Configuring Dns Settings For Website Nameserver, A-Address, DNS configuration

[OpaQue 15]

Most of the people have problems configuring their website. After registering their domain, many get confused in configuring their domain (basically the DNS settings). This small tutorial will help you get started with DNS settings configuration.

 

A domain can be basically pointed to a server using 2 main techniques.

 

1. Nameserver (the most recommended way)

2. A Address (Not recommended)

 

Configuring using Nameservers

====================

 

Login to your domain Control panel provided by your DOMAIN NAME PROVIDER / REGISTRAR. Not your webhost.

 

Search for settings like DNS. In that you must find an option to set NAMESERVERS.

 

You might be presented with fields to fill up like :-

 

NAMESERVER 1 : _____________ IP : ___________

NAMESERVER 2 : _____________ IP : ___________

NAMESERVER 3 : _____________ IP : ___________

NAMESERVER 4 : _____________ IP : ___________

NAMESERVER 5 : _____________ IP : ___________

NAMESERVER 6 : _____________ IP : ___________

...

...

...

 

IP is optional. Some registerars require it. Some don't.

 

Nameservers are in following format. XXX.YYYYYYYYY.ZZZ

In which, XXX can be anything as set by webhost.

YYYYYYYYY.ZZZ is a domain owned by webhost.

For example, If you are hosted at :-

 

Xisto - Web Hosting.com,

Your Nameservers are :-

 

NS1.COMPUTINGHOST.COM

NS2.COMPUTINGHOST.COM

 

Xisto.com,

Your Nameservers are :-

 

NS1.TRAP17.COM

NS2.TRAP17.COM

The IP address is usually provided. But if you don't have the IP, obtaining the IP is very simple. Go to Start Menu => Click RUN

 

Enter "ping XXX.YYYYYYYY.ZZZ"

For Xisto - Web Hosting, If you enter ping ns1.computinghost.com

You will get an output like :-

 

FOR NS1

C:\>ping ns1.computinghost.comPinging ns1.computinghost.com [64.69.35.170] with 32 bytes of data:Reply from 64.69.35.170: bytes=32 time=299ms TTL=49Reply from 64.69.35.170: bytes=32 time=302ms TTL=49Reply from 64.69.35.170: bytes=32 time=299ms TTL=49Reply from 64.69.35.170: bytes=32 time=300ms TTL=49Ping statistics for 64.69.35.170:Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss),Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:Minimum = 299ms, Maximum = 302ms, Average = 300ms

FOR NS2

C:\>ping ns2.computinghost.comPinging ns2.computinghost.com [64.69.35.177] with 32 bytes of data:Reply from 64.69.35.177: bytes=32 time=301ms TTL=50Reply from 64.69.35.177: bytes=32 time=299ms TTL=50Reply from 64.69.35.177: bytes=32 time=299ms TTL=50Reply from 64.69.35.177: bytes=32 time=302ms TTL=50Ping statistics for 64.69.35.177:Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss),Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:Minimum = 299ms, Maximum = 302ms, Average = 300ms

Therefore, Nameserver IPs for NS1.COMPUTINGHOST.COM is 64.69.35.170

and NS2.COMPUTINGHOST.COM is 64.69.35.177.

 

Now, that you know your IP, You enter it at your Host.

 

NAMESERVER 1 : NS1.COMPUTINGHOST.COM IP : 64.69.35.170

NAMESERVER 2 : NS2.COMPUTINGHOST.COM IP : 64.69.35.177

NAMESERVER 3 : _____________ IP : ___________

NAMESERVER 4 : _____________ IP : ___________

NAMESERVER 5 : _____________ IP : ___________

NAMESERVER 6 : _____________ IP : ___________

.....

....

...

 

 

PLEASE DON'T GET CONFUSED BY THE NS1,NS2 ETC. IT CAN BE ANYTHING.

 

If you apply for Windows Hosting, You get Different Nameserver Address like :-

 

NS4.COMPUTINGHOST.COM

NS5.COMPUTINGHOST.COM

 

When entering them at your Domain Registrar, You enter it in the following way :-

 

**WRONG WAY**

NAMESERVER 1 : _____________ IP : ___________NAMESERVER 2 : _____________ IP : ___________NAMESERVER 3 : _____________ IP : ___________NAMESERVER 4 : NS4.COMPUTINGHOST.COM IP : xxx.xxx.xxx.xxxNAMESERVER 5 : NS5.COMPUTINGHOST.COM IP : xxx.xxx.xxx.xxxNAMESERVER 6 : _____________ IP : ___________NAMESERVER 7 : _____________ IP : ___________NAMESERVER 8 : _____________ IP : ___________............

**RIGHT WAY**

NAMESERVER 1 : NS4.COMPUTINGHOST.COM IP : xxx.xxx.xxx.xxxNAMESERVER 2 : NS5.COMPUTINGHOST.COM IP : xxx.xxx.xxx.xxxNAMESERVER 3 : _____________ IP : ___________NAMESERVER 4 : _____________ IP : ___________NAMESERVER 5 : _____________ IP : ___________NAMESERVER 6 : _____________ IP : ___________NAMESERVER 7 : _____________ IP : ___________............

ALSO, REMOVE ANY PREVIOUSLY SET NAMESERVERS!!!

 

CLEAR EVERYTHING WHICH IS PREVIOUSLY PRESENT IN THOSE SETTINGS!!

 

THE NAMESERVER FIELD MUST HAVE NAMESERVERS POINTING TO ONLY ONE COMPANY.

 

The precedence goes from top to bottom. If nameserver 1 fails, Nameserver 2 is contacted. If NS2 fails, Ns3 is contacted. So, If you NS1 has nameservers pointing to previous host, it will continue doing so. If you want to point to your new host, it should be at Nameserver 1 postition.

 

======= PART 2 =======

Configuring using A - Address

====================

 

The A Address pointing is directly telling the registrar to point the domain to IP address. The resolving work will be done at the Domain registerars hands.

 

Basically, after you register with a webhost, you will be given an IP address for your website. When configuring with A-Address, you have to enter this IP Address.

 

Suppose, If you are hosted at *Xisto - Web Hosting* (example), You can get an IP like 64.69.35.170.

In such case, at your registerar, you have to enter :-

 

Example.com - A-ADDRESS -> 64.69.35.170

ftp.Example.com - A-ADDRESS -> 64.69.35.170

mail.Example.com - A-ADDRESS -> 64.69.35.170

 

PLEASE NOTE, After you create SUB domains at your web host, you have to point them at the registerar with the A-ADDRESS.

 

Suppose you create, my-sub-domain.example.com

 

You will have to set the A-Address accordingly at your registrar.

 

my-sub-domain.example.com - A-ADDRESS -> 64.69.35.170

 

If you don't set A-ADDRESS IP for mail, ftp etc, those services will NOT work. Therefore, When using A-Address to point your domain, make sure you point mail, ftp and other sub domains that you have.

 

The Advantage of A-Address is you can have different Sub domains pointing to different Web hosts.

 

Suppose, you have lots free space at Xisto and Xisto - Web Hosting. And you want to use them both, you can have

 

download1.your-domain.com pointing to Xisto.download2.your-domain.com pointing to Xisto - Web Hosting.

-- End of Tutorial --

 

-OpaQue

[wassie 0]

another great tutorial by OpaQue! This is exually very usefull cause people keep getting problems with their DNS.