🔗 DNS Protocol Visualiser

Type a domain name and watch the DNS resolution process — from browser cache to root server to IP address.

Designed with the WJEC specification in mind

CS GCSE §1.3.1DigiTech GCSE §1.2.1

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Enter a domain name

Simulate cache hit Include CNAME redirect

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DNS Record Types

Maps domain → IPv4 address

AAAA

Maps domain → IPv6 address

CNAME

Alias to another domain name

Mail server for the domain

Nameserver for the domain

TXT

Text data (SPF, verification)

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Key Concepts

DNS (Domain Name System) translates human-readable domain names into IP addresses that computers use to communicate.

Recursive vs Iterative: Your ISP's resolver does the hard work (recursive) — it asks root, TLD, and authoritative servers in turn (iterative queries) and caches the results.

TTL (Time To Live) — how long a DNS record can be cached before it must be looked up again.

DNS Hierarchy: Root servers (.) → TLD servers (.com, .uk) → Authoritative servers (google.com)