DNS Management A Tutorial for Users
DNS Management is the free service that Cheaper Domains provide, allowing you to edit the files of your domain names, be that a .com.au, .net.au, .org.au. You have this free service for any domain name we support. Once set up, you can point your domain names to a static ip address then create CName records, MX records, A records and nameserver records. The vast majority of users will not use DNS Management at all, they will simply delegate to authoritative name servers of their hosting company that administer their Name Server records, leaving their hosting company to create the necessary DNS records for their domain names to work. Please don't confuse this with domain forwarding. This involves redirecting a domain name to another web address. Most Australian domain name registrars do not provide you with DNS Management or domain name forwarding. Cheaper Domains, an auDA accredited registrar, gives you the choice to use our value for money Australian based hosting or your own in-house hosting. They are your domain names and you should have the option to you use them however you want.
Things You Can Do With DNS Management
• Redirect your domain name to a static ip address set up on your office or home computer. This allows you to host your own website, intranet or database on your in-house machines.
• Redirect your domain name to a dedicated server located in a professional data centre. A much better alternative than using the same dedicated server as a name server and a web server- if your dedicated server fails, your name server will also fail to work or resolve. By having an external name server record on a different set of servers to your dedicated server, you are able to redirect your zone file records to a different server.
• This gives you more control to create subdomains and create addtional MX records. The vast majority of web hosting companies don't give you domain name management, therefore you are limited to the number of subdomains, Cname records, MX and A records that you can create or edit. Also worth noting, if you are hosting your site with a hosting company, your website must have a static IP address for you to use DNS management. If your hosting company does not provide you with a static IP address, you won't be able to use DNS Management services and you will be required to use your hosting company's name servers. The vast majority of websites are hosted on what is called shared IP addresses, and you will need to ask your host to set you up with a static IP address. Most host providers charge a small yearly fee for this service because IP addressing is limited. Cheaper Domains web hosting plans come with the ability to edit zone files. Not all hosting providers offer you this service for free.
• Direct the mail associated with your domain name to your local office exchange server, at the same time directing your website traffic to the server hosted in your hosting company's datacentre.
• Create Cname records for google applications http://www.google.com/support/a/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=47283
• Create Cname records for iweb dot Mac website or MobileMe.
• Pointing www A name record to an ip address, as instructed by some DIY website providers.
If you are looking to redirect your domain name to a URL, then read about domain name forwarding and DNS management. Its features are more suited to businesses that require access to the edit the zone files of their domain name. First published by Cheaper Domains Pty Ltd 17.12.2010 copyright and indexed by Google natural search. Cheaper Domains is part of The Total Internet Group.
• Should you need to add more DNS records than are available you can purchase Premium DNS hosting for $20 per year.
