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Domain Name Server

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mort7890
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Re: Domain Name Server

Hi @MisterW 

Many thanks for the links, I have read them and I understand a little (that is dangerous in this situation) however am I correct in the following please.

A records

Left Field    currentdomainname.co.uk less www   in the right field the IP address to point to

CNAME  

Left Field newhost.newsite.com to point to less www     in the right field currentdomainname.co.uk

I think I am reading the instruction like this and hope you do not mind clarifying for me.

Regards

mort7890
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Re: Domain Name Server

Hi @MisterW 

Just spotted the note about a full stop so presume I need to remove and redo.

MisterW
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Re: Domain Name Server

@mort7890  i dont think you have that right!.

Im no expert in the legacy DNS system but from what I understand:-

For both A and CNAME the left field is just the name of the host ( or subdomain ) of your domainname.

For an A record the right field is the IP address that <leftfield>.domainname resovles to

A CNAME is effectively an alias so that <leftfield>.domainname resolves to <rightfield> , the result of which must also have an A record.

To change where your website is accessed, as I understand , you need an A record with leftfield of www and then right filked the IP address where your website is to be accessed. I dont see that you need any CNAME records.

Superusers are not staff, but they do have a direct line of communication into the business in order to raise issues, concerns and feedback from the community.

Alex
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Re: Domain Name Server

Yup @MisterW again I am no expert on this subject, but from (the little) I know about DNS what you're saying sounds about right to me.

I don't see why you need to bother with a CNAME record, the A records you will definitely need to change to the new server and MX do not touch with a bargepole in your position (unless if you make a mistake on that you want all your e-mails bouncing 'return to sender'), which is obviously not good.

When I first did DNS it was very nerve racking to say the least, but when you come out the other side and it works you will have a smile on your face.

mort7890
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Re: Domain Name Server

Hi @MisterW & @Alex 

Thanks to the links for the Archives regarding DNS however I am still struggling with it
 
Regarding the A records

Address, or "A" records, map the name of a machine to its numeric IP address. This record says "for this hostname go to this IP address". To "resolve" a hostname means to find its IP address. This is the record that a name server would send another name server to answer a resolution query. The image below shows how an A record should look:

Using domainname.co.uk as an example, the above address record will point all requests for home.domainname.co.uk to the IP address 192.168.6.9. Even if domainname.co.uk is actually situated on a different IP. This would allow someone to share their domain between a number of machines, each using a different hostname.

Things to be aware of

  • Placing another hostname in the Right Field. A records will only work when pointed to an IP address.
 

Regarding the CNAME again not fully understood

CNAME (Canonical Name Records) records allow a machine to be known by more than one hostname. There must always be an A record for the machine before aliases can be added. The host name of a machine that is stated in an A record is called the canonical, or official name of the machine. Other records should point to the canonical name. Here is an example of a CNAME:

You can see the similarities to the "A" record. Records always read from left to right, with the subject to be queried about on the left and the answer to the query on the right. A machine can have an unlimited number of CNAME aliases. A new record must be entered for each alias though.

This record would allow the domain 'house.domainname.co.uk to resolve to home.domainname.co.uk, which in turn points to the nominated IP address. Note that this means that visitors pointing their web browser to house.domainname.co.uk will not see the webspace on the account but could view webspace that might be served from the computer with the nominated IP address 192.168.6.9

A common use of this facility is to allow customers to directly host their own webpages from their own servers rather than the space set aside for them on the our servers.

Things to be aware of

  • The canonical name (nominated on the right) must be fully qualified (FQDN)

I certainly will not under any circumstances touch the MX records

 

I have been supplied with the IP address to amend the current A record and I have been supplied with a name to replace the current controlling fully qualified domain and I am struggling to fully understand the above details to complete.

Strange to have no one Technical at PN that would simplyfy the situation.

Many thanks for both your help so far, Being a senior I have no hair to pull out I have been bald a long time.

7up
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Re: Domain Name Server

Go back to my post on poage one, I posted an example there for you but for whatever reason you decided it was useless and chose to wait for others to post the same info.

I'll make it simple... 

SUBDOMAIN goes in the left field. EG if you want www.yourdomain.co.uk then put www. in the left field. Select A for the type, then in the right box put the IP address.

Yes it's that simple.

For the MX record, if there is one already there, leave it. If not you need to obtain the MX address for plusnets mail servers.

As for their CSC support, they're generally not great for complex things like that (they officially gave up webhosting a while back). Unfortunately plusnet has gone from being full of tech wizards to not so tech wizardry. I did tag the two wizards i know but i suspect they're either left PN or they're on leave as it's xmas.

I need a new signature... i'm bored of the old one!
mort7890
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Re: Domain Name Server

Hi @7up 

If I made you thing your suggestion was useless and I can assure you it was not intentional I sincerely apologise.

I had been requested by the new web developer to contact current domain provider to amend DNS records as

1. amend the current A record without the www prefix (abc.co.uk) to point to an IP address

2. Replace the current fully controlled domain (www.abc.co.uk) with a CNAME record pointing to (xyz.xyz.com)

I think it was the latter that got me to try and research further and in doing so I am now totally confused.

Once again apologies and thanks for the help so far.

 

Alex
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Re: Domain Name Server

I think all you need to do is have two A records:

www.yourdomain.co.uk to the new IP.
yourdomain.co.uk to the new IP.

I don't see why you need to bother with CNAME records - they will just overcomplicate things for now. They're just an alias for another A record.

As I said, leave MX unchanged (if you can) and don't touch that with a bargepole unless you have to.

Alex
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Re: Domain Name Server

Sorry for replying to myself, but I was curious now and did some MX checks on my PlusNet account.

Without giving anyway personal information (i.e. my PlusNet username), it came back as:

Pref Hostname IP Address TTL
10 mx.avasin.plus.net
British Telecommunications PLC (AS6871)
5 min

 

Just in case it helps, yes I know what you mean @7up about the tech people not being around. It always happens on top of Christmas. Oh well.

EDIT: Some links removed.

bobpullen
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Re: Domain Name Server

@mort7890, so I'm clear - are you just trying to point http://www.domain.tld and http://www.domain.tld to an external IP address whilst retaining your mail collection with Plusnet?

If so, select the 'I wish to specify DNS records for hosts under this domain' radio button under 'Domain Hosting Settings' and configure your records as below (replacing 'domain.tld' with your domain name, and the IP with the IP address you want to use):-

Screenshot 2019-12-21 at 13.19.41.png

Note the qualifying full-stops after the domain name.

Once configured, you'll need to wait 24 hours or so for the changes to proapagate.

Bob Pullen
Plusnet Product Team
If I've been helpful then please give thanks ⤵

mort7890
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Re: Domain Name Server

Hi @Alex 

As said before will not touch MX records under any circumstances.

Regards

mort7890
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Re: Domain Name Server

Hi @bobpullen 

Many thanks for the reply, I have changed the left field to mydomain.co.uk. (A) and the right field to the IP address given by the ther organisation

I have put www in the left field (CNAME) and mydomain.co.uk.in the right field.

Regards

mort7890
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Re: Domain Name Server

Hi @bobpullen 

Sent you a pm

Regards

7up
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Re: Domain Name Server

CNAME will only work if your new server is configured to accept both domains - doman.tld and www.domain.tld

If it's only configured for one you will need to configure it to accept the other.

CNAME merely tells the browser to use the same A record as another domain (eg if you have www.domain.tld pointing as a CNAME to domain.tld then any request for the former will tell the browser to look for the A record for the latter. When the http request is then made it'll still request www.domain.tld at the IP address of domain.tld - so that server's http server must be configured for both.

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mort7890
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Re: Domain Name Server

Problem is I have no control of the new server (it is an agency creating a new web site) and it is them who gave the instructions for changing the DNS hence the reason for the confusion.

I am also a novice at this and this has shown in my hesitance.

Regards