In a DNS resolution sequence, what is the first server the recursive resolver queries after receiving a domain name?

• A. The TLD DNS server
• B. The DNS root nameserver
• C. The domain's nameserver
• D. The browser

Answer: (B)

DNS resolution starts at the very top of the hierarchy. When a recursive resolver receives a domain name it doesn’t already know, it begins by querying a DNS root nameserver. The root doesn’t hold the domain’s records itself, but it directs the resolver to the appropriate top-level domain (for example, the .com or .org server). From there, the resolver asks the TLD server to find the domain’s authoritative nameserver, which then provides the actual IP address from the domain’s nameserver. The browser doesn’t query DNS directly; it relies on the resolver (and its cache) to perform these steps. So the first server involved in a fresh lookup is the DNS root nameserver.