Confused about DNS and MX record

Let me rephrase my question:

I registered a domain name at godaddy
I subscribe to email service at 1and1
1and1 asked me to use their dns for my domain dns servers, after I did this,
my email works

Question:

Wouldn't it be sufficient for 1and1 to give me their email server address to
stick in my domain's MX record? Why do they "volunteer" to be my dns as
well?

Now if I want to change my A record, I don't know whether to ask godaddy or
1and1.

Re: Confused about DNS and MX record

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peter writes:

> Let me rephrase my question:
>
> I registered a domain name at godaddy
> I subscribe to email service at 1and1
> 1and1 asked me to use their dns for my domain dns servers, after I did this,
> my email works
>
> Question:
>
> Wouldn't it be sufficient for 1and1 to give me their email server address to
> stick in my domain's MX record? Why do they "volunteer" to be my dns as
> well?
>
> Now if I want to change my A record, I don't know whether to ask godaddy or
> 1and1.

It's impossible to give an accurate answer without looking at the DNS
records in question. Your description of the situation at hand can be
interpreted in several different ways.



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Re: Confused about DNS and MX record

peter wrote:

> Let me rephrase my question:
>
> I registered a domain name at godaddy
> I subscribe to email service at 1and1
> 1and1 asked me to use their dns for my domain dns servers, after I did this,
> my email works
>
> Question:
>
> Wouldn't it be sufficient for 1and1 to give me their email server address to
> stick in my domain's MX record? Why do they "volunteer" to be my dns as
> well?
>
> Now if I want to change my A record, I don't know whether to ask godaddy or
> 1and1.
>
>

When the provider has control of DNS they have the flexibility of
controlling your domain. Lets say the mail server they have in question
is malfunctioning or they are migrating the mail services to a
different setup. When they are incharge of the DNS, they can transition
the domain from one setup to another without interruption and without
the need to contact you.

When they are not in control of the DNS, they need to contact you and
have you make the adjustment.

run nslookup -q=soa yourdomain.com, whose name servers are reflected?
Look at betterwhois.com, whose name servers are reflected. To whom the
name servers belong, This is the entity that is incharge of the DNS.

AK

Re: Confused about DNS and MX record

"AK" wrote in message
news:baOdnfV0v9BrTaXeRVn-uQ@comcast.com...
> peter wrote:
>
> When the provider has control of DNS they have the flexibility of
> controlling your domain. Lets say the mail server they have in question
> is malfunctioning or they are migrating the mail services to a different
> setup. When they are incharge of the DNS, they can transition the domain
> from one setup to another without interruption and without the need to
> contact you.
>
> When they are not in control of the DNS, they need to contact you and have
> you make the adjustment.
>
> run nslookup -q=soa yourdomain.com, whose name servers are reflected?
> Look at betterwhois.com, whose name servers are reflected. To whom the
> name servers belong, This is the entity that is incharge of the DNS.
>
> AK

nslookup shows that
primary name server = ns29.1and1.com
responsible mail addr = hostmaster.1and1.com
...

So, if I picked another company to host my web page, wouldn't they also like
to take control of my domain and ask to become my domain name server? In
other words, should I let the web hosting company be my dns, or the email
hosting company?

Re: Confused about DNS and MX record

peter wrote:

> "AK" wrote in message
> news:baOdnfV0v9BrTaXeRVn-uQ@comcast.com...
>
>>peter wrote:
>>
>>When the provider has control of DNS they have the flexibility of
>>controlling your domain. Lets say the mail server they have in question
>>is malfunctioning or they are migrating the mail services to a different
>>setup. When they are incharge of the DNS, they can transition the domain
>>from one setup to another without interruption and without the need to
>>contact you.
>>
>>When they are not in control of the DNS, they need to contact you and have
>>you make the adjustment.
>>
>>run nslookup -q=soa yourdomain.com, whose name servers are reflected?
>>Look at betterwhois.com, whose name servers are reflected. To whom the
>>name servers belong, This is the entity that is incharge of the DNS.
>>
>>AK
>
>
> nslookup shows that
> primary name server = ns29.1and1.com
> responsible mail addr = hostmaster.1and1.com
> ...
>
> So, if I picked another company to host my web page, wouldn't they also like
> to take control of my domain and ask to become my domain name server? In
> other words, should I let the web hosting company be my dns, or the email
> hosting company?
>
>

Usually, firms that only host the web site, might not be as insistant on
controlling DNS as would email service providers.
The decision of which host will control the DNS is up to you and the
policy of each host. You always have an option to go with someone else
who will provide both email and web hosting services.

AK

Re: Confused about DNS and MX record

>So, if I picked another company to host my web page, wouldn't they also like
>to take control of my domain and ask to become my domain name server? In
>other words, should I let the web hosting company be my dns, or the email
>hosting company?

You may want to take a look at ZoneEdit.com. They offer (to some
reasonable/generous degree) free DNS hosting and hence you can manage
all on your own. Your web host provider only needs to tell you the IP
address of the host with your webpages on it. By doing so you can have
your mailserver(s) and webserveres etc. whereevre you want.

HTH

Markus

Re: Confused about DNS and MX record

"AK" wrote in message
news:5I6dnZy2cpprz6TeRVn-uw@comcast.com...
>
> Usually, firms that only host the web site, might not be as insistant on
> controlling DNS as would email service providers.

I'm very curious why this is so.

My email hosting service (1and1) has taken over my web space as well,
without asking. I used to have a parked page at godaddy (where I
registered). Now 1and1 "gave" me a free startup page. It would be nicer if
they asked first whether I want to switch my web site.

If I had wanted to keep my web site, I would have to first remember the IP
in record A, then after 1and1 took over, I would have to edit the record A
to point back at its old address.

Re: Confused about DNS and MX record

"Markus Zingg" wrote in message
news:27nij15saujmts9rqaaopu6jf1odlg7iid@4ax.com...
>
> You may want to take a look at ZoneEdit.com. They offer (to some
> reasonable/generous degree) free DNS hosting and hence you can manage
> all on your own. Your web host provider only needs to tell you the IP
> address of the host with your webpages on it. By doing so you can have
> your mailserver(s) and webserveres etc. whereevre you want.
>
> HTH

I thought that when one registers for a domain name, the fee paid includes
DNS service and the ability for me to change DNS servers or to change the
record A or MX.

Free DNS hosting is useful if you don't like the DNS servers provided by the
registrar?

Re: Confused about DNS and MX record

peter wrote:

> "Markus Zingg" wrote in message
> news:27nij15saujmts9rqaaopu6jf1odlg7iid@4ax.com...
>
>>You may want to take a look at ZoneEdit.com. They offer (to some
>>reasonable/generous degree) free DNS hosting and hence you can manage
>>all on your own. Your web host provider only needs to tell you the IP
>>address of the host with your webpages on it. By doing so you can have
>>your mailserver(s) and webserveres etc. whereevre you want.
>>
>>HTH
>
>
> I thought that when one registers for a domain name, the fee paid includes
> DNS service and the ability for me to change DNS servers or to change the
> record A or MX.
>
> Free DNS hosting is useful if you don't like the DNS servers provided by the
> registrar?
>
>

The DNS services provided by Registrar are an add-on or a Value added
service a Registrar might provide.

Not all host firms allow for Client Control of the DNS zone. It depends
on the hosting firm and their reasoning. At times, the provisioning
mechanisms rely on the host to be the authoritative for the zone.

AK

Re: Confused about DNS and MX record

>I thought that when one registers for a domain name, the fee paid includes
>DNS service and the ability for me to change DNS servers or to change the
>record A or MX.

No, a domain registration usually does not include DNS server hosting.
All the registrar always alows you to do is to enter the DNS servers
which will host your domain. It might be that some registars offer DNS
hosting a service too, but it's definately not standard. Actually many
registrants probably would not want that anyways and as a result such
DNS hosting services are (if at all) available at aditional costs.

>Free DNS hosting is useful if you don't like the DNS servers provided by the
>registrar?

It's usefull if you don't like to host the domain elsewhere :-) I
figure in most situations you would host the domain with the ISP you
are using to connect to the interent. At least this seems to be the
case with smaller firms and over here in europe. Don't know how things
are in the US though.

ZoneEdit also comes in handy with aditional features like dynamic IP
address support and mail and website routing etc.

HTH

Markus

PS: I'm not at all related to ZoneEidt. I just use their services with
some of my domains and I'm just a happy user.

Re: Confused about DNS and MX record

On Wed, 28 Sep 2005 21:23:47 GMT, "peter" wrote:

>My email hosting service (1and1) has taken over my web space as well,
>without asking. I used to have a parked page at godaddy (where I
>registered). Now 1and1 "gave" me a free startup page. It would be nicer if
>they asked first whether I want to switch my web site.

I'm curious about how they came to host your DNS in the first place.
It sounds like you made a deal for email service and then they just
took over. Yes? It shouldn't work that way, only you, via your
registrar, should be able to change the DNS servers for your domain.

Steve Baker

Re: Confused about DNS and MX record

"Steve Baker" wrote in message
news:eupmj1hjhf6fhlr22i7jvcosegivp0906p@4ax.com...
> On Wed, 28 Sep 2005 21:23:47 GMT, "peter" wrote:
>
> I'm curious about how they came to host your DNS in the first place.
> It sounds like you made a deal for email service and then they just
> took over. Yes? It shouldn't work that way, only you, via your
> registrar, should be able to change the DNS servers for your domain.

Because I'm required to switch my DNS to them as a condition for email
hosting.

Re: Confused about DNS and MX record

On Thu, 29 Sep 2005 07:45:54 GMT, "peter" wrote:

>
>"Steve Baker" wrote in message
>news:eupmj1hjhf6fhlr22i7jvcosegivp0906p@4ax.com...
>> On Wed, 28 Sep 2005 21:23:47 GMT, "peter" wrote:
>>
>> I'm curious about how they came to host your DNS in the first place.
>> It sounds like you made a deal for email service and then they just
>> took over. Yes? It shouldn't work that way, only you, via your
>> registrar, should be able to change the DNS servers for your domain.
>
>Because I'm required to switch my DNS to them as a condition for email
>hosting.

Oh, yeah, I see now that you mentioned that in your original post.
Didn't click, though. Duh.

Thanks,
Steve Baker