1.5.3
DNS
Test your knowledge with free interactive questions on Seneca — used by over 10 million students.
Domain Name Service (DNS)
When a client sends a request to the server, it has to use an Internet Protocol (IP) address so that we can find the correct server. Modern web browsers allow us to enter a domain name instead, which the DNS translates.

Why use the DNS?
- Domain names are much easier to read and remember than IP addresses.
- Computers have to use IP addresses to communicate over the Internet Protocol.
- The DNS converts these domain names into IP addresses for us.

DNS lookup
- When we have a domain name, we send a request to the nearest DNS server asking for the IP address associated with that domain name.
- The DNS server responds with the correct IP address.
- The client can then use this IP address to send their original request.

DNS miss
- If a DNS server does not have an IP address associated with a particular domain name (a DNS miss), then it can ask other DNS servers that it knows about.
- By continuing to ask other, larger DNS servers, we will eventually resolve the IP address and send this to the original client.
1Computer Systems
1.1Data Representation
1.1.1Binary Numbers1.1.2Negative Binary Numbers1.1.3Hexadecimal1.1.4Using Hexadecimal1.1.5Converting Binary & Hexadecimal1.1.6Converting Denary & Hexadecimal1.1.7Capacity1.1.8Calculating Capacity Requirements1.1.9Binary in Computer Systems1.1.10Data Compression1.1.11Run Length Encoding1.1.12File Formats
1.2Data Transmission
1.3Hardware
1.3.1Elements of Computer Systems1.3.2Types of Computer System1.3.3Von Neumann Architecture1.3.4The Fetch, Decode, Execute Cycle1.3.5Factors Affecting CPU Performance1.3.6Computational Logic1.3.7Input Devices1.3.82D & 3D Scanners1.3.9Code Readers1.3.10Solid State Storage1.3.11Magnetic Storage1.3.12Examples of Magnetic Storage1.3.13Optical Storage1.3.14Examples of Optical Storage1.3.15Types of Optical disk1.3.16Storage Requirements1.3.17Translation - Compilers1.3.18Translation - Interpreters1.3.19Translation - Assemblers1.3.20Acoustic Sensors1.3.21Flow Sensors1.3.22Gas Sensors1.3.23Humidity Sensors1.3.24Infrared Sensors1.3.25Level Sensors1.3.26Light Sensors1.3.27Magnetic Field Sensors1.3.28Moisture Sensors1.3.29pH Sensors1.3.30Pressure Sensors1.3.31Proximity Sensors1.3.32Temperature Sensors1.3.33Network Hardware
1.5The Internet & its Uses
1.6Cyber Security
1.6.1Forms of Attack1.6.2Penetration Testing1.6.3Types of Malware1.6.4How Malware Spreads1.6.5Protecting Against Malware1.6.6Information Security1.6.7Structured Query Language (SQL) Injection1.6.8Firewalls1.6.9Authentication: User Access Levels1.6.10Authentication: Passwords1.6.11Social Engineering1.6.12Phishing1.6.13Denial of Service Attacks
1.7Automated & Emerging Technologies
2Algorithms, Programming & Logic
2.1Algorithm Design & Problem Solving
2.1.1Computational Thinking - Abstraction2.1.2Computational Thinking - Decomposition2.1.3Computational Thinking - Algorithmic Thinking2.1.4Pseudocode2.1.5Flow Diagrams2.1.6Interpreting, Correcting & Completing Algorithm2.1.7Correcting Algorithms2.1.8Completing Algorithms2.1.9Testing2.1.10Types of Testing2.1.11Test Plans2.1.12Validation & Sanitation2.1.13Authentication & Contingencies
2.2Programming
2.2.1Programming Fundamentals - Variables & Constants2.2.2Programming Fundamentals - Comments2.2.3Programming Fundamentals - Input & Output2.2.4Data Types2.2.5Casting2.2.6Controlling Program Flow - Sequence2.2.7Controlling Program Flow - Selection2.2.8Controlling Program Flow - Iteration2.2.9Modularity - Subroutines2.2.10Modularity - Scope2.2.11Arrays
Jump to other topics
1Computer Systems
1.1Data Representation
1.1.1Binary Numbers1.1.2Negative Binary Numbers1.1.3Hexadecimal1.1.4Using Hexadecimal1.1.5Converting Binary & Hexadecimal1.1.6Converting Denary & Hexadecimal1.1.7Capacity1.1.8Calculating Capacity Requirements1.1.9Binary in Computer Systems1.1.10Data Compression1.1.11Run Length Encoding1.1.12File Formats
1.2Data Transmission
1.3Hardware
1.3.1Elements of Computer Systems1.3.2Types of Computer System1.3.3Von Neumann Architecture1.3.4The Fetch, Decode, Execute Cycle1.3.5Factors Affecting CPU Performance1.3.6Computational Logic1.3.7Input Devices1.3.82D & 3D Scanners1.3.9Code Readers1.3.10Solid State Storage1.3.11Magnetic Storage1.3.12Examples of Magnetic Storage1.3.13Optical Storage1.3.14Examples of Optical Storage1.3.15Types of Optical disk1.3.16Storage Requirements1.3.17Translation - Compilers1.3.18Translation - Interpreters1.3.19Translation - Assemblers1.3.20Acoustic Sensors1.3.21Flow Sensors1.3.22Gas Sensors1.3.23Humidity Sensors1.3.24Infrared Sensors1.3.25Level Sensors1.3.26Light Sensors1.3.27Magnetic Field Sensors1.3.28Moisture Sensors1.3.29pH Sensors1.3.30Pressure Sensors1.3.31Proximity Sensors1.3.32Temperature Sensors1.3.33Network Hardware
1.5The Internet & its Uses
1.6Cyber Security
1.6.1Forms of Attack1.6.2Penetration Testing1.6.3Types of Malware1.6.4How Malware Spreads1.6.5Protecting Against Malware1.6.6Information Security1.6.7Structured Query Language (SQL) Injection1.6.8Firewalls1.6.9Authentication: User Access Levels1.6.10Authentication: Passwords1.6.11Social Engineering1.6.12Phishing1.6.13Denial of Service Attacks
1.7Automated & Emerging Technologies
2Algorithms, Programming & Logic
2.1Algorithm Design & Problem Solving
2.1.1Computational Thinking - Abstraction2.1.2Computational Thinking - Decomposition2.1.3Computational Thinking - Algorithmic Thinking2.1.4Pseudocode2.1.5Flow Diagrams2.1.6Interpreting, Correcting & Completing Algorithm2.1.7Correcting Algorithms2.1.8Completing Algorithms2.1.9Testing2.1.10Types of Testing2.1.11Test Plans2.1.12Validation & Sanitation2.1.13Authentication & Contingencies
2.2Programming
2.2.1Programming Fundamentals - Variables & Constants2.2.2Programming Fundamentals - Comments2.2.3Programming Fundamentals - Input & Output2.2.4Data Types2.2.5Casting2.2.6Controlling Program Flow - Sequence2.2.7Controlling Program Flow - Selection2.2.8Controlling Program Flow - Iteration2.2.9Modularity - Subroutines2.2.10Modularity - Scope2.2.11Arrays
Practice questions on DNS
Can you answer these? Test yourself with free interactive practice on Seneca — used by over 10 million students.
- 1Why do we use domain names instead of IP addresses?Multiple choice
- 2What happens when we have a DNS lookup?Put in order
- 3
- 4What happens when we have a DNS miss?Put in order
- 5What is the format of a URL?Multiple choice
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