Difference Between DNS and DHCP Server

The internet is much more complex than most users that use it on a daily basis would think. It is unimaginable for the common user to think about how many things are incorporated together to do simple tasks like opening a website or connecting a new device to their wireless router in order to connect to the internet.

A DNS and DHCP server play very important, yet different roles in helping users to easily access the internet and know where they are going instead of mixing everything up and wreaking havoc. It is hard to imagine what the internet would be like if we had to type the IP address of every website instead of the name or if we were required to manually set an IP address for every device connected in our home through the internet.

A DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) server is used in two ends. One is through your own router and at the backend of where you internet service provider is working. The DHCP server works to assign IP addresses to your computer and all the other devices that are connected to the internet via the router. Not having a DHCP server would mean that you would have to manually assign all IP addresses in your home every single time it tried to connect.

What makes a DNS (Domain Name Service) server different from a DHCP server is the fact that the former converts the name of a website to the IP address so that your computer or device is able to understand where it is you are looking to go. A computer is not able to understand the website name and needs the IP address in order to connect, which is why the DNS server is extremely important in this regard.

Instructions

  • 1

    DNS Server

    When typing in the website name you are looking to connect to the internet through a web browser, have you ever thought whether that is how the computer locates the website? It is totally the opposite as the computer is unable to understand the name you have typed in and it is the duty of the DNS server to translate that into an IP address so that the computer can understand.

    - Image Courtesy: makeuseof.com

  • 2

    DHCP Server

    Assigning an IP address to each and every device that connects to the internet is the duty of the DHCP server and it is done to keep every device unique.

    - Image Courtesy: adorama.com

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