DNS (Domain Name System)

What is DNS?

Defined in RFC 1034 and RFC 1035, the system is a worldwide, layered directory. Your device asks a resolver, which asks other servers until one holds the answer, then remembers it for a set time. The records it holds include the address for a name, where mail goes (the MX record) and which servers are in charge of a domain (the nameserver).

Your router normally uses the resolver your provider hands out. You can choose another, such as one your family-safety service offers.

Why does it matter on a fixed wireless line?

A lookup is a small round trip, so a sluggish resolver adds a pause before each new site, and that can feel like a slow line. A page might hang for seconds with the speed test still looking fine. Then a different resolver, or a restart of the router, clears it.

DNS is also where a website and email address live. If you have a domain through High Desert, the records that send people to your site and mail to your inbox are kept in DNS. The guide DNS records for your domain explains each type.

What should I do about it?

If pages stall but a speed test is normal, try opening a site by name and then a different site. If only names fail, DNS is the likely cause. Restart the router. If it persists, call 775-575-9593 and say that names do not load. The company does not publish which resolver addresses it provides.

Families can use DNS to block categories of sites; see DNS filtering for families. Do not enter a resolver address you do not recognize, because a bad one can send you to fake sites. Related: domain name and traceroute.