What protocol allows us to use a domain name like google.com instead of an IP address?

The correct answer is DNS, which stands for Domain Name System. DNS is a fundamental protocol used on the internet that translates human-friendly domain names, such as google.com, into machine-readable IP addresses that computers use to communicate with each other. This system makes it possible for users to access websites using memorable domain names instead of needing to recall numeric IP addresses.

When a user enters a domain name into a browser, the DNS service queries various servers to resolve the domain name to an IP address. Once the corresponding IP address is identified, the browser can then connect to the server hosting the requested content. This process of converting domain names to IP addresses is crucial for the functionality of the internet, simplifying navigation for users and ensuring efficient data routing.

While other protocols listed serve important roles in networking, they do not perform the specific function of translating domain names into IP addresses. For instance, NAT (Network Address Translation) is used to manage IP address allocation and enable multiple devices on a local network to share a single public IP address. TCP/IP refers to a suite of communication protocols used to interconnect network devices on the internet, and ICMP (Internet Control Message Protocol) is primarily used for error messages and operational information. None of these protocols provide the domain name