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Point domain name to an IP address Question


reflex84

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Hi,If a client asks to point a domain name (which is on our server) to an IP address (to another server)... what would this mean? Would this simply be a type of re-direct or would this mean that I would Host the website on our server?Thanks in advance ...

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Neither. All domain names (that point to something) are linked to IP addresses using the DNS (domain name system). For example, google.com points to 74.125.237.82, which is where the server hosting the website that you see when going to http://google.com/ is located. Therefore, in this case they are just asking for you to tell the DNS that the server for their domain name is located at the IP address provided. This is done through the use of name servers, a special type of server that can advise the DNS on what IP addresses domain names should resolve to. You can usually use the administration interface on the website of the domain name's registrar to change the name server information for the domain name.

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Ok just to extend to this question...I am liasing with a domain registrant company who says this:"We don’t offer dns record (A record, MX record, et.) pointing to IP addresses, as we don’t offer Hosting services anymore. The dns traffic would be generated on our server and no one would be billed for it, so it cannot be done. However, we can point the Primary and Secondary Nameservers to your Hosting company. The annual domain name renewals can then remain with us."You see if I Host the domain name ... Would I get Dns traffic if I point the domain name to another IP address?

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You don't "host the domain name". The (domain) name and the site are two distinct entities.You "host" the site on a web server. Any name could point to that web server.You... I suppose a good term would be "list"... DNS records on a DNS server. When you buy a domain name, you need to point it to a DNS server. This DNS server is then responsible for saying what IP does a certain name correspond to.Most hosting companies have their own DNS servers on which they "list" DNS records for the sites that they host. When you buy a domain name, you point it to their DNS servers, which then do the domain-to-ip translation.If you have your own web server, and your own IP address (not belonging to a hosting company), you should also get yourself a DNS server. You can then ask your domain register to "create an NS record for [insert your DNS server's IP address]".

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