People searching for the “best DNS server in Australia” often mean two different things. Some want to speed up their own internet connection. Others are looking for DNS hosting for their website. These are separate jobs, done by different kinds of server. This guide explains the difference so you know which one you actually need.
How a DNS lookup works
When someone types your web address into a browser, two kinds of DNS server are involved.
- The visitor’s device asks a recursive resolver to find the address. This is usually run by their internet provider, or a public service they chose.
- If the resolver does not already have the answer saved, it asks the domain’s authoritative name servers, which hold the real records for that domain.
- The authoritative server replies, and the resolver passes the answer back and keeps a copy for a while.
Public DNS resolvers
A public resolver answers questions for anyone, about any domain. You set one on your router or computer. Its job is to look up names on your behalf, and it may be faster or slower than your provider’s resolver.
You need a public resolver choice when: you want to change how your own devices look up websites.
It does not: host your domain’s records, or control where your website points.
Authoritative DNS
An authoritative server holds the DNS records for particular domains and gives the official answer for them. It does not answer for domains it does not host. The nameservers you set at your domain registrar are authoritative servers.
You need authoritative DNS when: you own a domain and want it to point to a website, an email service or other services.
It does not: speed up your own browsing, and you cannot set it on your router to look up other people’s websites.
Side by side
| Public resolver | Authoritative DNS | |
|---|---|---|
| Answers for | Any domain | Only the domains it hosts |
| Used by | Visitors and devices looking things up | Domain owners publishing records |
| Where you set it | Router or device network settings | Nameservers at your domain registrar |
| Who benefits | The person browsing | The domain owner and their visitors |
Why location still matters for authoritative DNS
Visitors’ resolvers have to reach your authoritative servers whenever a cached answer has expired. If those servers are far from your visitors, each lookup takes longer. For an Australian audience, authoritative servers within Australia shorten the trip. That is why Skyrack runs name servers in Sydney, Melbourne, Perth and Adelaide, with an average 13ms resolution time within Australia. You can read more on our Australian DNS network page.
Note that our servers are authoritative servers for domains hosted with Skyrack. They are not a public resolver and cannot be used as one.
Which do you need?
You want faster or more private browsing at home or in the office. Look at the resolver your router uses and consider switching to a public resolver you trust. This changes how your devices look things up, and does nothing for your own website.
You own a domain and want it to work. You need authoritative DNS. If your domain is hosted with Skyrack, DNS hosting is included. You edit records in cPanel’s Zone Editor, and set your registrar’s nameservers to ours. We will give you the nameservers to use, or ask us.
You are setting up email. The SPF, DKIM and DMARC records that protect your email are published in your authoritative DNS. See SPF, DKIM and DMARC explained.
Common questions
Can I use my host’s nameservers on my router?
No. Authoritative servers only answer for the domains they host. Your router needs a resolver.
Why did my change not show up straight away?
Resolvers cache answers. After a change, some will keep the old answer until it expires, so it can take a while to appear everywhere.
Do I need to register my domain with my host?
No. You can register anywhere and point it at our name servers by changing the nameservers. If you want everything together, you can register a domain with us.
Summary
A resolver helps you find other people’s websites. An authoritative server helps people find yours. If you are choosing a host, look for authoritative DNS near your visitors. If you are tuning your own connection, look at your resolver. If you want to talk about DNS for your domain, contact us.