Recursive resolver
A recursive resolver is the DNS server a client -- a computer, phone, router, or application -- actually asks when it looks up a domain. Rather than knowing the answer itself, it tracks the answer down on the client's behalf by querying the root servers, then the relevant top-level-domain servers, then the domain's authoritative nameservers, following the referral chain until it gets a final answer, which it then caches and returns. Most users never choose a recursive resolver explicitly: their ISP or router assigns one automatically, often with no filtering or logging transparency, and it can be silently overridden by malware or a compromised router. Confirming which recursive resolver a device is actually using, as opposed to the one configured, is the first step in diagnosing a DNS hijack or an unexpected forwarding override.
By AdminKit team, Netbase JSC · Updated