just be catching up.

4. Too Many Redirects

You try to visit a site and get something like:

What is happening?

The site keeps sending you somewhere, that sends you somewhere else, that sends you back again.

Round and round.

DNS can be part of this if domains are pointing at each other incorrectly. See my post on Err_too_man_redirects"

5. Email Stops Working

This one catches people out.

Your website might be fine, but emails suddenly stop arriving.

That is because email uses its own DNS settings.

If those are wrong, your messages do not know where to go.

How to Check DNS in 2 Minutes

If a website is not working, you do not need to be a tech expert to do a quick DNS check.

Here is a simple way to get a rough idea of what is going on.

Step 1: Use a Free Online Tool

Go to a site like DNS Checker or WhatsMyDNS.

Type in your domain name and hit search.

Step 2: Look at the Results

You will usually see a list of locations around the world.

What you are looking for is consistency.

• If everything shows the same IP address, that is a good sign.
• If you see different results or blanks, DNS may not have updated everywhere yet.

Step 3: Check Where It Is Pointing

Look at the IP address returned.

Ask yourself:

• Does this match your hosting provider?
• Is it what you expected?

If not, your domain may be pointing to the wrong place.

Step 4: Try Your Domain With and Without WWW

Check both versions:

• yourdomain.co.uk
• www.yourdomain.co.uk

If one works and the other does not, it is usually a DNS setup issue.

Step 5: Give It a Little Time

If you have just made changes, do not panic.

DNS updates can take a while to spread.

Sometimes it works on your phone but not your laptop, or the other way around. That can be normal during updates.

You are not fixing anything here. You are just asking: is my domain pointing where I think it is?

When to Call Someone — and When Not To

Not every DNS problem needs an expert.

Sometimes you just need to wait.

If you have only just changed your DNS settings, give it a little time. DNS can take a while to update across the internet.

But there are times when it makes sense to ask for help.

Call someone if:

• Your domain is pointing to the wrong hosting account
• Your website works without www but not with www
• Your email has stopped working
• You are seeing errors like ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED
• You have changed settings and now nothing works
• You are not sure who controls your DNS

The important thing is not to keep changing things randomly.

That usually makes the problem worse.

DNS is not magic. It is just a set of instructions. But if those instructions are wrong, your website, email, or both can stop working.

So if you are unsure, stop, take a breath, and get someone to check it properly.