An IPv4 DNS refers to a situation where you are specifying a DNS server using its IPv4 address, rather than its IPv6 address. Let's break down what that means and why it's important.
Understanding the Basics
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DNS (Domain Name System): Think of DNS as the internet's phonebook. When you type in a website address like "www.example.com," your computer needs to find the server that hosts that website. DNS translates that user-friendly name into an IP address (like 192.168.1.1), which is how computers find each other on the internet.
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IPv4: This is the older, 32-bit addressing system for internet protocol. It's the address that looks like four sets of numbers separated by dots (e.g., 192.168.1.1). Due to the rapid growth of internet usage, IPv4 addresses are becoming scarce.
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IPv6: This is the newer, 128-bit addressing system. It uses a longer, alphanumeric format (e.g., 2001:0db8:85a3:0000:0000:8a2e:0370:7334) designed to provide vastly more available addresses.
IPv4 DNS Explained
Specifying a Nameserver by IPv4 Address
As the provided reference states: An "IPv4 nameserver" means a DNS server that you're specifying by its IPv4 address. It is important to understand that any nameserver, regardless of whether it is reached using an IPv4 or IPv6 address, can answer any type of DNS query. The designation "IPv4" just tells us how the computer is reaching the DNS server, not what types of queries it can handle.
Practical Implications
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Configuration: When setting up your network or device, you'll often need to specify which DNS servers to use. You might enter one or more IPv4 addresses as your DNS servers.
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Examples: Here are a few example IPv4 addresses for common public DNS servers:
- Google Public DNS: 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4
- Cloudflare DNS: 1.1.1.1 and 1.0.0.1
- OpenDNS: 208.67.222.222 and 208.67.220.220
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Not About Query Type: Remember, the "IPv4" in "IPv4 DNS" only specifies the address of the DNS server. It doesn't determine what kind of DNS records the server can handle.
Key takeaways
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| What it is | Specifying a DNS server by its IPv4 address |
| Key function | Locating the DNS server, not dictating what it does |
| Distinction from IPv6 | It is used instead of its IPv6 equivalent |
| DNS resolution | The DNS server still translates domain names to IP addresses (regardless of if it is accessed via IPv4 or IPv6) |
| Practical application | Configuring network settings to point to specific DNS servers using IPv4 addresses |
In short, "IPv4 DNS" describes using the older IPv4 protocol to locate a DNS server, a core component of accessing websites and online services.
