Guide · Updated October 2026

What Is DNS and Why Does It Matter for My Website?

DNS turns your domain name into the address of your web server. A plain-English guide to DNS, common record types and fixing everyday DNS problems.

What Is DNS and Why Does It Matter for My Website?

Short answer: DNS (Domain Name System) is the internet's address book. It translates your domain name, like yourbusiness.com, into the numeric address of the server where your website and email live. If your DNS is wrong, your website or email simply stops working, even though everything else is fine.

DNS in one analogy

Computers find each other using IP addresses, strings of numbers like 203.0.113.10. People prefer names. DNS sits in the middle. When someone types your domain into a browser, their device asks a DNS server "where does this name live?" and gets back the IP address. Then the browser goes there. It happens in milliseconds, every time.

It is like saving a contact in your phone: you tap "Dave the Plumber" and the phone dials the number behind it. Change the number in the contact, and every future call goes to the new one.

The pieces involved

  • Registrar: the company you bought your domain from.
  • Nameservers: the servers that hold your domain's DNS records. Your registrar points to them. They might be at the registrar, your host or a separate DNS provider.
  • DNS records: the individual entries that say where your website, email and other services live.

A common source of confusion: changing records at your registrar does nothing if your nameservers point somewhere else. Always edit records wherever your nameservers are.

The records you will actually meet

A and AAAA records

Point your domain to an IP address. A is for older IPv4 addresses, AAAA for newer IPv6 ones. This is usually what makes yourbusiness.com load your website.

CNAME records

Point one name to another name, for example making www.yourbusiness.com follow yourbusiness.com, or pointing a subdomain at a service like a booking system.

MX records

Tell the world where to deliver your email. Get these wrong and email stops arriving, even though your website still works.

TXT records

Hold text used for verification and email security. Google Search Console verification and the SPF, DKIM and DMARC settings that stop your emails landing in spam all use TXT records.

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What is DNS propagation?

DNS answers are cached around the world to keep things fast. Each record has a TTL (time to live) telling servers how long to remember it. When you change a record, some visitors may still see the old destination until their cached answer expires. That can be minutes or, occasionally, up to a day or two. This delay is what people call "propagation".

Tip: if you know you will be moving your site, lower the TTL a day in advance so the switch takes effect faster.

Common DNS problems and fixes

  1. Site not loading after a move: check the A record points to the new host and wait for propagation.
  2. Email stopped working: someone changed nameservers and forgot to copy the MX records across.
  3. www works but the bare domain does not (or vice versa): one of the two records is missing.
  4. Emails going to spam: SPF, DKIM or DMARC TXT records are missing or wrong.

Before changing anything, take a screenshot of all existing records. It is the simplest backup there is.

When you join SiteDrum, we handle DNS for you as part of launch. If your current setup is a tangle, get in touch and we will sort it out.

The bottom line

DNS is the address book that connects your domain to your website and email. You rarely need to think about it, but when it goes wrong, everything stops. Know where your nameservers are, screenshot your records before changes, and be patient while updates spread.

Frequently asked questions

What does DNS stand for?

Domain Name System. It translates domain names that people type into the numeric IP addresses computers use to find servers.

How long do DNS changes take?

Often minutes to a few hours, but cached answers can take up to a day or two to expire everywhere, depending on the record's TTL.

Why did my email stop working after I changed hosts?

Usually the nameservers changed and the MX records for your email were not recreated at the new DNS provider.

Where do I change my DNS records?

Wherever your nameservers point. That might be your registrar, your web host or a separate DNS service. Check your registrar's nameserver settings to find out.

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How Do I Connect My Domain Name to My Website?Read guide →What Is Website Accessibility and What Is WCAG?Read guide →What Is a Staging Site and Do I Need One?Read guide →What Is a Website Builder and Is It Right for My Business?Read guide →

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