As a website owner, you want your emails to land in the customer’s inbox instead of the spam folder. That’s where the DNS PTR record comes into play! It prevents your emails from ending up in spam folders.
If you are still wondering what DNS PTR Record is and why I need one? Then, keep reading as, in this article, we will cover everything about PTR records, such as;
So, without wasting any time, let’s dive right in!
A DNS PTR record is a type of DNS record that links an IP address to a domain name. It is the opposite of the A record (DNS A record), which links a domain name to an IP address. DNS PTR record helps you with reverse DNS lookups, which are queries that start with an IP address and look up the domain name.
The syntax of a DNS PTR record is as follows:
Where:
For example, a PTR record example for the IP address 192.0.2.244 and the domain name example.com would look like this:
244.2.0.192.in-addr.arpa. IN PTR example.com
Your DNS PTR record can help you improve email deliverability because some email servers use reverse DNS for email domain authentication. If your IP address has no PTR record or a mismatched domain name, the recipient email server might reject or mark your email as spam.
Along with improved email deliverability, DNS PTR records can help with the following:
As it is clear that having a PTR Record is absolutely necessary, does it mean that you should create a PTR record? No, because your email provider or web hosting company would have already done it for you.
Now, move on, and let’s see how you can double-check whether your provider has created a PTR record. If they haven’t, then how can you create one?
To check if your IP address has a PTR record, you can use online tools such as the reverse lookup tool at MX Toolbox and DNS Checker. These tools will show you the domain name associated with an IP address or tell you if a PTR record is missing.
When you enter the IP address of your server and click Reverse Lookup, the following information will appear;
In case of a missing PTR record, you might wonder how to set a PTR record in DNS.
The simple answer is you will have to create one or ask your web hosting or email service provider to create one for you.
Usually, you can not add your own PTR record because you probably don’t have control over the “reverse DNS zone” for your website’s domain. It’s different from the zone where you set up your website’s regular addresses, “A records.”
But if you have control over this reverse DNS or use a specific DNS provider, you can create your own PTR record. Here are some guides on how to do it for different services:
According to our earlier example of an IP address of 192.0.2.244, with the domain example.com, the PTR record would look like this:
244.2.0.192.in-addr.arpa. IN PTR example.com
What other DNS Records Do You Need to Create?
As a Post SMTP user, you might need to add additional DNS records to your domain’s DNS (Domain Name System). This will help to ensure that your emails get delivered properly.
There are three important DNS records you can add:
If you don’t know which records to add, you can check our detailed documentation for your email provider:
Once you set up these DNS records, your emails should have a better chance of reaching the inbox, and you’ll face fewer issues with any sort of email warnings.
DNS PTR records are essential for reverse DNS lookups, which can improve your email deliverability, logging, and security. You need to have at least one PTR record for each IP address you use.
Additionally, for better email delivery, you have to use the Post SMTP plugin with the right configurations, which routes your emails through a reliable SMTP server so that they reach the inbox instead of going to the spam folder.
We hope this article has helped you understand what a DNS PTR record is and why you need one. If you have any questions or need help configuring Post SMTP or any other email delivery-related issues, please contact us here.
What is the use of PTR records in DNS?
A PTR record links an IP address to a domain name, which is the opposite of what an A record does. A PTR record is useful for reverse DNS lookups, which improves logging capabilities and increases security by detecting malicious or suspicious activity from unknown IP addresses.
Are PTR records necessary?
PTR records are not mandatory, but they are highly recommended for email delivery and security purposes. Some email servers and anti-spam filters use reverse DNS to check whether the IP address matches the domain name. A missing or mismatched PTR record can make your email bounce.
Can you have 2 PTR records?
Yes, you can have multiple PTR records for the same IP address, but it is not advisable. Having more than one PTR record for an IP address can cause confusion and inconsistency in reverse DNS lookups, leading to unexpected results and errors in email delivery, logging, and security.
How many types of PTR are there?
There are two types of PTR records: one for IPv4 addresses and one for IPv6 addresses. The difference between them is the format and the namespace they use. For IPv4 addresses, the PTR record uses the in-addr.arpa namespace. And for IPv6 addresses, .ip6.arpa namespace.
What is a PTR DNS record used for?
A PTR DNS record is used for reverse DNS lookups, which are queries that start with an IP address and look up the associated domain name.
What is an example of a PTR record?
An example of a PTR record is;
244.2.0.192.in-addr.arpa 86400 IN PTR example.com
This means that the IP address 192.0.2.244 is linked to the domain name example.com, and this record has a time to live (TTL) of 86400 seconds (24 hours).
Who can create a PTR record?
Only the owner or administrator of an IP address can create a PTR record for it, which is usually the web hosting or email service provider that assigns or leases the IP address to a customer or user.
