What is a PTR Record?
PTR (Pointer) records are a type of DNS record used to map an IP address to a domain name in a reverse fashion compared to A records. While A records link domain names to IP addresses, PTR records perform the opposite task by associating IP addresses with their corresponding domain names.
PTR records are mainly used for a specific internet function known as reverse DNS lookup. This process is commonly used for security purposes, email verification, and network diagnostics.
Learn more about it: How to Reverse IP Lookup and Check PTR Record
How to Add a PTR Record
To manage PTR records on your VPS, follow these steps:
Step 1 - Preparations
First, make sure that the domain is pointing to your VPS by A record. You can find the IP address of your VPS at the top of the VPS information tab. Go to your domain's DNS Zone, according to its nameservers to verify it:
If your domain is using Hostinger nameservers, check this guide: How to Manage A Records at Hostinger
If your domain is pointed elsewhere, your DNS zone is managed from there
If you made any changes to the domain's records, wait up to 24 hours for the propagation to be completed, then proceed to the next step.
Step 2 - Set the PTR Record
Unlike A records, which are created on the domain's DNS Zone, PTR records should be created on the server. Open the VPS section of your hPanel, select your server, and open the Settings page:
Go to the IP address tab, and click on Set PTR record next to the IPv4 or IPv6 address of your server according to your requirements.
On the pop-up window that will appear, enter the PTR record name, that is, the name of your domain, and click on Save. Once propagation is completed, your PTR record will be fully operational.
If you need to remove an existing PTR record, you can do so in the same section by clicking on Delete:
Deleting a PTR record will allow you to set a new one, for example, if you change your domain name.