What role does a DNS server perform within a network?

A DNS server plays a crucial role in converting human-friendly domain names into machine-readable IP addresses. This process is essential because, while users prefer to navigate using easy-to-remember domain names (like www.example.com), devices on the internet communicate using numeric IP addresses. When a user types a domain name into their web browser, the DNS server processes this request by looking up the corresponding IP address and returning it, thus enabling the browser to connect to the correct web server.

This translation function is vital for the overall operation of the internet, as it allows for seamless navigation and communication across various networks. Without DNS servers performing this translation, users would be required to remember complex numeric IPs instead of simple domain names, complicating internet usage.

The other options describe different functions that are not performed by a DNS server. Assigning IP addresses is typically the role of a DHCP server, routing data packets falls under the responsibilities of routers, and connecting local networks to the internet involves various hardware and configurations, but not specifically the DNS function.