{"id":4437,"date":"2025-01-07T10:50:19","date_gmt":"2025-01-07T09:50:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.combell.com\/en\/help\/?post_type=ht_kb&#038;p=4437"},"modified":"2026-04-07T11:12:45","modified_gmt":"2026-04-07T09:12:45","slug":"what-are-nameservers","status":"publish","type":"ht_kb","link":"https:\/\/www.combell.com\/en\/help\/kb\/what-are-nameservers\/","title":{"rendered":"Clearly explained: what are nameservers?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>The internet is a magical place where a few keystrokes can take you anywhere in the world.But how does your browser know exactly where to go when you type ina domain name like www.combell.com?There is a brilliant system working behind the scenes to make that possible.A key cog in that system is the nameserver.In this article, we explain in a clear way what nameservers are, how they work and why they are essential to the internet.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-ht-block-toc  is-style-outline htoc htoc--position-wide toc-list-style-plain\" data-htoc-state=\"expanded\"><span class=\"htoc__title\"><span class=\"ht_toc_title\">IN THIS ARTICLE<\/span><span class=\"htoc__toggle\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"16\" height=\"16\"><g fill=\"#444\"><path d=\"M15 7H1c-.6 0-1 .4-1 1s.4 1 1 1h14c.6 0 1-.4 1-1s-.4-1-1-1z\"><\/path><path d=\"M15 1H1c-.6 0-1 .4-1 1s.4 1 1 1h14c.6 0 1-.4 1-1s-.4-1-1-1zM15 13H1c-.6 0-1 .4-1 1s.4 1 1 1h14c.6 0 1-.4 1-1s-.4-1-1-1z\"><\/path><\/g><\/svg><\/span><\/span><div class=\"htoc__itemswrap\"><ul class=\"ht_toc_list\"><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#htoc-what-is-a-nameserver\">What is a nameserver?<\/a><ul class=\"ht_toc_child_list\"><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#htoc-nameserver-vs-dns-records\">Nameserver vs DNS records<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#htoc-what-does-a-nameserver-do\">What does a nameserver do?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#htoc-why-are-nameservers-important\">Why are nameservers important?<\/a><ul class=\"ht_toc_child_list\"><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#htoc-nameservers-and-dns-hierarchy\">Nameservers and DNS hierarchy<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#htoc-nameservers-and-ipv6\">Nameservers and IPv6<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#htoc-how-does-a-nameserver-work\">How does a nameserver work?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#htoc-what-is-my-nameserver\">What is my nameserver?<\/a><ul class=\"ht_toc_child_list\"><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#htoc-how-many-nameservers-do-you-need\">How many nameservers do you need?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#htoc-the-nameservers-of-your-own-domain\">The nameservers of your own domain<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#htoc-how-do-you-change-a-nameserver\">How do you change a nameserver?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#htoc-nameservers-are-the-silent-heroes-of-the-internet\">Nameservers are the silent heroes of the internet<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"htoc-what-is-a-nameserver\">What is a nameserver?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>A <strong>nameserver<\/strong> is a server that is part of the Domain Name System (<strong>DNS<\/strong>) and acts as a kind of translator. It links a human domain name, such as <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.combell.com\/en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">combell.com<\/a><\/strong>, to its IP address, e.g. <strong>192.168.1.1<\/strong> or an IPv6 address such as <strong>2001:db8::ff00:42:8329<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Without nameservers, we would have to memorise complicated number strings to visit websites. Fortunately, we have this handy <strong>\u2018phone book of the internet\u2019 <\/strong>to do that job for us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"htoc-nameserver-vs-dns-records\">Nameserver vs DNS records<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>It may sound confusing, but <strong>DNS<\/strong> (Domain Name System) and <strong>nameservers<\/strong> are not the same thing. DNS is the entire system that links <a href=\"https:\/\/www.combell.com\/nl\/domeinnamen\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">domain names<\/a> to IP addresses, while a nameserver is a specific component within that system that performs this task.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Think of DNS as a large library system and the nameserver as the counter where you can request a specific document (or address). Specifically<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Nameservers<\/strong> are the gateways. They show you the way to the right DNS records.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>DNS records<\/strong> contain the actual information, such as the IP address (A record) or the mail server (MX record) of a domain.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>So you can think of nameservers as the vaults in which DNS records are stored.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"htoc-what-does-a-nameserver-do\">What does a nameserver do?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>A nameserver ensures that your browser knows where to find a website. <strong>Compare it to asking for an address:<\/strong> you mention a name, such as \u2018Combell\u2019, and the nameserver looks up the corresponding address.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So, nameservers are essential for converting human domain names into IP addresses that computers can communicate with.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"htoc-why-are-nameservers-important\">Why are nameservers important?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Without <strong>nameservers<\/strong>, the internet would be a lot less user-friendly. Imagine if you had to type \u2018192.168.1.1\u2019 into your browser instead of \u2018<a href=\"http:\/\/combell.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">combell.com<\/a>\u2019. That would not only be inconvenient, but also cause a lot of errors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Nameservers make the internet:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Accessible:<\/strong> they translate domain names into IP addresses.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Reliable:<\/strong> multiple nameservers make sure the system keeps working even if one fails.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Scalable:<\/strong> they can handle billions of domains and users.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"htoc-nameservers-and-dns-hierarchy\">Nameservers and DNS hierarchy<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The internet works thanks to a <strong>clever and hierarchical system of nameservers<\/strong>. It starts with the root nameservers &#8211; the most important links at the top &#8211; which indicate which TLD nameservers you should access, for example for \u2018.com\u2019 or \u2018.be\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>These TLD nameservers then redirect you to the specific nameservers of your hosting provider, where the exact information about your domain can be found. Thanks to this efficient cooperation between the different layers, you always get quick and reliable access to the right website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"htoc-nameservers-and-ipv6\">Nameservers and IPv6<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>As the internet grows, so does the need for IP addresses. This is where <strong>IPv6<\/strong> comes in. An <strong>IPv6 nameserver<\/strong> works in the same way as an IPv4 nameserver, but can process many more addresses. Handy, because that way we can move forward for years to come.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"htoc-how-does-a-nameserver-work\">How does a nameserver work?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The process of a nameserver seems complicated, but it works surprisingly smoothly:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol>\n<li><strong>You type in a domain name:<\/strong> your browser sends a query to a nameserver: \u2018What is the IP address of this domain name?\u2019<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>The nameserver looks for the address:<\/strong> if it doesn&#8217;t know it, it asks other servers within the DNS hierarchy.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Answer:<\/strong> once the IP address is found, the nameserver sends it back to your browser. And <em>voila<\/em>, the website appears!<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>This whole process often takes less than a second.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"htoc-what-is-my-nameserver\">What is my nameserver?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Curious about your nameservers? You can easily find them via your hosting provider or a tool like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.combell.com\/nl\/whois\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">WHOIS<\/a>. They often look like <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/ns1.provider.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">ns1.provider.com<\/a><\/strong> and <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/ns2.provider.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">ns2.provider.com<\/a><\/strong>. This information is useful if you want to change your DNS settings, for example.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.combell.com\/en\/help\/kb\/where-is-my-domain-name-pointing-to\/\" data-type=\"ht_kb\" data-id=\"378\">More information to look up your nameservers.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"htoc-how-many-nameservers-do-you-need\">How many nameservers do you need?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Most domains have at least two nameservers. This provides a <strong>back-up<\/strong>: if one nameserver is unavailable, the other can step in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Large companies often choose even more nameservers spread around the world to guarantee <strong>maximum speed and reliability<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"htoc-the-nameservers-of-your-own-domain\">The nameservers of your own domain<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The <strong>physical location of a nameserver <\/strong>can affect the performance of your website. Modern hosting providers often have nameservers spread all over the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This way, users always get connected to the fastest and nearest server.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"htoc-how-do-you-change-a-nameserver\">How do you change a nameserver?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-ht-blocks-messages wp-block-hb-message wp-block-hb-message--withicon\"><strong>Tip: set up your own nameservers<\/strong><br>Want full control or a professional look? Then you can set up your own nameservers, such as <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/ns1.mijnbedrijf.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">ns1.mycompany.com<\/a><\/strong>. This requires some technical knowledge and access to a VPS or dedicated server, but it offers a lot of flexibility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-ht-blocks-messages wp-block-hb-message wp-block-hb-message--withicon is-style-info\"><strong>Note: changing your nameservers can take up to 36 hours to become active.<br><\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.combell.com\/en\/help\/kb\/how-can-i-update-the-name-servers-of-a-domain\/\" data-type=\"ht_kb\" data-id=\"847\">Read more about changing your nameservers.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"htoc-nameservers-are-the-silent-heroes-of-the-internet\">Nameservers are the silent heroes of the internet<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Without them, browsing would be a lot more complicated. Whether you are a beginner or a seasoned IT professional, understanding how nameservers work is key to a smoothly running website. They are the <strong>phone book of the internet<\/strong> for a reason !<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So the next time you visit a website, you&#8217;ll know who to thank for the effortless connection.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The internet is a magical place where a few keystrokes can take you anywhere in the world.But how does your browser know exactly where to go when you type ina domain name like www.combell.com?There is a brilliant system working behind the scenes to make that possible.A key cog in that&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"ht-kb-category":[365],"ht-kb-tag":[],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.combell.com\/en\/help\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ht-kb\/4437"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.combell.com\/en\/help\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ht-kb"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.combell.com\/en\/help\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/ht_kb"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.combell.com\/en\/help\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.combell.com\/en\/help\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4437"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.combell.com\/en\/help\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ht-kb\/4437\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4549,"href":"https:\/\/www.combell.com\/en\/help\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ht-kb\/4437\/revisions\/4549"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.combell.com\/en\/help\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4437"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"ht_kb_category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.combell.com\/en\/help\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ht-kb-category?post=4437"},{"taxonomy":"ht_kb_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.combell.com\/en\/help\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ht-kb-tag?post=4437"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}