Setting up my first Domain Name Servers

[BrandonK]

Ok, I just purchased a virtual dedicated server from godaddy.com and opted for the plesk domain control program to aid with configuring everything. I'm trying to setup my first site this way and I can't figure out the domain name server stuff. I searched and couldn't get a complete solution.

The IP I have dedicated to the domain right now is: 68.178.157.37. If I enter that to my browser I get the page. Horray! But I can't figure out the name server stuff. My current domain template gave me a NS called ns.<<domain>>.com. The problem is, when I type ns.<<domain>>.com into the godaddy name server fields, I get an "unavailable error". Currently the name servers are their "default parking name servers". It just doesn't seem logical to me that the name server can be itself, so I know I'm missing something completely.

I plan on setting up another 5 .com's when I get this figured out so it's pretty vital that I understand this. I'm reading as much as I can through the 3 user manuals, but it's not quite clicking yet.

Help?

Brandon

 

[jamesyeeoc]

You have to login to your GoDaddy account and find the screen to Create or Register a new Nameserver.

You will register ns1.yourdomainname.com and fill in 68.178.157.37 for the IP address. If the screen does not have a place for an IP then you are not at the right screen. This is not any of the screens you would see for your actual registered domain name. This is a separate registration screen.
(sorry I've never used GoDaddy so I cannot tell you exactly where to click)

You will probably have to create 2 nameservers with the same IP (since you only have one IP).

Then you have to go to the domain management screen for yourdomainname.com and change the nameservers for your domain to the newly created ones.

Then there will be time for these changes to propagate to the other TLD nameservers around the world. May take up to a couple of days (or longer for caching nameservers).

Once this is done, then in the Plesk control panel, you would go to Domains, yourdomainname.com, DNS. In the DNS you would have to change (remove then add) the NS records for your domain.

Here is a sample of one of my standard DNS setups:

Host Record type Value
yourdomainname.com. NS ns1.yourdomainname.com.
yourdomainname.com. NS ns2.yourdomainname.com.
yourdomainname.com. A xx.yy.xx.zz
webmail.yourdomainname.com. A xx.yy.xx.zz
mail.yourdomainname.com. A xx.yy.xx.zz
ftp.yourdomainname.com. CNAME yourdomainname.com.
www.yourdomainname.com. CNAME yourdomainname.com.
*.yourdomainname.com. CNAME yourdomainname.com.
lists.yourdomainname.com. CNAME yourdomainname.com.
yourdomainname.com. MX (10) mail.yourdomainname.com.
xx.yy.xx.zz / 24 PTR yourdomainname.com.
yourdomainname.com. TXT "v=spf1 a mx ~all"

Notes: The PTR record should normally be on your domain DNS since you only have a single IP and will be hosting other domains. The other domains should *not* each have their own PTR records. The TXT record is one example of setting up for SPF checking.

To avoid extra work, all additional domains will have NS records for your already set up name servers (that way you don't have to register 2 new nameservers for each persons domains. But you can if you choose to.

Next edit the Server DNS Template, here is a sample:

Host Record type Value
<domain>. NS ns1.<domain>.
<domain>. NS ns2.<domain>.
<domain>. A <ip>
webmail.<domain>. A <ip>
mail.<domain>. A <ip>
ftp.<domain>. CNAME <domain>.
www.<domain>. CNAME <domain>.
*.<domain>. CNAME <domain>.
<domain>. MX (10) mail.<domain>.
<domain>. TXT "v=spf1 a mx ~all"

Notes: As has been pointed out on other threads, some of the records do not have to be in the template (such as webmail or lists) but I have always just put them there up front. This is my personal choice and it's *always* worked well for me

Once it has all propagated to the worldwide nameservers, then your domain should be browsable from anywhere in the world.

I really need to write this as a formal How To and put it somewhere, I keep recreating it several times a week on different forums....

This is my quick and dirty lesson on DNS-101 for beginners. Hope it helps!

For those of you who also hate WYSIWYG's that remove extra blank space and tabs, you can view it online at:

http://www.iblahblahblah.com/files/DNS-101Samples.txt

This was just a quicker and dirtier file I just now threw together, I will clean it up and add to it when I have time. (I hope my grandson doesn't mind my using his domain )

 

[BrandonK]

First off, thanks for the extensive post. I understand it all except for when you start talking about "SPF". But I created the DNS records like you said, and now godaddy gives me this error when I try to change to my new nameservers:

 Field Validation Error

Please correct the following issue(s):

Unavailable error in field Host name1
Unavailable error in field Host name2

My DNS records are as follows:
<<ip>> / <<ip2>> PTR <<domain>>.
<<domain>>. A <<ip>>
<<domain>>. MX (10) mail.<<domain>>.
<<domain>>. NS ns1.<<domain>>.
<<domain>>. NS ns2.<<domain>>.
ftp.<<domain>>. CNAME <<domain>>.
mail.<<domain>>. A <<ip>>
webmail.<<domain>>. A <<ip>>
www.<<domain>>. CNAME <<domain>>.

See any errors?

EDIT: Here's a Screeny of what I see

 

[jamesyeeoc]

Did you do this part:

You will register ns1.yourdomainname.com and fill in 68.178.157.37 for the IP address. If the screen does not have a place for an IP then you are not at the right screen. This is not any of the screens you would see for your actual registered domain name. This is a separate registration screen.

The error appears to be possibly related to the fact that they tried to verify the existence of ns1.yourdomain.com and ns2.yourdomain.com and could not verify the names exist.

 

[BrandonK]

I could not find a screen in GoDaddy where I create or register a name server. The only thing I saw related to that was in Plesk where I do the Domain Zones as listed above. If I were to call godaddy, what would I call this screen? Their tech support has always been great, but I don't even know what to ask them.

EDIT: I found it. Thank GOD for help files, eh? lol. I finally found their support page for their "virtual dedicated servers" here. The screen you guys were talking about is what they call their "Domain Host Summary". I had to type in my nameservers and the IP's they use. I then had to go back to where it says to set my name servers for the domain in question (where I had been trying to set them in the first place), and this time it took. Within 48 hours the page should be working!
Thank you guys very much for all the help, and thanks to GoDaddy for the online help pages I'm sure I'll be back in the future asking for more questions!!

Brandon

 

[jamesyeeoc]

I wish GoDaddy made it easier, but they don't.

I am planning on re-writing the DNS101 howto and if anyone could provide screenshots of where to click for the different registrars and email them to me, I will integrate them into either a PDF or HTML so it will be easier.

I have screenshots for Network Solutions, but don't have for the other registrars.

 

[BrandonK]

I would gladly provide the needed godaddy screenshots if you tell me exactly which ones you need. My small way of showing appreciation I guess.

 

[jamesyeeoc]

I was hoping for every screen (with your info blanked out of course) so I could absolutely show exactly each click needed (have to think about the newbies!). I would edit the screens to show with arrows where each click is to be done and what fields to edit.

That would be greatly appreciated not only by me but probably many others as well.

Send them to yee at james-yee dot com

 

[charless]

Hello.

I am in the same exact position you are in. Where is this 'Domain Host Summary' for GoDaddy? That's all I need. Thanks.

Charles

 

[charless]

Got it..thanks. After an hour of searching for this I thank you both very much =)

 

[BrandonK]

The direct link to the help text that I used to configure everything is here: http://help.godaddy.com/article.php?article_id=198&topic_id=90& Hopefully this will help more ppl in the future.

 

[jamesyeeoc]

Thanks BrandonK, I still have not had time to write up my howto. Got busy with multiple projects, but it's still on my top 5 things to get to.

 

[IanC@]

DNS for other domains

Hi all

Thanks for the helpful posts above.. I too am setting up my first virtual dedicated server with godaddy.

I have the domain name mynameserver.com set up in Plesk, with the NS entries for it being ns.mynameserver.com and ns2.mynameserver.com.

I have registered ns.mynameserver.com and ns2.mynameserver.com as nameservers for my domain names with the registrar as well. (I requested 2 IPs with my server and so used a different one for each NS)

So far so good.

Now, when I add other domain names in Plesk, e.g. domain1.com, it automatically gives them an NS entry ns.domain1.com - am I right in thinking I can delete this and add new NS entries for ns.mynameserver.com and ns2.mynameserver.com instead?

Then, I leave all the other DNS entries for the new domain alone? e.g. ftp.domain1.com CNAME can still be domain1.com - I don't need to change that to mynameserver.com as well do I..?

Thanks!

Ian

 

[Celadore]

mydomain

Ahh, so you set up the name servers with your domain registrar... that makes sense!

Thanks for the post, and especially the link to goDaddy, have been trying to figure this our for a day. Knew it was a simple solution, but for us newbies nothing is simple.

For those who don't use goDaddy ... this might help a bit. Although I followed the instructions from their page.

I use mydomain.com as they are cheaper and more functional if you manage other people's website.

Open any domain, there will be a register name server, next to the manage domain server. Enter your desired name server (NS'.mydomain.com') and point this to your server IP address.

If you can't see this link, you may have to purchase the free domain tools bundle. I found this by clicking DNS managent under other services, although I don't thinks this is necessary.

Done

 

[IIS06new]

thx for the guide, guys!

This helps me out a lot!

 

[matthew@]

jamesyeeoc said:

Host Record type Value
<domain>. NS ns1.<domain>.
<domain>. NS ns2.<domain>.
<domain>. A <ip>
webmail.<domain>. A <ip>
mail.<domain>. A <ip>
ftp.<domain>. CNAME <domain>.
www.<domain>. CNAME <domain>.
*.<domain>. CNAME <domain>.
<domain>. MX (10) mail.<domain>.
<domain>. TXT "v=spf1 a mx ~all"

Thanks for this post which I too have found helpful. However, I have a couple of things that I don't understand...

1. Assuming that you are using the same IP address for all, why create A records for webmail.<domain> and mail.<domain> as opposed to CNAMEs?

2. Given that you have a CNAME for *.<domain>, why do you also need ftp.<domain> and www.<domain>?

TIA, Matthew

 

[kermitus]

Look good?

This is what I currently have for my server DNS -

<domain>. NS ns1.<domain>.
<domain>. NS ns2.<domain>.
<domain>. A <ip>
<domain>. MX (10) mail.<domain>.
<domain>. TXT "v=spf1 a mx ~all"
<ip> / 24 PTR <domain>.
ftp.<domain>. CNAME <domain>.
mail.<domain>. A <ip>
ns.<domain>. A <ip>
webmail.<domain>. A <ip>

And this is my domains DNS -

digipowerhost.net. NS ns1.digipowerhost.net.
digipowerhost.net. NS ns2.digipowerhost.net.
ns.digipowerhost.net. A 216.55.178.246
digipowerhost.net. A 216.55.178.246
webmail.digipowerhost.net. A 216.55.178.246
mail.digipowerhost.net. A 216.55.178.246
ftp.digipowerhost.net. CNAME digipowerhost.net.
www.digipowerhost.net. CNAME digipowerhost.net.
digipowerhost.net. MX (10) mail.digipowerhost.net.
216.55.178.246 / 24 PTR digipowerhost.net.
digipowerhost.net. TXT "v=spf1 a mx ~all"

The domain is running on an exclusive static IP that none of my customers use. I have a second IP that is shared and I do give my customers the ability to purchase a static ip.

Now i am registering both my domain ns servers ns1 and ns2 for digipowerhost.net and the second ip will have there own ns1 and ns2 names.

Is this even remotly correct? Please let me know if i can do anything to increase my productivity or cut down my time.

Thanks,
Kermitus