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DNS Overview

What is a DNS Zone?

A DNS zone represents a portion of the DNS namespace managed by smoxy. It contains a collection of DNS records that define how DNS queries for domains within the zone should be handled. Managing DNS zones in smoxy allows you to control various aspects of your domain’s behavior, including IP addresses (A records), mail server settings (MX records), and more.

How to Use DNS Zones in smoxy

In smoxy, DNS zones help you manage and configure settings related to your domain’s DNS. While smoxy handles all the technical details behind the scenes, you can easily add, edit, or delete DNS records within your zone. The changes you make will ensure your domain is correctly routed to your website or other services.

Key DNS Record Types:

• A Record: Maps a domain name to an IP address. It’s essential for pointing your domain to the correct server.

• MX Record: Specifies the mail servers responsible for receiving email on behalf of your domain. This is crucial for ensuring your emails are delivered correctly.

• CNAME Record: Allows you to alias one domain name to another, useful for handling multiple domain versions (e.g., www and non-www).

• TXT Record: Used to associate arbitrary text with your domain. Often required for email verification or security settings.

Managing DNS Zones in smoxy

When you click on DNS in the smoxy sidebar, you will be directed to an overview of all domains that have been set up as DNS zones. This overview provides a table displaying the following details for each domain:

• Domain Name: The name of the domain set up as a DNS zone.

• Current State: Indicates whether the domain’s nameservers have been switched to smoxy or not.

• Actions: Options to delete the DNS zone or edit it.

Editing a DNS Zone

You can edit a DNS zone by either clicking on the domain name or selecting the “Edit” action. This will take you to a detailed page where you can manage all DNS records associated with the zone.

On this page, you can:

Add DNS Records: The Add DNS Records button includes a dropdown. By clicking on the button, you will see three options:

  1. Add DNS Record: Opens a popup to input the necessary details for different DNS record types (A, MX, CNAME, TXT, etc.).

  2. Import DNS Records: If you’re migrating from another DNS provider, you can use the Import option to upload a .txt file in BIND format. This will automatically configure all your DNS records in smoxy.

  3. Export DNS Records: You can export your existing DNS records in BIND format using the Export option.

This dropdown provides easy access to both adding individual DNS records and migrating DNS settings from other providers or backing them up.

DNS Zone Tabs

There are two main tabs within the DNS zone page:

1. DNS Records: This tab displays all the DNS records that are set up for the domain. You can manage and edit each record as needed.

2. Nameservers: This tab shows you the nameservers assigned by smoxy. These are the two name server records you need to use at your domain registrar to fully activate the DNS zone within smoxy.

Changing Name Servers

What Does It Mean to Change the Name Server?

Changing the name server for your domain means you are instructing your domain to use a different DNS service, in this case, smoxy’s DNS service. When you switch to smoxy’s nameservers, smoxy will manage all DNS queries for your domain, which ensures that the DNS records you’ve configured (e.g., A, MX, CNAME records) are used when someone accesses your domain.

How to Change the Name Server

  1. Get the Nameservers:

    • In the Smoxy Nameservers tab, you will find the two smoxy-provided nameservers.

  2. Access Your Domain Registrar:

    • Log in to the account you have with your domain registrar (the service where you bought your domain, such as Strato, Hosteurope, or others).

  3. Find DNS Settings:

    • Navigate to the domain settings page, where you’ll typically find an option to manage DNS or nameservers.

  4. Update the Nameservers:

    • Replace the current nameservers with the two smoxy nameservers provided in the smoxy DNS zone.

    • Save the changes.

  5. Wait for Propagation:

    • DNS changes may take up to 24 hours to fully propagate across the internet. During this time, your domain may still use the old nameservers until the change is complete.

By switching your domain’s nameservers to smoxy, you ensure that all DNS records you manage within smoxy are active and correctly resolving. This is a crucial step for fully utilizing smoxy’s DNS zone management features.

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