Navigating the digital landscape can be complex, but one thing that often goes unnoticed is the role of DNS servers in making our online experiences seamless. If your connection is taking a while to load, you’re likely wondering how you can test your DNS server speed.
If your DNS isn’t performing, you’re opening your business up to potential security issues, as well as operational and maintenance issues.
“With a secure DNS, you experience more than just speed. You gain the assurance of a secure and consistently accessible digital infrastructure and online presence,” said the Vercara Team.
In this blog, we’ll go over the basics of what a DNS server is and does, how they work, and the tests you can use to check your DNS server speed. We’ll also explain how you can bypass concerns with DNS completely.
What is a DNS server?
When you’re browsing the internet, you’re guided by DNS servers. You enter a website’s URL, and the DNS server translates that into the corresponding IP address through a process known as DNS lookup.
DNS servers are fundamental to your internet usage, enabling easy and secure access to websites.
Protecting your DNS can save you hundreds of thousands of dollars…
…and here’s where you can start.
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How do DNS servers work?
When you’re navigating the internet, you’re likely not thinking about the intricate processes happening behind the scenes to make your browsing experience smooth and efficient. One of the key components in this process is the DNS server.
Let’s start with the basics. You usually begin by typing a domain name, like Vercara.com, into your browser’s address bar. That’s your way of telling the browser where you want to go. But computers don’t understand domain names; they understand IP addresses, which are numerical labels that identify a network’s location on the internet.
Here’s where the DNS server comes into play. When you enter a domain name, your browser sends a query to the nearest DNS server, asking for the IP address associated with that domain name.
The DNS server has a database that links domain names to their respective IP addresses. It looks up the IP address for the domain name you’ve entered and sends it back to your browser.
Once your browser receives the IP address from the DNS server, it can then load the webpage you requested. All of this happens in a matter of milliseconds, and most users are completely unaware of these background processes.
However, if the DNS server is down or experiencing issues, your browser won’t be able to retrieve the IP address. This will result in an error message, and you won’t be able to access the website.
The information about a DNS server being down spreads quickly across the network. This is crucial for system administrators who need to act fast to resolve the issue and restore service. So, the next time you effortlessly access a website, remember that a DNS server made it all possible.
And if you ever run into issues, a basic understanding of how DNS servers work can help you troubleshoot effectively.
Why businesses keep their DNS secure.
| The what | The why |
| Enhanced security | Reduces the risk of DNS spoofing and DDoS attacks, safeguarding your data and network. |
| Improved reliability | Ensures consistent uptime, minimizing service interruptions and enhancing user experience. |
| Data integrity | Ensures that the data being sent and received is accurate, reducing the risk of data corruption. |
| Confidentiality | Encrypts DNS queries to protect sensitive information from unauthorized access. |
| Compliance | Helps meet regulatory requirements for data protection and cybersecurity. |
| Faster load times | Secure DNS often comes with optimized routing, leading to quicker website load times. |
| Reduced operational costs | Lower risk of security incidents means less spending on incident response and recovery. |
How to check DNS server speed.
There are two primary ways you can test DNS server response time: through a ping test or a dig test.
Ping test
First, let’s clarify what a ping test is. It’s a diagnostic tool that measures the time it takes for a packet of data to travel from your computer to a server and back. Site owners and developers often use ping tests to gauge site load time and server response. However, it’s important to note that ping tests can sometimes be unreliable.
To perform a ping test, you’ll need to open the command prompt on your computer. Type “ping” followed by the domain name or IP address of the server you want to test. Press Enter, and you’ll see data that includes the time in milliseconds it takes for the server to respond. This gives you an idea of how quickly data can travel to and from that server.
However, there are limitations. Some servers consider pings to be unnecessary traffic and won’t respond at all. In such cases, you’ll get no data on site load speed, which can be frustrating. Additionally, ping tests might not accurately reveal the speed of DNS responses or IP address retrieval.
They measure the round-trip time for data packets, but that doesn’t necessarily reflect the efficiency of the DNS server in translating domain names to IP addresses.
While ping tests can provide some useful data, they’re not the end-all-be-all for assessing DNS server speed. If you’re not getting the information you need, you might want to consider other diagnostic tools or methods.
But for a quick and easy initial assessment, a ping test can offer valuable insights. Just remember to interpret the results carefully and consider other factors that might be affecting performance.
Tip: Here are some of the things that could be affecting your DNS performance:
- User internet speed
- Geographical distance
- DNS network performance
- Network latency
- How the server has been optimized
Dig test
When you’re looking to assess the speed of a DNS server, a ‘dig’ test can be a more specialized tool compared to a ping test. The ‘dig’ command, short for “domain information groper,” is specifically designed to interrogate DNS servers and get a clear picture of DNS response times. Here’s how you can run a dig test to evaluate DNS server speed.
Firstly, understand that DNS response time results from a dig test are based on a single metric from your computer. For a more comprehensive view, it’s advisable to test from multiple locations.
If you’re using a Mac, you can open the Terminal from the Applications folder to run a dig command. On Windows, you’ll need to access the Command Prompt. You can do this by navigating to Start > Run and then typing “cmd.”
To initiate the test, type the following command: time dig your-site.com, replacing “your-site.com” with the domain you wish to test. Press Enter. Another variation of the command might require you to replace your site’s domain before execution, so be sure to read any instructions or guidelines related to the specific dig command you’re using.
Once the test is complete, the results will display the DNS response time, formatted as minutes, seconds, and milliseconds. Pay attention to two key metrics in the results:
- “Real-time”: This measures the time it takes to actually contact the DNS. This is a more direct measure of the DNS server’s efficiency.
- “Query time”: This measures the duration it takes for the command to execute. It gives you an idea of how long the DNS server took to respond to your query.
Subtract your real-time from your query time to get your DNS response time.
Tap into always-on, always-secure, authoritative DNS with Vercara.
Ready to take the stress out of worrying about DNS server speed? It’s time to consider Vercara’s authoritative DNS services.
With our enterprise-grade solutions, you can ensure that your digital infrastructure and online presence are always reachable without the hassle of constant testing and monitoring.
Why choose Vercara’s authoritative DNS? We offer two robust networks, UltraDNS and UltraDNS², designed to provide you with the highest level of DNS protection services. You can customize your package to suit your specific needs, whether you require primary, secondary, or dual-managed DNS solutions.
Performance-wise, we’re designed for near-zero response times and can manage up to 100 billion global authoritative DNS queries per day.
Interested in learning more? Speak with sales today.
