← All explanationsTechnology / System map / 06 STEPS
How does a name find a website?
From a familiar address to a server: meet the lookup that gets you to the right place.
ILLUSTRATIVE EXPLANATION01 / 06
STEP 01Begin with a name
A domain gives people a readable name instead of asking them to remember an IP address.
STEP 02Check what is already known
Your device may already have a usable answer in its cache. If so, the lookup can finish quickly.
STEP 03Ask for an address
If no cached answer is available, a DNS resolver helps find the address associated with the name.
STEP 04Receive the answer
The answer provides an address the device can use. Names and addresses are related, but they are not the same thing.
STEP 05Connect to the server
With an address available, the browser can establish the connections needed to request the website.
STEP 06Keep the roles separate
DNS finds an address. The web server supplies the website. A successful lookup alone does not guarantee the website is available.
THE COMPLETE EXPLANATION
Follow the thinking.
01Begin with a name
A domain gives people a readable name instead of asking them to remember an IP address.
02Check what is already known
Your device may already have a usable answer in its cache. If so, the lookup can finish quickly.
03Ask for an address
If no cached answer is available, a DNS resolver helps find the address associated with the name.
04Receive the answer
The answer provides an address the device can use. Names and addresses are related, but they are not the same thing.
05Connect to the server
With an address available, the browser can establish the connections needed to request the website.
06Keep the roles separate
DNS finds an address. The web server supplies the website. A successful lookup alone does not guarantee the website is available.
