Web Hosting Talk : Web Hosting Main Forums : Hosting Security and Technology : DNS Question

[Matrix]

I just recently changed my DNS to racklocations yesterday and today my site won't pull up through the domain name. It will pull up though using the IP # for the old hosting and the new IP # from Racklocation.

What I would like to know isn't there an error here somewhere? RackLocation asked me yesterday when I incquired about the DNS info that I needed to change it too what my domain name and IP # I was going to use so they could add it to their system. So is it possible that they haven't added these things on their system and that's why the domain name won't pull up but the IP #'s will pull the site up.


Thanks

By the way how do I make my signature a hyperlink on here?

[elijah_jr]

Hi , it takes 24-48 hours for it to propagate :)

[Matrix]

yeah, I know but there shouldnt be any downtime since the site is still up on the old web host.

The IP#'s pull the site up only but it won't pull up by the domain name.

When I originally switched from Netnation to my other host there wasn't any downtime. When people tried to pull the site up some got directed to the old version of the site at netnation and some to the new version.

So it seems that some people should be getting directed to my old hosted site and some to the new one at racklocation, but that's not the case. It just doesnt pull anything up unless you specifically put the IP # in the url address.

[Edited by Matrix on 03-02-2001 at 12:01 PM]

[Si-WHN]

do a lookup on their dns server to see whether the correct A records have been added. If they aren't there that would explain why your domain doesn't seem to be going anywhere.


re the sig thing http://www.yourlink

regards,

Simon

[Matrix]

yeah they were correct because when I put them in I checked them and it pulls up their site. Plus I use register.com and it won't allow a DNS addition unless its valid.

[Rehan]

You should use nslookup to find out what IP address is being reported for the hostname. Try that both from outside your server and from the server itself.

BTW, what's the hostname you're having problems with?

[Racin' Rob]

If we had the domain name in question, we could help you more.

[Matrix]

Well I actually changed the DNS back to my old host because the site was with RackLocation and that's where the problems are occuring if you read some of the other threads on them.

[Racin' Rob]

I would like to view the dns records for the domian at the new host that is causing the problems. My first thoughts are that there is either and error with the dns records, or an error with the http.conf file.

[Matrix]

heres what they gave me for DNS

ns1.racklocation.com 66.33.42.207
ns2.racklocation.com 66.33.42.208

[Rehan]

Matrix,

Since you have your own dedicated server, you should be using *your* IP addresses for DNS.

The first step in doing that is registering your nameservers with the registrar for your domain. For example, I've set up ns1.bmango.com and ns2.bmango.com by asking directNIC (my registrar for that domain) to set up those nameservers to point to my IP addresses.

Next, you configure BIND on your dedicated server and give it the information you require to host your sites.

If you were expecting RackLocation.com to manage your DNS info, you were heading in the wrong direction...

Good luck,
Rehan

[Matrix]

Well I asked them for the DNS info that I needed to use so I could change it and they gave me that above. I know one of my IP #'s works but the other one isnt binded.

I use register.com for my domain names so I just log in and change the info.

I don't understand then why did they give me that info if it's not correct?

so you're saying it should have been something like:

ns1.mydomain.com and my assigned IP #
ns2.mydomain.com and my other assigned IP #

when I asked racklocation for the DNS info they wanted me to be sure to let them know what my domain name and IP# was so they could add it to their system.

[Edited by Matrix on 03-04-2001 at 11:29 PM]

[Rehan]

Well, you could do it either way -- let RackLocation.com manage your DNS info (using ns1 and ns2.racklocation.com, which they administer) or use your own DNS servers ns1.yourdomain.com and ns2.yourdomain.com. I wouldn't expect dedicated server providers to offer the first option as a norm, though.

In my opinion, using your own DNS servers (ns1 and ns2.yourdomain.com) is a much better option. You'll have to do a bit of reading on how to administer them, though.

Here's the info for registering nameservers through register.com:
http://www.register.com/contact_us4_faq.cgi?#3

[Racin' Rob]

Originally posted by Matrix
heres what they gave me for DNS

ns1.racklocation.com 66.33.42.207
ns2.racklocation.com 66.33.42.208

I think I may see the problem. It appears that you are a novice to dns records and how they work. Appologies if I'm worng.

If your new host gives you the hostnames and IP#'s of their nameservers to change you domain entry at your registrar, you still must advise them to add DNS recoreds for your domains in their nameservers. If these entries are not made, the domain will not work doing a http://www.domain.com.

Common entries are as follows:

domain.com. NS ns2.racklocation.com
domain.com. NS ns1.racklocation.com
domain.com. A 201.202.203.204
domain.com. MX 10 mail.domain.com
ftp CNAME domain.com
mail CNAME domain.com
www CNAME domain.com

If no entries are entered, you will only be able to access that domain by it's IP#.

I would use racklocation's nameservers until you are completely comforable with using your own on your server. In fact, for redundancy, I would use both racklocation's and your's at that point with 3 entries for the domains's nameserver records.

I very good book to learn this is:

DNS and Bind
by Cricket Liu, Paul Albitz, Mike Loukides
Paperback - 482 pages 3rd edition (September 1998)
O'Reilly & Associates; ISBN: 1565925122

Regards,

[Matrix]

"If your new host gives you the hostnames and IP#'s of their nameservers to change you domain entry at your registrar, you still must advise them to add DNS recoreds for your domains in their nameservers"

You're referring to RackLocation here right? That I must advise racklocation to add the DNS records in their nameservers? because I thought once you add them on register.com that it added them in their database.

If so they never did add them.

Yes, I am new to this DNS stuff. I'll take a look at the book that you recommended.


Thanks

Actually just ordered that book from amazon looks like it should be informative...Thanks again.

[Edited by Matrix on 03-05-2001 at 11:45 AM]