How to Configure DNS Settings in Plesk or Your Domain Registrar Make it Rain Paper

Purpose

Learn how to manage DNS settings for your domain via Plesk or through your domain registrar for a simplified and unified DNS management experience.

Pre-requisites

• Ensure Plesk is installed with the DNS Server component enabled.
• Make sure that UDP port 53 is open in your firewall and external firewall (if applicable).
• Access to your domain registrar's account for name server configuration.

How to Configure DNS in Plesk

1. Log into your Plesk control panel.
2. Navigate to Websites & Domains > [Your Domain] > Hosting & DNS > DNS Settings in the Dynamic List view, or Domains > [Your Domain] > DNS Settings in other views.
3. Ensure two glue records are available, typically in the format:
   ns1.yourdomain.com - [Your Plesk server IP]
ns2.yourdomain.com - [Your Plesk server IP]
4. Copy the nameservers (ns1.yourdomain.com and ns2.yourdomain.com) and the server IP addresses for later use.

Updating DNS at Your Domain Registrar

1. Log in to your domain registrar’s control panel.
2. Locate the option to change name servers (often under the DNS or Domain Management section).
3. Input the Plesk-provided nameservers (e.g., ns1.yourdomain.com and ns2.yourdomain.com) along with the corresponding IP addresses.
4. Save your changes. The DNS propagation may take up to 48 hours to complete.

Common Domain Registrars Guides

Common Gotchas

• Mismatch in Nameservers: Ensure that the nameservers you enter in your domain registrar exactly match the nameservers configured in Plesk.
• Firewall Settings: Verify that UDP port 53 is open in your firewall to allow DNS requests to be handled properly.
• Propagation Delay: DNS propagation can take up to 48 hours, during which your domain may experience intermittent access issues.

Advanced Troubleshooting

Using Different IP Addresses for NS1 and NS2

Some domain registrars may require two nameservers with distinct IP addresses. To resolve this issue:

1. Request an additional IP address from another web hosting provider or third-party DNS provider.
2. Add the new IP to Plesk, and configure it as the secondary nameserver in your DNS settings. Example configuration:

ns1.example.com 203.0.113.2
ns2.example.com 203.0.113.3

Setting Up a Slave DNS Server

If you need additional redundancy, consider setting up a slave DNS server for your domain, search Plesk's documentation for detailed steps on configuring this setup.

Additional Resources

• Plesk DNS Guide
• Google Domains - Change Name Servers
• Bluehost - How to Update DNS