CompTIA Network+ Practice Test 2025 - Free Network+ Practice Questions and Exam Prep Guide

The A record, or Address Record, is the DNS record type that associates a domain name with its corresponding IPv4 address. This is fundamental to the domain name resolution process, allowing users to access websites using their domain names rather than having to remember numerical IP addresses. When a DNS query is made to resolve a domain name, the A record provides the necessary IP address, enabling the user's browser to connect to the web server hosting that domain.

In contrast, other record types serve different purposes. The MX (Mail Exchange) record is used to specify mail servers responsible for receiving email on behalf of the domain. The NS (Name Server) record indicates which name servers are authoritative for a domain, helping in the delegation of DNS queries. The CNAME (Canonical Name) record creates an alias for a domain name, pointing it to another domain rather than directly to an IP address. Understanding these distinctions helps clarify the role of each DNS record type in the overall function of the Domain Name System.