Dot at the end of NS address

Started by alexfernandes, Dec 07, 2022, 10:28 AM

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alexfernandesTopic starter

I have recently started using a VPS on digitalocean and was given a picture for transferring my domain to it. Here is the image that was provided to me:



I am unsure if a dot should be included at the end of the DNS server or if it should be removed. Could you provide me with some clarification on this matter?
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berto

The presence of a dot at the end of an address signifies that it is absolute and not relative. Interestingly, there is always a dot after the domain name in our browser, but it is just not visible to us. This often goes unnoticed by many users while browsing the internet.
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Vopiros

NS DNS records are utilized to determine the authoritative name servers for a particular zone. It is necessary for every zone to have at least one record designating which name server is responsible for the domain, but including two or more of such records can increase the zone's availability. In the event that the first name server is unavailable or inaccessible, users will still be able to access the zone through an alternate server.

When creating an NS DNS record, the owner section must either contain the fully qualified domain name of the respective zone complete with a dot at the end (e.g. example.com.), or the at (@) sign. The RDATA portion of the DNS resource record is made up of a single field: the FQDN of the name server that processes requests for the record.
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lovish

When you're updating your domain's DNS settings to point to your VPS on DigitalOcean, you'll typically be dealing with the nameservers provided by DigitalOcean, such as "ns1.digitalocean.com" and "ns2.digitalocean.com." Now, let's discuss the role of the dot in these scenarios.

Including a Dot:
When specifying the DNS server with the dot at the end, you are indicating the absolute domain name. For example, if you're entering the nameserver "ns1.digitalocean.com." in your domain settings, you are explicitly stating that this is the complete and absolute domain name.

Omitting the Dot:
On the other hand, if you omit the dot at the end of the DNS server entry, you are using a relative domain name. For instance, if you enter "ns1" as the nameserver, it's considered a relative domain name within the context of your domain's zone file.

Examples:
- Specifying the absolute domain name with the dot:
  - DNS Server: ns1.digitalocean.com.
  - This explicitly indicates the root domain and avoids ambiguity.

- Using a relative domain name without the dot:
  - DNS Server: ns1
  - In this case, the absence of the dot makes it clear that it's a relative domain name within the domain's zone file.

It's important to note that when entering DNS settings through a control panel or domain registrar's interface, some systems may automatically append the root domain dot. Therefore, it's advisable to review the entered settings to ensure they align with your specific requirements.
The inclusion or exclusion of the dot at the end of the DNS server entry depends on whether you are specifying the absolute domain name or using a relative domain name. By understanding these distinctions and using the appropriate format, you can ensure accurate configuration when transferring your domain to your VPS on DigitalOcean.
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