What Is DNS?
DNS (Domain Name System) is the internet's phone book. It translates human-readable domain names like anonymiz.com into the IP addresses that computers use to communicate. Without DNS, you would need to remember IP addresses for every website you visit.
Common DNS Record Types
A Record
Maps a domain to an IPv4 address. When you visit a website, your browser first looks up the A record to find the server's IP address. Example: anonymiz.com → 203.0.113.42.
AAAA Record
The IPv6 equivalent of an A record. Maps a domain to a 128-bit IPv6 address for modern networks.
MX Record
Mail Exchange records specify which mail servers handle email for a domain. The priority number (lower = higher priority) determines which server is tried first.
CNAME Record
Canonical Name records point one domain to another. Commonly used to point www.example.com to example.com or to a CDN hostname.
TXT Record
Stores arbitrary text data. Used for SPF (email authentication), DKIM keys, DMARC policies and domain ownership verification for services like Google Search Console.
NS Record
Name Server records indicate which DNS servers are authoritative for a domain. Changing NS records transfers DNS control to a new provider.
Check Any Domain's DNS Records
Use our free DNS Lookup Tool to check A, AAAA, MX, CNAME, TXT, NS, SOA, PTR and CAA records for any domain instantly.
