from 101domain | Friday, August 4, 2017

What is DNS?

DNS (Domain Name System) allows you to map symbolic names (domain names) to a specific IP address on the Internet.

This complex hierarchical multi-level structure is ordered by nodes and clusters, which provide lines of connectivity.

A feature of DNS is its division into levels - first, second, third, etc. A domain name can include at least 2 DNS for the visibility of your website on the Internet.

There are services that allow you to check the presence of DNS records for a domain. The simplest of these is the public WHOIS service. When checking a domain name, you can see not only the data of the registrar and domain administrator, but also the main DNS.

The default DNS for all domain names registered with 101Domain looks like this:

  • NS1.101DOMAIN.COM
  • NS2.101DOMAIN.COM
  • NS5.101DOMAIN.COM

The default DNS for our hosting is:

  • NS1.HOSTINGPANEL2.COM
  • NS2.HOSTINGPANEL2.COM

Domain name administrators are given the opportunity to configure DNS records (CNAME, A, MX, TXT, NS).

Verification and managementDomain DNS

In the domain control panel, you select the domain name for which you want to change DNS records, select "Manage advanced domain record settings (CNAME, A, MX, TXT, NS)". And you can completely change the DNS records for your domain name.

DNS records are now in their own tab. Follow the steps below to change your zone entries:

If you want to change one of the default entries, you must deactivate it and follow the steps described to add a new entry.

If you have more than one domain name, you can apply bulk changes such as:

  • Extend validity period
  • Edit DNS servers
  • Edit administrative contact (WHOIS)
  • Move to a folder (within your account)
  • Redirect domain name (forwarding)

To make other additional changes, it is better to contact our support team.

How to add a DNS record? How to set it up?

For convenience, we have highlighted in the control panel an additional tool for managing the ability to check mx records for a domain and other tools for convenient setup. This is what checking a DNS domain looks like:

  • Add A-record - Add an address bar for IPv4 addresses
  • Add AAAA record - Add an address bar for IPv6 addresses
  • Add CNAME record - Make a domain name an alias for another name
  • Add MX record - Add mail transfers for email delivery
  • Add NS record - Add NS to transfer a subdomain to a different set of DNS servers
  • Add TXT - Add text data
  • Add SRV record - Add for service
Post types:

A: Address record, associates a domain with a specific server IP address.

CNAME: A canonical name for a DNS alias that links one domain name to another.

MX: Posts email, indicate the server that processes email for this domain. MX records are given a priority that allows you to specify multiple email servers that carry mail for that domain. When a server with a lower priority value does not respond, requests will be processed by other servers. A low value means high priority.

N.S.: Preemptive DNS record, identifies the DNS server where information about this domain can be found.

How long does it take for DNS changes to take effect?

For most gTLDs and CCTLDs that offer an automated system, name server changes take effect upon update DNS cache and this process can take from 8 to 72 hours and directly depends on your Internet provider.

For some registries, with a manual management process, the change time will be longer.

How can I host my email with another email provider?

We offer unlimited email services. To get more detailed information, please go to the Single Hosting page.

If you have purchased our web hosting but would like to host your email with a different email service provider:

The first step is to contact your email provider and find out the settings for MX records.

  • Login to your hosting control panel. To do this, log into the Domain Control Panel, then go to the “Hosting” section and click the “Login to Hosting” button.
  • In your hosting control panel, select the “Sites and Domains” section.
  • Go to the “DNS Settings” menu
  • If you have more than one domain, then select the one you need and click “Manage” to the right of it.
  • In the DNS settings dialog that opens, find the MX record type.
  • Click on your domain name to the left of MX.
  • Enter your new server exchange of mail.
  • Click OK.
  • That's it - you've changed the MX record.

IMPORTANT: Please make sure your DNS is responsive. Many ccTLD registries are very picky about domain settings (zone files) in your DNS. If you are unsure whether your server settings are correct, please contact support. Changes for gTLD domains are free of charge. Some ccTLD registries may charge fees for DNS changes. If there are additional fees, our customer service staff will contact you to notify you. Please contact us for more information.

When computers connect to the Internet, data is transferred between them using IP addresses. However, it is quite difficult for the average person to remember them (especially if he visits more than a dozen sites a day), and therefore a specialized domain name system, also known as DNS, was developed. It converts text entered into the address bar into an IP address, thereby allowing users to access the server.

Domain DNS records system: essence and purpose

In a simplified sense, the DNS system is comparable to a telephone directory. Here, too, the site’s domain name (subscriber number) is associated with its IP address (name). And by using the appropriate search services you can get a lot useful information about the server on which it is hosted. So:

  • A – a record that establishes a reciprocal correspondence between a host and an IP address (in other words, that when typing a domain name into the search bar, the user should be redirected to a specific IP address).
  • CNAME is a record that is usually used to redirect from a subdomain to another specific domain.
  • MX – account, which allows you to identify the domain's mail gateway, the components of which are priority and host address. Is critical for proper operation email. There may be several such records for one server.
  • NS – host address pointing to the name server for a specific domain. Because this record provides information about which DNS servers store information about a specified domain, its operation is critical.
  • PTR is a reverse record that establishes a connection from the server’s IP address to its canonical domain name. Actively involved in the mail filtering procedure
  • SOA – this indicator contains information about the server where the initial (reference) information on the domain being checked is stored.
  • SPF is a record that secures a list of servers that have the right to send mail on behalf of a domain.
  • SRV is a value pointing to servers for services.
  • TXT is a record that allows the domain owner to enter additional, important (in his opinion) information.

You must be especially careful when filling out these lines, because the slightest mistake here can suspend the operation of the resource hosted on the server for a long time.

How does this work. When you hear the word “website,” you won’t hesitate to name Google.com, Facebook.com, and other domain names. If you ask the computer, we will get a set of 10-12 digits, i.e. IP address of the device on the network. He doesn't know what Facebook.com is. To establish mutual understanding between man and machine, they created a domain name system - DNS, which can convert domain names into IP addresses.

When you enter the required domain name, the DNS server processes the request and forwards it to the desired IP. By and large, the DNS system is huge amount devices that constantly send requests to each other.

Types of Domain DNS Records

Converting domain names to IP is one of the few features. Besides this DNS does others too. DNS record types are used to implement them. Let's list the most common ones:

  • Records that determine the IP address of a device by domain name are assigned type A(or AAAA for IPv6).
  • You can set any number of domain names for the same IP address. In this case it is used CNAME record type, which defines an alias for the domain name.
  • MX record type helps you find out the address of the mail server where you want to send mail. There can be multiple MX records for one domain.
  • TXT- a record that includes text data. Used to transmit information, for example to verify the owner of a domain, or to confirm the security of an email. There can be any number of text entries. Added in domain settings.

There are many other types of records, but they are used much less frequently.

What records affect the delivery of letters?

There are special TXT records, the presence of which determines whether letters will end up in the inbox or will be blocked before they appear in mailboxes.

Who do you think reads your letters before they are delivered to the recipient? CIA, Mossad or MI6? No, they will be read by spam filters, which are constantly being improved and increase the number of factors for identifying spam. Getting into the spam resource database (blacklists) will seriously complicate your life if you regularly send out mailings.

Authentication DKIM, SPF, DMARC will confirm the authenticity of the domain and ensure delivery of letters to mailbox. They actively guard the reputation of the domain and protect against phishing and spam.

DKIM - digital signature sender, which confirms that the letter was sent from your domain. The receiving mail service automatically checks this signature and makes sure that the letter was sent by you and not by scammers.

SPF- a domain record that contains information about the list of sending servers and letter processing mechanisms. This entry poisons the life of spammers and scammers in passing antispam systems. Clearly indicates who has the right to send letters on behalf of the domain and who does not.

If the domain is not protected SPF entry And DKIM signature, nothing will stop spammers from sending letters on your behalf. Mail services check incoming correspondence for the presence of SPF and DKIM records and their absence is regarded as spam.

But these mechanisms also have disadvantages. To make it easier for the mail service to distinguish real emails from fake ones, in addition to SPF and DKIM, they introduced another level of protection - DMARC. When these 3 factors work simultaneously, the probability of successful delivery of messages to the recipient increases many times.

DMARC determines what to do with messages that have not passed SPF and DKIM authentication. At correct setting DMARC fraudulent emails will be rejected at the analysis stage, and the email will never reach the mailbox. You yourself prescribe the algorithm of actions for what the mail server should do if any SPF and DKIM conditions are violated.

Tools for checking domain records

We figured out the recording settings. Now our letters simply must end up exclusively in the inbox, and spam analyzers of mail services take off their hats when they encounter our mailing list. Is this really so and where can I be sure that everything was done correctly?

For checking DNS records and domain diagnostics, special services have been created:

  • MXtoolbox - checking DNS records, full diagnostics domain and additional tools for site analysis.
  • DNSstuff.hostpro.ua- here you will get full information O DNS settings for your domain and find out if it is blacklisted.
  • Functions-online.com- checks DNS records.
  • 2ip.ru- checking DNS domain records and full site analysis.
  • Mail-tester.com- tests letters to see if they end up in spam, points out errors in links, checks domain records and the quality of letter formatting. Simply send an email to the address provided, then check the rating.
  • Pr-cy.ru- checking DNS records and site status.

They will be useful if problems are noticed. For example, mail stopped arriving or sending etc. A similar failure usually occurs after corrections to DNS records. Therefore, after changes are made, it is necessary to carry out checks.

Checks are also necessary to diagnose the general health of the domain, so that users do not have difficulties finding a resource on the network. The slightest error in DNS records will close access to the site and efforts to promote it will fail.

Example of checking DNS records using MXtoolbox

We think this is one of the best domain diagnostic services. It is most often used technical department specialists to identify problems with clients and provide assistance to them.

Mxtoolbox allows you to conduct general diagnostics of a domain, detect its presence in blacklists, check the correctness of MX records and other DNS records, and even test the likelihood of your emails being delivered to Inbox. Timely testing will allow you to avoid problems with mail providers.

At this moment, the domain is checked for placement in blacklists while other problems are identified. As a result, we get a domain health report:


The domain is healthy if there are no problems identified in red. But the result of the test showed the presence of errors that need to be eliminated - the absence of SPF and DMARC records.
We take the records automatically generated by the Estismail service and make settings on the hosting. Next, we check the correctness of the changes made.

Go to the website mxtoolbox.com.
Click on the orange arrow button. From the drop-down list we are interested in SPF Record Lookup, DKIM Lookup and DMARC Lookup.

How can I check if my DKIM record is correct?

Enter your domain in the verification field in following format -example.com:estismmail. Enter without http:// And www. Instead of example.com enter your domain, and after the colon indicate the selector. Choose DKIM Lookup.

In the window that opens, you will see a “successful” message like this:


If after the check a picture opens with a message that DKIM was not found, you will have to update the DNS records.

How to check SPF record?

SPF record verification occurs in the same way as DKIM verification. From the list that opens, select SPF Record lookup. In the appropriate field, enter the domain name without http:// And www. If the settings are correct, you will see this picture:


In the bottom column in the line SPF Syntax Check will be displayed The record is valid .

The most common situation, besides having no SPF entry, is having 2 or more SPF entries. If such an error is made, you will see the following in the window that opens:


In this case, correct the SPF entry - simply combine all nodes in one record, from which you send mailings, as indicated in the “correct” previous figure.

How to check DMARC record?

When checking DMARC records, the principle is the same as in the first 2 cases. Select a function from the list under the orange button DMARC Lookup and enter the domain name without http:// and www.
If the correct entries are entered, you will see the following table and a message at the bottom in the DMARC Syntax Check line stating that The record is valid.


Yes, it’s difficult for emails to get into the inbox. But by fulfilling the conditions listed above, you will significantly facilitate the path of your messages to the heart of the recipient. Keep your finger on the pulse of your domain, its healthy condition is no less important than your personal well-being.