How the Domain Name System Works

When you type a domain, like Amazon.com, into a Web Browser “Open” dialog box, the Internet’s Domain Name System works behind the scenes to direct that request to the server or computer where Amazon’s content can be found.  More specifically, the DNS network “translates” the domain name into a numeric Internet Protocol address 72.21.203.1.

Note that you can bypass the DNS system by typing the IP address directly into your browser; of course, the expectation is that few users will want to remember a series of meaningless numbers when trying to find Amazon, or any other internet resource, and that is why the DNS system was created.  If you like you can think of it as the Library of Congress catalog system:  you supply the book title, and the system returns a number that indicates where that book can be found.

The departure from this analogy occurs when an internet resource is moved from one physical location or server to another.  In this case the owner of that resource name simply changes the Nameserver information associated with their domain to the appropriate “new” location (such as your Memberize account).

The DNS system actually refers to a network of many Nameservers and Domain Registrars.  In exchange for annual Domain Fees your Domain Registrar helps provide a service to all internet users at large by being a node on the DNS network.  The Domain Registrar (GoDaddy and Network Solutions being two popular examples) maintains a list of all domains they control, the clients who own them, and the Nameservers that indicate what IPs these domains “resolve” to.

These many nodes make up a distributed database of Domain Names and their corresponding Nameservers (where different IP lookup information is stored and configured).

When you need to “move” a domain of your own to your account here at Memberize look for your Domain Setup form under your Account submenu.  Once your enter your domain into that form Memberize will send you login information for our mail server as well as our Nameserver information.  Once you put our Nameservers in your Domain Registration, your domain will begin loading your Memberize home page.