DNS is an address book
When we visit a site we use a name like 'www.moklav.co.jp' (a domain name), but computers need a numeric address like '144.79.161.12' (an IP address) to talk to each other. The system that converts names into addresses is DNS (Domain Name System), often compared to the internet's address book.
How name resolution flows
When you type a name into a browser, queries proceed roughly in this order.
- Your device asks a 'resolver' (usually your provider or a Public DNS) for the name
- The resolver walks the chain: root → .jp → the 'authoritative servers' of moklav.co.jp
- The answer comes from a record (one line of the address book) held by the authoritative server
- The answer is cached for a while, so the next lookup is faster
These 'records' come in types, each with its own role.
Main record types
- A / AAAA: name → IPv4 / IPv6 address (the address itself)
- CNAME: name → another name (an alias)
- MX: the server that receives mail for that domain
- TXT: notes. Also used for sender authentication such as SPF, DKIM and DMARC
- NS / SOA: information about the servers that manage that domain's address book
What changes when you switch Public DNS?
By default your resolver is your provider's, but you can switch to a Public DNS (such as 1.1.1.1 or 8.8.8.8). Response speed, accuracy and privacy (how query history is handled) differ by provider, so choosing a resolver you can trust matters.
MOKLAV Public DNS
MOKLAV runs a free Public DNS. On top of regular DNS it supports encrypted DoT / DoH, and we keep no query logs. Setup is collected on the dedicated page. To check your own domain's records, try the DNS Record Lookup tool.