What is PTR Record
A PTR (Pointer) record, also known as a Reverse DNS record, is used to map an IP address to a hostname. It allows you to associate a domain name with an IP address, allowing people to associate your domain with your server’s IP address. This can be helpful for email deliverability, as some mail servers will reject incoming email from IP addresses without a PTR record.
In GoDaddy, PTR records can be managed in your account’s DNS management section, where you can add, edit or delete these records.
What is DNS Record
DNS (Domain Name System) records are the information stored in a DNS database that provides mapping between domain names and IP addresses. These records are used to translate human-readable domain names, such as “www.example.com“, into machine-readable IP addresses, such as “192.168.1.1”.
DNS records are stored on servers called DNS servers, which are responsible for managing the domain name system and providing the mapping between domain names and IP addresses. When a user types a domain name into their browser, their computer performs a DNS lookup to find the corresponding IP address and connect to the server hosting the website.
There are several types of DNS records, including:
- A (Address) record: Maps a hostname to an IPv4 address.
- AAAA (Quad A) record: Maps a hostname to an IPv6 address.
- MX (Mail Exchange) record: Specifies the mail server responsible for handling email for a domain.
- CNAME (Canonical Name) record: Alias one hostname to another.
- NS (Name Server) record: Specifies the authoritative DNS servers for a domain.
- TXT (Text) record: Stores arbitrary text information associated with a domain.
By configuring these records, domain owners can control how their domain name resolves, determine which mail servers handle email for their domain, and provide additional information about their domain.
DNS Record & PTR Record Comparison
| Feature | PTR Record | DNS Record |
| Purpose | Maps an IP address to a hostname | Maps a hostname to an IP address |
| Type of Mapping | Reverse DNS mapping | Forward DNS mapping |
| Example | 192.168.1.1 maps to server.example.com | server.example.com maps to 192.168.1.1 |
| Usage | Used for email deliverability | Used for resolving domain names to IP addresses |
| Location | Typically managed by the provider of the IP address block | Typically managed by the domain owner or hosting provider |
How To Add a PTR Record in GoDaddy
In GoDaddy, you can add a PTR record to associate your domain with your server’s IP address.
Step 1: Log in to your GoDaddy account
Go to GoDaddy.com and log in to your account. If you don’t have an account, sign up for one.
Step 2: Navigate to your DNS Management section
Once you are logged in, find the “Domains” section and click on “Manage” for the domain for which you want to add the PTR record. From there, click on “DNS” to access the DNS Management page.
Step 3: Add the PTR record
In the DNS Management page, scroll down to the “Reverse DNS (PTR)” section. Then, click on the “Add” button to add a new PTR record.
Step 4: Enter the PTR record information
In the “Add PTR Record” window, enter the following information:
- Host: Enter the IP address you want to associate with your domain name, in reverse order. For example, if your IP address is “192.168.1.1”, the host would be “1.1.168.192”.
- Points To: Enter the fully qualified domain name (FQDN) of your server. For example, “server.example.com”.
- TTL: Select the time-to-live (TTL) for the record. The default is 1 hour, but you can select a different value if needed.
Step 5: Save the PTR record
Once you have entered the information, click on the “Save” button to add the PTR record. GoDaddy will then validate the information and create the PTR record.
Step 6: Verify the PTR record
To verify that the PTR record has been created correctly, you can use a reverse DNS lookup tool, such as the one at DNSstuff.com. Simply enter your IP address and the tool will show you the hostname associated with that IP address.
In conclusion, adding a PTR record in GoDaddy is a straightforward process that can be completed in just a few steps. By associating your domain name with your server’s IP address, you can help improve email deliverability and ensure that your emails are not rejected by mail servers.
