The naming problem
People remember names. Networks need destinations.
When you visit a website, you usually start with a name such as fusingbits.com. A network cannot deliver traffic using that human-friendly label alone. It needs an address that identifies where the traffic should go.
That creates a translation problem: how do we turn a name into an address without making people memorize numbers?
Build the model
Three useful layers
Name
A label people can read and share, such as fusingbits.com.
Lookup
DNS asks a directory which address belongs to that name.
Address
An IP address gives the network a destination for traffic.
Connection
The device uses the answer to begin communicating with the destination.
Mini experiment
Ask the directory
Choose a name. Watch the lookup reveal an address before the connection begins.
Ready. Ask DNS for the selected name.
Knowledge check
Test your address model
Answer five questions. The answer order changes each time.