How to Determine a DNS Server Address

When faced with internet-related problems, the DNS server address is required as part of the troubleshooting process. If you have you ever tried restoring your internet connection by yourself, you would be familiar with the associated terms associated with it.

The full form of DNS happens to be Domain Name System. It is of prominent significance in the field of internet technology. Its importance and related information is enlisted in the paragraphs below.

DNS servers maintain a log of each and every website on the Internet. Each website is associated with a unique IP (Internet Protocol) address in the form "xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx"

To consider an example, the IP address of www.abc.com happens to be 209.18.68.131. Now, the problem here is that the DNS servers keep track of every website on the basis of its IP address, and not its domain name.

However, we as humans find it much easier to remember a website by its name rather than its number. Naturally, there has to be some way to get around this problem. Here is where the concept of Domain Name System steps in.

When, as a user, you type in "www.abc.com" into the address bar of your web browser, your computer sends a request to the nearest DNS server, which maps, i.e., compares the string "www.abc.com" with its corresponding numeric IP address.

Once this is successfully completed, the DNS server redirects your computer to that particular IP address, after which the webpage opens up in your web browser.

With over 5 billion websites on the internet, you can very well imagine the magnitude of the IP address directory and the speed at which the DNS server needs to work in order to ensure a fast and efficient internet browsing experience.

Many a time, re-configuring your computer's DNS server address is one of the common activities performed when troubleshooting internet-related problems. Here is how to determine the DNS server address of your computer.

The simplest and quickest way to find the DNS server address of your computer is to locate it through the command prompt. You can do this through the following steps

1. Click on the "Start" button on the bottom-left of your computer screen. From among the various program options that are displayed, click on "Run". A small window will open up at the bottom of the screen. Type in the command "cmd" and press Enter.

2. A new window with a black background will open up on your computer screen. Now, you need to type in the command 'ipconfig/all', as it is, in command prompt and press Enter.

3. You will immediately see a host of information appear in the black window. Scroll through the data until you locate the line that contains the words "DNS Servers". The number i.e. IP address that is displayed next to the words "DNS Servers" is nothing but the DNS server address of your computer.

4. In most cases, your computer uses two server addresses of your DNS - one is a preferred one and the second one is an alternate one. Both of these will be displayed one below the other in the command prompt window next to the words DNS Servers.

There is another way in which you can find the DNS server address of your computer. You should click on the "Start" button and go to the "Control Panel". In the Control Panel window, you should double-click on "Network Connections".

This will open up a new window, which will display the Internet connection that you are presently using. Right-click on that icon and select "Properties" from the list of options available.

In the subsequent window that appears, highlight the phrase that contains the words 'Internet Protocol' and click on the command button named 'Properties'. A new window will subsequently be displayed and you can view both the server addresses at the bottom of the window.

You can use the above methods to find the DNS server address of your computer. Just make sure that you do not change it accidentally, or else you might end up facing problems in browsing the internet.