What is Nameservers?
It is a phone book that converts website names used by people into numerical addresses that computers understand.
Overview
Every website on the Internet actually has a numerical equivalent called an IP address. Nameserver, when you type a name in your browser, directs this name to the relevant IP address, allowing you to reach the correct server. This is the internet's address book system.
How it works
When you type a web address, your computer asks the nameservers: What is the numeric address of this name? The nameserver returns the response and your browser connects to that address.
Where it is used
It is located centrally in domain name settings and internet service providers' infrastructures.
Commonly confused with
It can be confused with hosting; hosting is where your site's files are stored, and nameserver is the path to get there.
Frequently asked questions
What does changing nameserver settings do?
Usually when you move your website to a different server, you update these settings so that traffic goes to the new location.
What happens if the nameserver crashes?
You cannot access websites by name because your internet browser cannot find where the site is located.
Related terms
This explanation was written in plain language for TreScout and machine-translated from the Turkish original · the Turkish version prevails. If something looks wrong or missing, write to hello@trescout.com. Read in Turkish →