Think about the Internet as a gigantic telephone system. Instead of using phone numbers, we use something called an IP address, in essence a 12 digit phone number. They way you get the phone number is to be directed down a chain of command, each computer passing you off to a subordinate until you get what you need.

The biggest hurdle in understanding DNS is that it is a mental jigsaw puzzle. The images on each piece are confusing, and not particularly useful by themselves. You need a lot of pieces and you need to know how they fit together in order to appreciate the big picture. Looking at the online glossary is a great place to start. By using hyperlinks we’ve tried to show how these concepts fit together.