What is a DNS server? Reasons and solutions for DNS and IP not being in the same region!

Published Time: 29/11/2024

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In the modern Internet, DNS (Domain Name System) plays a vital role, helping users access websites through domain names. However, in some cases, you may encounter a situation where the DNS server and IP address are not in the same region, which can lead to slower access, incorrect geolocation, or even inaccessibility to certain websites.

This article will take a deep look at how DNS servers work, why DNS and IP addresses are sometimes not in the same region, and how to solve this problem.

What is a DNS server?

DNS (Domain Name System) is a system that converts easy-to-remember domain names (such as example.com) into IP addresses (such as 192.168.1.1). Every device on the Internet has a unique IP address, but it is not easy for people to remember these numerical addresses. The role of a DNS server is to map domain names to corresponding IP addresses, allowing users to access Internet resources through simple domain names.

DNS works like a phone book. When you enter a domain name, the DNS server looks up the IP address corresponding to the domain name and then points you to the correct server. DNS has a hierarchical structure, usually including multiple different servers, such as root DNS servers, authoritative DNS servers, recursive DNS servers, etc.

Reasons why DNS and IP are not in the same region

1. Distributed DNS architecture

Some large DNS providers (such as Google DNS or Cloudflare DNS) use a distributed architecture to provide more efficient and low-latency resolution services by deploying multiple DNS servers around the world. Therefore, the DNS server requested by the user may be located in a different geographical location than the user's IP address. Although this distributed structure helps improve performance, it may cause DNS requests and actual IP address locations to be different in some regions.

2. Content Delivery Network (CDN) Impact

Many websites use CDN (Content Delivery Network) to cache website content in different data centers around the world to speed up content loading. When a user visits a website, CDN will guide the user to the nearest data center based on the user's location. However, since the DNS resolution and CDN server selection processes are independent, it may cause the DNS server and CDN server to be located in different geographical locations.

3. Optimization strategies of ISP and DNS service providers

Some Internet service providers (ISP) optimize DNS requests, usually by redirecting DNS traffic to the ISP's internal DNS servers, which may be located in different regions. This is intended to improve query efficiency and response speed, but may cause the geographical location of DNS resolution to be inconsistent with the actual IP address location.

4. Cross-region proxy

If you use a proxy server, your IP address will be changed to the region where the proxy server is located. Although the IP address has changed, the DNS request may still be resolved through the DNS server in the original region, which leads to a mismatch between the DNS and the IP address region.

5. DNS cache problem

DNS queries are cached for a certain period of time (TTL, Time-to-Live), so when the DNS record changes, the old DNS information stored in the cache may still be used, resulting in a mismatch between the DNS resolution and the actual IP address location.

The impact of mismatched DNS and IP addresses

Inaccurate geolocation

If the DNS and IP addresses are from different regions, many geo-location-based services (such as streaming platforms, online advertising, search engines, etc.) may misjudge your location, thereby providing incorrect content or restricting access.

Slow access speed

When the DNS and IP addresses are not in the same region, the data transmission path may not be optimal, resulting in increased network latency and slower page loading speed.

Unable to access certain content

Some websites may perform access control based on the geographical location of the IP address. If the DNS resolution and the IP address are not in the same region, it may cause inability to access certain regional restricted content.

How to solve the problem that the DNS and IP are not in the same region

1. Change DNS service

Choose a DNS service provider that matches your region. Many DNS providers, such as Google DNS (8.8.8.8) and Cloudflare DNS (1.1.1.1), provide reliable and fast services worldwide. You can manually configure your device or router to switch to a suitable DNS service as needed.

2. Clear DNS cache

The DNS cache may store expired resolution information. Regularly clearing the local DNS cache can ensure that your device gets the latest DNS resolution results. Here are some ways to clear the cache:

Windows: At the command prompt, enter: ipconfig /flushdns

macOS: Run command: sudo dscacheutil -flushcache

Browser: Clear the browser cache and cookies.

3. Manually configure DNS resolution

By modifying the DNS settings of the operating system or adding a domain name resolution record in the hosts file, you can manually specify the DNS server or specify the resolution of a domain name to a specific IP address. This method is suitable for advanced users.

4. Use a residential proxy

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If you need to solve geolocation problems or improve privacy protection, using a residential proxy service like 922proxy is an effective solution. Residential proxies provide real IP addresses and geographic locations to ensure that DNS requests and actual IP addresses are in the same area, thereby avoiding geolocation errors and access delays.

5. Contact the Internet Service Provider

If the DNS service provided by your ISP causes a geolocation mismatch, you can contact the Internet service provider and request to switch to a DNS service that is more suitable for the local area, or use a third-party DNS provider instead.

Summary

DNS and IP address mismatch is a common network problem, usually caused by factors such as distributed DNS architecture, CDN optimization, ISP strategy, proxy use, and DNS cache. By changing DNS services, clearing caches, manually configuring DNS resolution, using residential proxies, etc., these problems can be effectively solved and the accuracy and speed of network access can be improved.

When faced with this problem, understanding how DNS works and how to resolve geolocation mismatches will help you optimize your network experience and ensure fast, stable, and secure online access.

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What is a DNS server? Reasons and solutions for DNS and IP not being in the same region!

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