www.dnsbox.wiki

dnsbox — learn DNS by example

This site is a small proof of concept. The best way to understand DNS is to look at a real domain, so every page here explains the records that make this very domain work.

What happens when you open this page

  1. Your browser asks a DNS resolver (usually your ISP, router, or something like 1.1.1.1 / 8.8.8.8): "what is the address of www.dnsbox.wiki?"
  2. The resolver asks the root servers → the .wiki servers → the authoritative name servers for dnsbox.wiki (here: Porkbun).
  3. Porkbun answers with a CNAME: "www is an alias for a Vercel host name". The resolver then looks up that name and gets an IP address.
  4. Your browser connects to that IP over HTTPS, and Vercel serves this page.

The records behind dnsbox.wiki

NameTypePoints toWhy
dnsbox.wikiAVercel IPThe bare (apex) domain cannot use a CNAME, so it uses an A record. Vercel answers with a permanent redirect to www.
wwwCNAMEVercelThis main site.
demoCNAMEVercelA second, separate site.
book.demoCNAMEVercelA sub-subdomain: a booking demo.
dnsbox.wikiTXTgoogle-site-verification=…Proves domain ownership to Google Search Console.
dnsbox.wikiMXmail serversWhere e-mail for @dnsbox.wiki is delivered.

Try it yourself

On Windows (CMD or PowerShell):

nslookup -type=CNAME www.dnsbox.wiki
nslookup -type=A dnsbox.wiki
nslookup -type=MX dnsbox.wiki

On Linux / macOS:

dig +short www.dnsbox.wiki
dig +short MX dnsbox.wiki
curl -I http://dnsbox.wiki — shows the redirect to www

Glossary