Basic Internet Connectivity And Modem Help

[EarlyOut]

There's lots of confusion about this, so it's worth a quick explanation.

When you tell your browser that you want to visit, say, http://www.cnn.com, that address has to be converted into a numeric address (an IP address).  The Internet doesn't work on names - it works on numbers.  You can think of a DNS server as being like a phone book.  Your PC sends some packets to the DNS server that say, "Hey, what's the number for cnn.com?"  The DNS server responds with the correct (you hope) IP address.  Your PC then uses that IP address to fetch the page from CNN.

A phone book has nothing to do with how your phone call to your Aunt Millie is routed, nor does it have any effect on how well you can hear each other.  By the same token, a DNS server doesn't determine how the traffic is routed between you and CNN, and it has no effect on the download speed.  Once it's given you the correct IP address, its job is over.

Like an out-of-date phone book, a DNS server with bad information in it will prevent you from connecting to the website you're looking for.  If it gives you the wrong IP address, "your call cannot be completed as dialed!"

[evie210]

EO, THANK YOU for the simple easy-to-understand explanation of DNS servers.

Much better than the over-my-head stuff I've read about what it is and what it does.

Now I finally understand the concept.

[turalura]

I love this forum!  Thank you.  The phone book analogy gave me one of those treasured "oh!..I get it" moments.

[marinass]

Hear, hear!

[Carsons-Papa]

Thanks for the info that was a help. How can I check to see if it is working correctly. I continually get "unable to open page" messages an all types of sites.

[ComcastChrisGr]

Very good explanation EarlyOut.  Its always good to see customers helping each other to understand these things.  If any of you have further questions about DNS or specifically Comcast DNS, don't hesitate to ask.

[BlueJay]

I do believe that even I was able to understand that explanation~~   I've "floated" this thread to the top for future reference..

Thanks EO 

ciao, bj

p.s.  messed up on your name.....  hi stranger~~ nice to see you around

Message Edited by BlueJay on 08-14-2008 02:13 PM

[Bartleby]

Ummm...posted by EO last year, bj...so "nice to see [who] around"? 

(It is a nice short explanation for the non-technical, and an analogy that's been used here before.) 

[BlueJay]

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Bartleby wrote:

Ummm...posted by EO last year, bj...so "nice to see [who] around"? 

(It is a nice short explanation for the non-technical, and an analogy that's been used here before.) 

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Sure is nice to see someone is observant around here....   Never even saw the post date....     Said it before, will say it again, that original posts should have the date under the OP's name, on the message listing page,same as the last post...       But then again, {not taking his name in vain} what do I know..

I did notice that when I did a search of EarlyOut's profile, he most recent posts aren't there...  Was he last active here in Feb '08   Has it been that long??

ciao, bj