DNS is the internet's phonebook: it translates names you remember (yourbusiness.com) into addresses computers use. Here is the whole story in plain words.
The lookup, step by step 1. You type yourbusiness.com 2. Your browser asks a DNS resolver (usually your ISP's or 1.1.1.1/8.8.8.8) 3. The resolver finds the authoritative nameservers for your domain 4. Those nameservers return the record: 'the website lives at this IP' 5. Your browser connects to that server All of this typically completes in tens of milliseconds.
The record types that matter - A: points a name at a server IP — the basic 'website lives here' - CNAME: an alias — shop.yourbusiness.com points at the same place as yourbusiness.com - MX: where your domain's EMAIL should be delivered - TXT: verification and anti-spam entries (SPF, DKIM) that prove mail from your domain is real - NS: which nameservers are in charge of the domain
Everyday examples - Website on Kairalmas, domain at another registrar: A record → server IP, or switch nameservers to ns1/ns2.kairalmas.com - Added a WhatsApp business tool on a subdomain: CNAME - Business email not arriving: MX or missing SPF/DKIM records — the classic cause
Two facts that prevent panic 1. Changes propagate: minutes to 48 hours. If nothing changed after an hour, re-check the record before assuming disaster 2. DNS has a cache at multiple levels — your OWN computer may remember the old address. Flush DNS or switch resolver when testing
Kairalmas customers manage DNS from the portal, and the DNS status page shows exactly which records are set and what is missing — no guesswork.