A DNS or Domain Name System is a convention that defines how computers swap data on the Internet. For every website name, like plesk.com, DNS turns it into an Internet Protocol (IP) address like: 21.231.89.78. Hence, giving each computer on the network a unique identity. It’s a bit like a phone number. Every time you access a website, you enter a name, then the request goes through a DNS server or nameserver.
What’s a Nameserver?
This server holds an enormous database of records. So what it does is find the stored name and turns it into its corresponding “phone number.” Therefore, this system makes sure people only need to remember the names for these addresses – and not majorly long numbers.
How you create these DNS records will vary according to your hosting provider. So please check their interface to make sure. But here’s how you can configure nameservers so you can translate domain names into IP addresses.
Note that for domain extensions (TLD), you’ll usually have to use at least 2 different IP addresses for 2 different nameservers. As an example, we’re using the domain “domain.com” with the nameservers “ns1.domain.com” and “ns2.domain.com” which should have IPs “1.1.1.1” and “2.2.2.2”.
Setting up a Nameserver with Plesk Control Panel
Creating Your Domain
First, create your domain in Plesk. Then, go to “Websites & Domains” to see an overview of all your domains. If you want to configure a second IP address for your nameservers, go to “Tools & Settings” > “Tools & Resources” > “IP Addresses”. The nameserver will respond to all configured IPv4 and IPv6 addresses. The IP addresses for your nameservers can be different from the ones you used for your websites.
In Plesk, you do DNS zone configuration with a DNS template. You can find this under “Tools & Settings” -> “General Settings” -> “DNS Template”. This template has all the nameservers ‘ settings – apart from some for default entries and internal services, like webmail. So this is where you can configure the entries for all the domains on your server.
Plesk creates two nameserver entries by default, “ns1.domain.com” and “ns2.domain.com” – just as examples. If you want to use the same nameservers for each of your domains, it’s best to change the NS entries and IP addresses of your nameservers in the template. To use different nameservers, you can also change these settings later in your domain’s DNS zone.
When you have configured the DNS template, you’ll need to apply it to all domains. Now you can see the new settings also in the DNS zone of your domain. You can manage the DNS zone at “Websites & Domains” – “domain.com” – “DNS Settings”. Here, you can add, edit and delete your DNS entries.
Domain Configuration
Finally, you’ll need to properly configure your domain settings with your domain registrar. So, change the nameserver entries. And if you want to use subdomains based on your domain (such as “ns1.domain.com” for your domain “domain.com”) as your nameservers, you’ll need to set up “Glue Records”. This just means that the domain registrar saves the name of the IP address as well as the names of your name servers.
Sometimes you’ll need to configure new IP addresses at the current DNS zone of your domain. Since a DNS update takes time, you may need to wait up to 24 hours before the new settings become actual. You can test your nameservers and the name resolution for your domain with tools like DNSstuff. It can help you verify the settings at your DNS provider and your nameservers.
Read more about Slave DNS on Plesk and take a look at our DNS extensions by clicking below.
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21 Comments
Hi there
I am trialling out Plesk and in need of setting up webmail ASAP, please advise how you can help out with this
Thanks
Des
Hey Desmond, did you find the solution to this?
If not, get in touch with our specialized team: https://plesk.com/contact-support so we can find an answer together
The nameserver will respond to all configured IPv4 and IPv6 addresses
Hi there, I just bought a hosting on Plesk, but the domain of the website I created buy in other vendor. I wonder how I configure the domain and IP DNS in the Plesk hosting? Thank you.
Hey Sony, best to get in touch with your DNS registrar (vendor) about this one as they’re managing the DNS zones 🙂
After being registered and trials I’ve not given the after procedure. What is the next procedure and when will I get my next task and what about the payment. Please reply.
Hi there, upon registration you should have received a License Key. We suggest submitting a request with our Plesk Support, as they will be able to look at your specific case. Thank you.
My domain has the extension .domains. My registrar says I cannot create nameservers for this extension in their DNS settings. Can create the nameservers in Plesk alone and will they work?
Hey Gordon,
Unfortunately not – you will need a registrar DNS. Perhaps you can get in touch with them again and they can refer you?
I have bought single domen and a shared linux hosting from hostgator. do i need to change nameserver or in happen by defalt? please mail me.
Hey there,
You need to change the nameserver record for the domain with any hosting ( shared, vps etc. ) There are other ways of how to associate the certain domain with the certain server, however the classic approach is usually a nameserver change on the side of the registrar. Hope this helps!
Hi
I have multiple domains/websites hosted on our server with a plesk control panel. We have just migrated them all to a new plesk server and all is well except for one which has an extension the company that manages our server cant handle. “.ph”.
I have configured just that single domain to have its nameservers on our new server via the Plesk control panel. Will this work?
In summary all bar one of the domains will use the name servers of the server management company and just one will be managed via Plesk.
Hey Ian,
Our support team offers migration assistance, I would recommend you get in touch: https://support.plesk.com/hc/en-us
I am trying to put up a site with enom (babysafari.org). I am having trouble forming an html file and uploading it.. I keep getting a…htm file. The site is simple – a 5 GB MP3 file, a jpeg image and a html file. I will need to download the MP3 file to many users. The jpeg and MP3 files have been uploaded. Is it mandatory to pay
Plesk monthly (since once the site is up, it will be very stable with no changes)? I do not mind paying a fee but
with no changes to the site foreseen, what do we get? Thank you for your comments. Frank 650-529-1121.
The site has not yet been uploaded.
Hey Frank,
It seems you have already been in touch with our support. You have a license ordered in our online store, but it was not clear to us whether Plesk was installed or not. Can you please reach out to our technical support again in order to get assistance with your website management through Plesk? Link is here: https://support.plesk.com/hc/en-us/requests/new
Thanks and hope this helps!
thank you for sharing I recently started working on domain server for uiz berlin
hi i got a domain and hosting at an isp but they gave me plesk login detail…so i logedinto the plesk and uploaded my web content but i cant find dns setting in website & domains …the hosting is linux…so now the website is not desplaying
Hello, you may find the answer here: https://docs.plesk.com/en-US/obsidian/reseller-guide/website-management/websites-and-domains/domains-and-dns/configuring-dns-for-a-domain/plesk-as-a-slave-dns-server.65192/
Hi, Sorry to be a pain. I have registered a domain with XXX company and webhosting deal along with a Domain with YYY company. although I have changed the changed to Name severs on XXX mapping to the YYY, it wouldnt work. I have completed the website offline and uploaded but unable to understand where I should store the files and cant view the website online! Even the default domain registed with YYY wont work and the only thing that i can see is a preview file but not a live website. what am i doing wrong?(i am novice and have fair knowledge) could you please help me out where I should and what needs to be changed for the default domain and for the domain which is transferred to the hosting package, where do i have to save all my files? do i need to chnage the INDEX files and the web.config file to get the websites working? I am not using any built-in tools to build a website! thank you. Richard
Hi
What is the default MX records for mails in plesk.
I mean what should be mail.example.com MX records ?
Hi Raj,
mail.domain.com is the default wildcard. For more information, you can have a look at the following support article.