Hi. I have installed ISPConfig 3 on a Debian6.0(32bit) VPS by following this guide. After that ive read a lot of tutorials/posts on how to create my own nameservers in order to host my websites. All of them stated as a first step to create A records in DNS zone file(pointing to my ips) through the control panel of my domain registar. The problem is that my registar doesn't provide such a panel. The only thing i can change is the nameservers(already valid). I asked them about that and they told me that they dont provide DNS Hosting/Zone Management. The domain registration is just the name and hosting should take care of zone file/subdomains etc. Any ideas?
Well, since you can only set nameservers at your provider you need to setup nameservers on your own. As far as I understand this, your provider only allows to set the nameservers of a domain. This means the following: if you open your terminal and run: Code: whois howtoforge.com You'lle get a reply at the end with this: Code: Name Server: ns10.projektfarm.com Name Server: ns30.projektfarm.com Name Server: ns20.projektfarm.com That's what a nameserver lookup does. It will not tell directly about zone and on what IP a domain is hosted, but it will just tell you which name server is authorative for a given domain name. In a second step you can then query that name server to find out more about the zones for that domain: Code: dig @ns10.projektfarm.com howtoforge.com And you'll get this reply: Code: ; <<>> DiG 9.9.3-rpz2+rl.13214.22-P2-Ubuntu-1:9.9.3.dfsg.P2-4ubuntu3 <<>> @ns10.projektfarm.com howtoforge.com ; (1 server found) ;; global options: +cmd ;; Got answer: ;; ->>HEADER<<- opcode: QUERY, status: NOERROR, id: 55998 ;; flags: qr aa rd ad; QUERY: 1, ANSWER: 1, AUTHORITY: 3, ADDITIONAL: 0 ;; WARNING: recursion requested but not available ;; QUESTION SECTION: ;howtoforge.com. IN A ;; ANSWER SECTION: howtoforge.com. 180 IN A 188.40.16.205 ;; AUTHORITY SECTION: howtoforge.com. 180 IN NS ns10.projektfarm.com. howtoforge.com. 180 IN NS ns20.projektfarm.com. howtoforge.com. 180 IN NS ns30.projektfarm.com. ;; Query time: 14 msec ;; SERVER: 188.40.72.103#53(188.40.72.103) ;; WHEN: Sat Mar 01 08:18:20 CET 2014 ;; MSG SIZE rcvd: 117 Now you know that howtoforge.com is hosted on IP 188.40.16.205 So, as said before, it sounds your domain provider only allows you to set the nameservers where the zone info can be found. Basically for your own domain you can set it up on your VPS with zone file and so on. BUT you also need to setup your VPS as a nameserver and then tell your domain provider that your domain is hosted on the nameserver on your VPS.
Thank you. Well thats my problem. How can i create nameservers on my VPS if i cant point the domain to my server(ips)? From what i understand i have to buy a domain from a registar that serves DNS hosting/Zone management and make there A records pointing to my server(that will be user for nameservers). Or transfer my domain to that type of company... Correct?
1 static/public IP = 1 nameserver Please keep in mind: for each nameserver you'll need it's own static/public IP! Those IP's you have to "buy" from your ISP (Internet Service Provider) which is not the Registra of your Domain/Website! At min. you'll need 2 static/public IP's if you'll run your own nameservers from which you must have at least 2. If you use the Nameservers from your Registra of your Domain/Website, you'll get them fro free. And it's much less trouble to setup for your system. All you have to do is to create the requires A-Records, which is also done on the Registra's site.
That isn't usual! OK, nameserver's are used for multiple Server/Website's. Mainly you could use multiple Nameservers for one Domain/IP, but you limit the connection to your server slightly. If you use the multiple nameservers of your Registra, and use A-Records for to pint to your IP, you're mor on the sure site. Just an example: you run an server with just 1 IP and use your own Nameserver twice pointing to the same IP and your server went down, so also your Nameservers are fully down and nothing is any more accessible from the Internet. If you also use on your Server several Mail Servers with numerous Mail-Accounts, all the mail which is send to you will be lost 100% in case of downtime. If you use the Nameservers from your Registra, most of the good registras having an Emergency Mail Backup for some hour's or day's and soon your server is back online, you'll have back those mail and didn't lose them! I had such situation just a short while ago and received more than 300 mails after the server was back online! I could also create an message at my Registras site in case my Server went off! That I couldn't if I use my own Nameservers!! And again, trhe setup of the Nameservers on my registras site is much more easy than to setrup my own Nameserver's on my own server!
I own 2 static public IPs, i used them both... but indeed my registar requires one. I think i made it working. I say i think because the domains resolve fine but i am not sure if my configuration is absolute correct and complete. For example if i transfer my domain(that i use for nameservers) to another registar will the nameservers still resolve the domains? Meaning: are my nameservers public registered or my registar created them? Well thats the main problem. My registar doesnt provide me zone editor, so no a record is possible on their side.
Google translate works quite well also with greek!! Anyway, that isn't a Registra, it's an Hosting provider in first line! May it use to be the Registrant of your Domain, but that isn't an Registra! Take a look at the translate part of their Website, which also shows that they're using accredited registras....: That also means that you didn't have 100% power over your own domain! If I were you, I would transfer the Domain to an normal Registra of your choice like: Namecheap, GoDaddy, or any other gives you the full power over your own Domain!
Thank you. Well because of the nature of top level domain (.gr) i think i cant move it at a company outside EU.
You could still use an Registra from within the EU or even Greece, just don't "bundle" the Registra and the Hosting company together if you like to have full control. Just do an sign up with an Registra and than ask that Registra for to transfer the Domain to them which they mainly do for free if you you add (and pay for) one more year. All you have to do is to get an Auth Code from your Hoster for the Domain Transfer, which they must provide to you! Any company (Registra or whatsoever) who deny to give that Auth-Code with no conditions, should be avoided to use at all!
I switch to a registrar that allows editing zone files. Quaxth thanks for your suggestions but i will try running my own nameservers for a couple of domains and test how it works. It wont be used in production i just want to understand and learn how all that(DNS, rDNS, DNSSEC etc) work in practice. Thank you all for the help.
It's entirely up to you what way you like to go! In case just for testing, why not use an free Domain from the TK Domains which are 1. level domains? That would gives you most of the ability you'll need for your testing. And .tk also allows zone editing as well! Just go to http://www.dot.tk and sign up a new domain, done that go to http://my.dot.tk for to edit/handle the domain. It's an easy "game" with them.
