How to Manage the DNS Zone on IONOS

Introduction: Understanding DNS Zone Management on IONOS

Controlling your DNS may be technical, but it is an essential skill in any person who owns a Web site or can control a domain. In its simplest form, DNS (Domain Name System) is the internet phone book, which guides the traffic towards the appropriate destinations. It not only points your domain to the right server but also makes emails work and allows you to create subdomains.

IONOS, a familiar online hosting, domain registration, and online service setup platform, is one of the most popular places to manage DNS. Knowing how to work with your DNS zone at IONOS will help you prevent numerous issues in the future.

Without a properly managed DNS zone, your site could crash, emails could not work, or a visitor would be directed to the incorrect page. To ensure that things run smoothly, let’s see what to do to manage your DNS zone on IONOS.

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How to Access DNS Zone Management on IONOS

Quick heads up—only people who are admins, owners, or have been given the proper DNS permissions can actually make changes to the DNS zones. Suppose that’s you, good. Otherwise, you may have to request a person who can access.

DNZs on IONOS can be handled in a few different ways, depending on your set-up. Here’s how to get to it:

1. Using the IONOS Cloud Panel (also called DCD)

  • Go to the right spot:
  • Once you’re logged into the Cloud Panel, click on the Menu and go to:
  • Network > Cloud DNS > Public Zones.
  • Under ” Public Zones, ” you’ll see a list of your DNS zones. If you’ve already set some up, they’ll be listed there.

Check the details:

  • Click on the zone you want to examine. It’ll show information such as its status, nameservers when it was created, and a few other bits of info.
  • On the right side, under the “Action” column, click Details & Records to actually view or change the DNS entries.

2. the API (for the more technical folks)

What you’ll need first: You need API credentials that allow you to manage DNS (they should have the “accessAndManageDns” permission).

Here’s what you can do:

  • List all the zones: send a GET request to /dns/v1/zones.. You may limit the list by name or state.
  • Get a particular zone: Use a GET request to /dns/v1/zones/zone Id. You will require the UUID of a zone you are attempting to check.
  • Add a zone: create a zone. Then, to import records using a BIND-format file, send a PUT request with the file data.

3. If Your Domain Is Registered Directly with IONOS

All you need to do is to log into your IONOS account and navigate to the DNS Settings option in the dashboard. You can access the DNS records of any domains registered with IONOS from there directly, or alternatively update them. You do not need to play around with the Cloud Panel when you have basic records to manage.

Understanding DNS Record Types in IONOS

Once you’re in the DNS settings, you’ll see a bunch of record types—and yeah, they might look a little confusing at first. All have a job. The most typical ones that you are likely to encounter are listed below on a surface level:

  • An A (Address) Record: An A record associates your domain with a real IP address. Therefore, when a person types in your site, the A record will indicate to the internet your location. Think of it as a means of giving one another your address in the street.
  • AAAA (IPv6) Record: AAAA (IPv6) Record is like A record, but only IPv6 addresses (the longer newer addresses) are associated with it.
  • CNAME (Canonical Name) Record: It is similar to a nickname. It allows one domain to reference another domain rather than IP. So say you have blog.yoursite.com and you want it to go to your main site or to another server, you would use CNAME.
  • MX (Mail Exchange) Record: These are email related. MX records instruct the internet on where to transmit your emails. So when you are using something such as Gmail or Outlook with your domain you are going to have to configure these.
  • TXT (Text) Record: TXT records simply consist of small fragments of text that you add to your domain. They are primarily applied to verification purposes, such as demonstrating you are the owner of the domain to Google, or configuring email security controls such as SPF or DKIM (not as intimidating as they may appear).
  • NS (Nameserver) Record: These will point your domain to the server containing all your DNS data. When you are using IONOS as your DNS, then these generally do not need to be changed. However, when you have another DNS provider you will go and modify the NS records to point there.
Managing DNS Records on IONOS Step by Step Guide

Managing DNS Records on IONOS: Step-by-Step Guide

After you get into your DNS settings, you may wish to see, create, edit, or simply clean. Let’s walk through each part.

Viewing Existing Records

To see all the DNS entries for your domain:

Using DCD (Cloud Panel): 

  • Go to the menu, 
  • then Network > Cloud DNS > Public Zones. 
  • Find the zone you want and click Details & Records to see everything listed.

Using the Control Center: 

  • Head to Domains & SSL,
  • then click the little three-dot menu next to your domain. 
  • Choose DNS, and you’ll land on the record page.
  • You will see stuff like:
  • The Full Domain Name (FQDN)
  • Record type 
  • The value it is pointing to
  • It’s status (like Available or Provisioning)
  • And a toggle to turn records on or off

Adding New Records

  • Get into your DNS zone: Either click Details & Records in the DCD or go to DNS in the Control Center.
  • Then add the record: 
  • In DCD, click Add Record and select the type (A, CNAME, etc.). Plug in the domain name, TT, and the value itself.
  • On the Control Center, you can Add Entry and fill in the details, select the type.
  • Save your changes: This could require a maximum of 48 hours to completely circulate changes across the internet, but in the majority of cases it is faster.

Editing Records

Need to fix or update something, like change an IP address or mail server?

  • Find the record you want to change in the DNS list.
  • Then edit it:
  • In the Control Center, click the edit icon.
  • In DCD, choose Details & Edit next to the record.
  • You are allowed to modify the value (such as the IP), TTL or even the type in certain situations. With MX records, it is important to check the priority and ensure that the information of the mail server is accurate.

Deleting Records

Are there any old or broken records?

It will make you confirm first before it deletes anything, just in case.

Deleting one: Click the record and press Delete, or press Delete Record when you are already editing.

Delete more at once: In DCD, you can tick off a few records and click Delete together.

Resetting the DNS Zone

At times, it gets too disorganized and it is simply easier to do it over. It is then that re-setting the zone can be useful.

  • Resetting: You can do it when you have a bunch of records that are messed up or you simply want to go back to the default settings that IONOS is using, such as what they use with their web hosting.
  • How to do it: Select the DNS settings of the domain in the Control Center. Find Reset Settings and press it and confirm.
  • What it does: It will destroy all custom entries and will leave you with the default settings of IONOS.. So make sure to save anything important before hitting reset.

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Conclusion

You can manage your DNS zone on IONOS as easily as it initially sounds. All the record types and settings have some learning curve, but once you get used to it, it becomes second nature. You need to point your domain, get your emails set up, or even simply troubleshoot a crazy redirect, you can save a lot of time (and headaches) by knowing how your DNS zone works.

IONOS provides you with a few varying options to do all of that. You can choose to edit your documents quickly using the Control Center, do the job in the DCD, or utilize the API; all the tools are present. You’ll be all right; you just need to do it step by step, check twice what you are changing, and so on.

You can always just reset to default if anything breaks or does not work as you expected so you should not stress too much.

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FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

Do I require technical expertise to operate DNS with IONOS?

Not really. Knowing the basics is good, but IONOS makes it quite simple. Everything is fine as long as you stick to the right procedure and look at what you are modifying.

What is the DNS latency?

It is typically completed within a couple of hours or a few minutes, though may even last 48 hours around the world. It will be dependent on TTL settings and the rate at which other servers update their record.

Will a DNS change break my web site?

Yes, when you edit or delete the incorrect record, your email or site may not work. Look twice before making changes, and make a copy of your old settings where possible.

What are A and CNAME records?

An A record points to an IP address, whereas a CNAME points to another domain name . A is a direct link, and CNAME is an alias/a redirection link.

Is it safe to reset my DNS zone?

It is safe, but will delete all of your custom settings and return to the IONOS defaults. Only do it when you are certain and perhaps take a screenshot or make a note of your current configuration first.

How do I create an MX record to use my email service?

Open your DNS configuration, and select Add Record (add entry), change Type to MX, and enter the information provided by your email provider, which is normally the name of the server and the priority. Then save it.

What can I do when I do not find the DNS option in my IONOS account?

The wrong permissions may have been granted. DNS settings are not seen by users unless they are account owners, admins or users that have been granted DNS access. Unless it is you, you will have to request whoever is managing the account.

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