Plesk 11.5.30 DNS Issues

[DemonLee]

It appears the latest version of PLESK does not like standard DNS settings.

No matter how I configure the DNS, getting anything to resolve to www.<domain> is impossible.... it just gives me the default web page.

I am currently using the following:

<ip>/24 PTR <domain>
<domain> NS <nameserver>
<domain> NS2 <nameserver>
<domain> MX (0) mail.<domain>
<domain> MX (10) mail2.<domain>
mail.<domain> A <ip>
mail2.<domain> A <ip>
webmail<domain> A <ip>
www.<domain> A <ip>

Any suggestions as to what PLESK is doing with DNS these days....!

 

[IgorG]

By default if you go Tools & Settings > DNS Template, there is no dafault DNS record for www. But when you create subscription, you will see in DNS Settings CNAME record for www. It is default behaviour. Check that you have it.

 

[InderS]

Hello,

Instead of using dns setting as www.<domain> A <ip> try to use www.<domain> CNAME <hostname> in DNS template or dns in dns zone

 

[DemonLee]

Under all standard DNS Protocols NO domain should be using a CNAME for www it should be an A record.

 

[DemonLee]

That's not permitted as it conflicts with the Glue Records according to PLESK CONTROL PANEL

 

[DemonLee]

InderS,

I have attached an image of the error given in Plesk Control Panel

Demon

Hello,

Instead of using dns setting as www.<domain> A <ip> try to use www.<domain> CNAME <hostname> in DNS template or dns in dns zone

 

[InderS]

A CNAME-record cannot exist with any other records for the same name, because a name cannot both be an alias (CNAME) and something else at the same time.

If you try to create a CNAME-record for the name of the zone itself, you will always encounter this conflict because a zone always has at least a SOA-record and typically one or more NS-records with the zone name:

 

[DemonLee]

A CNAME-record cannot exist with any other records for the same name, because a name cannot both be an alias (CNAME) and something else at the same time.

If you try to create a CNAME-record for the name of the zone itself, you will always encounter this conflict because a zone always has at least a SOA-record and typically one or more NS-records with the zone name:

Then why does your default template attempt to create a CNAME as follows; <www.domain> CNAME <domain>

The real issue here as I have now seen is that you are doing a permanent 301 redirect - for what purpose? The INDUSTRY standard is that the www is handled by a simple 'A' record, ie: www A <ip> - why do parallels insist that Control Panel is responsible for deciding what is created in the DNS records when there are times certain types of hosting require non standard configurations.

In relation to actually finding anything in PLESK 11, the change from 9 to 10 was bad enough and you still did not listen to your clients and version 11 is a damn nightmare in design and layout. What ever happened to the KISS principle - 'Keep It Simple Stupid' and the expression, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it".

As a user of PANEL for a small hosting company, it is taking longer and longer to set up a simple domain - for example, setting the hosting default (<domain>) or <www.domain> SHOULD BE ON THE PAGE YOU CREATE THE DOMAIN - ooops, sorry, you can't just create a domain any more, you have to create a 'SUBSCRIPTION' and then you have to click on 'domains', go to 'websites and domains' and if you are luck to see the tiny small text 'hosting settings' you stand half a chance. But then you decided on the 'Websites and Domains' Page to HIDE 1/3rd of the page that allows access to the DNS settings.... surely DNS belongs on the HOSTING SETTINGS page as without DNS you are not doing any hosting, regardless of what you have created in a 'SUBSCRIPTION'.

PLESK 11 is all over the place, it is untidy, confusing, difficult to navigate and clunky - and that is from a professional point of view, god only knows how end users are ever going to find anything and set up their websites....!!!!!

When are you going to permit the creation of a correct 'spf' record in the DNS?

 

[IgorG]

As a user of PANEL for a small hosting company, it is taking longer and longer to set up a simple domain - for example, setting the hosting default (<domain>) or <www.domain> SHOULD BE ON THE PAGE YOU CREATE THE DOMAIN - ooops, sorry, you can't just create a domain any more, you have to create a 'SUBSCRIPTION' and then you have to click on 'domains', go to 'websites and domains' and if you are luck to see the tiny small text 'hosting settings' you stand half a chance. But then you decided on the 'Websites and Domains' Page to HIDE 1/3rd of the page that allows access to the DNS settings.... surely DNS belongs on the HOSTING SETTINGS page as without DNS you are not doing any hosting, regardless of what you have created in a 'SUBSCRIPTION'.

If current Plesk 11 business logic is not suitable for you, for other small hosters, why you do not use Power User mode? There are no any complex subscriptions, service plans and so on. Power User Interface differences include:
- Missing hierarchy of user accounts specific to shared hosting: no resellers, no customers.
- Missing service plans, subscriptions, and limits on amounts of resources consumed by websites.
- Single simplified admin interface for managing the system.

 

[DemonLee]

If current Plesk 11 business logic is not suitable for you, for other small hosters, why you do not use Power User mode? There are no any complex subscriptions, service plans and so on. Power User Interface differences include:
- Missing hierarchy of user accounts specific to shared hosting: no resellers, no customers.
- Missing service plans, subscriptions, and limits on amounts of resources consumed by websites.
- Single simplified admin interface for managing the system.

Because Igor, it is even more confusing than the option I am using... I come back to the following points.

1. Why keep changing the layout, unless you are 'simplifying' the layout, then leave the damn thing alone, just because you upgrade the software to fix bugs/add/remove features etc, does not mean a complete re-design of the software front end, it is a waste of your time and money and more importantly you will drive clients away and I know one major hosting company that is looking for alternatives due to all the problems since version 9.

2. Can you please explain how to get a website working which was the original question as this has not been resolved yet... It will NOT permit a CNAME as you have stated, it does NOT resolve correctly as I have uploaded the files via ftp and still I get a default page, this is nightmare for me and the 68 Companies that want their websites on the Web, not sitting on a server where no one can find them.

So, without using your DNS template that carries WAY too much junk and not enough settings that I require, please explain the BARE minimum I need in PLESK PANEL DNS to get a website visible...!

 

[DemonLee]

A CNAME-record cannot exist with any other records for the same name, because a name cannot both be an alias (CNAME) and something else at the same time.

If you try to create a CNAME-record for the name of the zone itself, you will always encounter this conflict because a zone always has at least a SOA-record and typically one or more NS-records with the zone name:

Ha ha, that's funny, because in PLESK PANEL 8, 9, & 10 I used the following;

ftp.<domain> CNAME www.<domain>
remote<domain> CNAME mail.<domain>
<ip>/24 PTR <domain>
<domain> A <ip>
mail.<domain> A <ip>
www.<domain> A <ip>

plus a few other custom settings for services....

Guys, come on, I need a solution to this problem and it should NOT mean having to use your DEFAULT DNS TEMPLATE as not all web site requirements are the same and I need customisation abilities.

 

[Alexey.Plotnitsky]

Hi DemonLee,

1. Regarding DNS template: You are right, the setup WWW.domain.TLD A <IP>
in contrast to
WWW.domain.TLD CNAME domain.TLD
domain.TLD A <IP>

is slightly more efficient for the first usage since less DNS queries are required for DNS client

Re 2. Regarding permanent 301 redirect:
The 301 HTTP redirect WWW.domain.TLD to domain.TLD is actually a SEO feature. Panel names it "Preferred domain".
A website owner could select: how his/her website will look for search engine crawlers.

1. As two separate websites, available via WWW.domain.TLD and domain.TLD
2. As a single website with WWW.domain.TLD
3. As a single website with domain.TLD

Google suggest avoid case (1) since it splits the website page rank value for two websites.

 

[DemonLee]

Alexey, thank you for confirming an A record is better than a CNAME record.

In relation to the 301 Redirect and the way Parallels have hidden it away, this is what a large hosting company level 1 support technician wrote.

"I agree the redirection setting is not great user interface design, especially having it on as a default. I first became aware of it migrating 50 sites to a new server that had a redirect to the www in the code and Plesk defaulted to the non www causing redirect loops. Just awful."

The option to select whether or not a website is using http://<domain> or http://www.<domain> should be on the DOMAIN SET UP PAGE and not tucked away under 'Hosting Settings' AFTER you have created a domain. The other conflict is that we use a WINDOWS server and will deal with any 'redirect' as a 'rule' with a 'web.config' file so no matter what an end user types as the URL, they will get the domain preference they prefer. (Example)

<rule name="Redirect to WWW" stopProcessing="true">
<match url=".*" />
<conditions>
<add input="{HTTP_HOST}" pattern="^<domain>$" />
</conditions>
<action type="Redirect" url="http://www.<domain>/{R:0}" redirectType="Permanent" />
</rule>

Of course if you want to ensure all users get http://<domain> you simply reverse the rule and this will ensure Google and ALL other search engines out there only treat it as one website.

So basically, what you are saying is that we need to ensure we select www.<domain> AFTER we have created the website to ensure we can use <domain> A <ip>?

Also, when are you going to implement true spf (Type 99) records instead of just using TXT records?

Thanks

Demon

Hi DemonLee,

1. Regarding DNS template: You are right, the setup WWW.domain.TLD A <IP>
in contrast to
WWW.domain.TLD CNAME domain.TLD
domain.TLD A <IP>

is slightly more efficient for the first usage since less DNS queries are required for DNS client

Re 2. Regarding permanent 301 redirect:
The 301 HTTP redirect WWW.domain.TLD to domain.TLD is actually a SEO feature. Panel names it "Preferred domain".
A website owner could select: how his/her website will look for search engine crawlers.

1. As two separate websites, available via WWW.domain.TLD and domain.TLD
2. As a single website with WWW.domain.TLD
2. As a single website with domain.TLD

Google suggest avoid case (1) since it splits the website page rank value for two websites.

 

[Alexey.Plotnitsky]

Hi DemonLee,

1. Regarding migration of existing websites, "...redirect to the www in the code and Plesk defaulted to the non www causing redirect loops. Just awful.":
We had such issue before, it is already resolved. Now migrated websites have "Preferred domain: NONE". This means no HTTP redirect by default for migrated websites.

2. The HTTP redirect page location:
Hosting settings page, the place where the redirect can be modified is available right from a created domain overview. One either can use "hosting settings" link close to the domain name OR "hosting settings" icon below.

3. HTTP redirect on Windows server:
Thanks for sharing. For now Panel uses URL rewrite in order to add HTTP redirects.
One should manually resolve possible conflicts if a website alredy has some redirects configured.
Please see screenshot below with the sample redirect.

4. HTTP redirect and DNS entries:
Panel HTTP redirect feature "preferred domain" does not alter a domain's DNS zone entries.
IF "preferred domain" setting is set to WWW.domain.tld or domain.tld
THEN redirect is added as rewrite rules

5. "true spf (Type 99) records instead of just using TXT records":
We had this in our plan for next Panel releases. Not ETA for now.

You can vote for this feature on Panel user voice https://plesk.uservoice.com