Each computer connected to the Internet is identified by a unique numeric IP address. In order to connect to a computer on the Internet, its address must be known to the computer, which is creating the connection. Since IP addresses are difficult to remember, Domain Name Service was created.
The DNS is a database of descriptive names, which are supposed to be easy to remember. Thus the user does not have to know the IP address of the server she/he wants to communicate with. It suffices to enter the appropriate name (e.g. www.yahoo.com) and DNS will find the actual IP address.
DNS Forwarder in WinRoute
WinRoute is equipped with a DNS module that is able to forward DNS queries to a chosen DNS server on the Internet. The DNS module stores the results of the queries in its internal cache where they are kept for a certain time. Subsequent repeated queries are then answered using the cached data without the need to wait until an answer from the Internet arrives.
The DNS forwarder in WinRoute is also equipped with a user-defined HOSTS file. After a DNS query arrives, WinRoute looks at the HOSTS file prior to forwarding the DNS query to the Internet. If the corresponding record is found, the query is answered by its value, if not it is forwarded to another DNS server.