# DNS

DNS is the internet's address book. It translates your domain into the address of the server where your website and email actually live.

Source: https://ibenta.no/en/glossary/dns
Publisher: Ibenta (https://ibenta.no)
Updated: 2026-09-27

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When someone types in your domain, the browser asks DNS where to go. The answer sits in a few lines called DNS records. An A record points to the server for the website. MX records say where email should be delivered. TXT records are used for several things, among them showing that email from your domain is genuine.

## Why it matters to you

DNS is often what goes wrong when you switch provider. One wrong line can make the website disappear or stop email from arriving, even when everything else is in order. Changes can also take a while to reach everywhere, because the answers are cached around the internet.

That is why you should know who controls your DNS. It is not always the same company that holds your [domain](/en/glossary/domain) or your [hosting](/en/glossary/hosting).

## How to find out where yours is managed

Open the Dig tool in Google Admin Toolbox, which is free. Type in your domain and choose NS. You will see which name servers the domain uses, and the name usually tells you which company controls the DNS. Write it down, along with who has the login, before you need it. To understand more, read [DNS explained](/en/docs/dns-explained).