DNS and How It Works
Learn how DNS works, why it matters for privacy, and how DNS leaks can compromise your VPN protection.
What is DNS?
DNS (Domain Name System) is like the internet's phone book. When you type 'google.com' into your browser, DNS servers translate that human-readable name into the IP address (like 142.250.185.46) that computers use to locate websites. Without DNS, you'd have to memorize numerical IP addresses for every website you visit.
How DNS Queries Work
When you visit a website, your device sends a DNS query to a DNS server (usually your ISP's). The DNS server looks up the website's IP address and returns it to your browser, which then connects to that IP. This process happens in milliseconds but creates a detailed record of every website you visit. Your ISP can see all your DNS queries, creating a complete browsing history.
DNS and Privacy
DNS queries are a significant privacy concern because they reveal every website you visit, even if the connection itself is encrypted with HTTPS. Your ISP can see, log, and potentially sell this browsing history. Some ISPs even use DNS queries to inject ads or track you across websites. This is why VPNs route DNS queries through encrypted tunnels.
How It Works
You type a website address into your browser
Your device sends a DNS query to resolve the name to an IP address
The DNS server looks up the IP address in its database
Your browser receives the IP and connects to the website
Key Benefits
- Makes the internet user-friendly with memorable names instead of IP addresses
- Enables quick website access through cached DNS records
- Allows websites to change servers without users noticing
- Distributes traffic through multiple servers for reliability
- Enables content delivery networks (CDNs) to work efficiently
Common Myths Debunked
HTTPS protects my DNS queries
HTTPS encrypts the content of your web traffic but doesn't encrypt DNS queries. Without a VPN or encrypted DNS (DoH/DoT), your ISP can still see which websites you visit through DNS lookups.
Changing DNS servers makes me anonymous
Using alternative DNS servers (like Google's 8.8.8.8 or Cloudflare's 1.1.1.1) can improve privacy and speed, but your ISP can still see your DNS queries unless they're encrypted through a VPN or DoH/DoT.
DNS leaks only happen with bad VPNs
DNS leaks can occur even with good VPNs due to operating system configurations, IPv6 issues, or network setups. This is why quality VPNs include specific DNS leak protection features.
Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about dns and how it works
A DNS leak occurs when your DNS queries bypass the VPN tunnel and go directly to your ISP's DNS servers. This exposes your browsing history even though your VPN connection is active. EdgeVPN includes DNS leak protection to prevent this.
Alternative DNS providers like Google (8.8.8.8) or Cloudflare (1.1.1.1) are often faster and more reliable than ISP DNS. However, for true privacy, use a VPN that routes all DNS queries through encrypted tunnels.
DoH encrypts DNS queries using HTTPS, preventing ISPs from seeing which websites you look up. It's a privacy improvement, but a VPN provides more comprehensive protection by encrypting all traffic, not just DNS.
Yes, some ISPs and governments use DNS blocking to censor websites. They prevent their DNS servers from resolving certain domain names. VPNs bypass this by using their own DNS servers.
Visit a DNS leak test website while connected to your VPN. It will show which DNS servers your queries are using. If you see your ISP's DNS servers instead of your VPN's, you have a leak.
Start Protecting Your Privacy
Now that you understand dns and how it works, experience the EdgeVPN difference.
No credit card required
Free version available