by Eryne HughesWe throw around a lot of technical terms in the digital world, and sometimes these aren’t always explained clearly. This can make understanding the mechanics of your website a bit of a mystery. That’s why we’re launching our new Jargon Buster series! Each week, we’ll break down a common technical term into easy-to-understand language.
This week’s jargon-buster is Nameservers.
Think of the internet as a massive phone book. Every website has a unique address, called an IP address, which is a string of numbers that tells computers where to find it. But remembering these number sequences is difficult for humans. That’s where domain names come in – they’re the user-friendly names we type into our browsers, like silvertoad.co.uk.
So how does your computer know which IP address matches a domain name? That’s where nameservers come in.
Nameservers: The Internet’s Librarians
Nameservers are like the helpful librarians in our giant internet phone book. When you type a website name into your browser, your computer contacts a nameserver to look up the corresponding IP address. The nameserver responds with the correct address, allowing your computer to connect to the website and display it in your browser.
Why are Nameservers Important?
Nameservers are a critical part of the Domain Name System (DNS), which is the foundation of how we navigate the internet. Without nameservers, we’d have to remember complex IP addresses for every website we visit!
Key Concepts to Remember:
- IP Address: A unique numerical address for every website.
- Domain Name: A user-friendly name for a website (e.g., silvertoad.co.uk).
- Nameserver: A server that stores and provides the IP address associated with a domain name.
- DNS (Domain Name System): The system that translates domain names into IP addresses.
How Do Nameservers Affect Me?
While you might not interact with nameservers directly, they play a crucial role in ensuring your website is accessible. If your nameservers aren’t configured correctly, your website might not be reachable. This is why choosing a reliable domain registrar and web hosting provider is essential.
Silvertoad Can Help
At Silvertoad, we handle the technical details, including nameserver management, so you can focus on what matters most – running your business. Our team ensures your website is always accessible and performing optimally.
Stay tuned for next week’s Jargon Buster! We’ll continue to demystify the technical terms you need to know to navigate the digital world.
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