---
title: "Set up reverse DNS"
description: "Set custom reverse DNS for a node's public IP or a reserved IP in MyAccount yourself, so the address returns your own name, such as mail.example.com."
content_type: "how-to"
product: "dns"
platform: "MyAccount"
url: "/myaccount/dns/how-to/set-up-reverse-dns/"
---

# Set up reverse DNS

Reverse DNS gives a public IPv4 address a name, so that someone who looks up the address gets that
name back. Mail servers often check it before they accept mail, so a server that sends mail needs
reverse DNS set to its own name, such as `mail.example.com`.

Every E2E public IP already has a default reverse name, set by E2E. A custom reverse DNS record
replaces it with your name. You add it yourself in MyAccount, on **Manage Reverse DNS**.

## Before you begin

- The address is the public IP of one of your nodes, or one of your reserved IPs. Reverse DNS is
  for IPv4 addresses only. See [Node](/myaccount/node/) and [Reserved IP](/myaccount/reserved-ip/).
- You have chosen the name, a host name you control, such as `mail.example.com` or
  `www.example.com`, up to 100 characters.
- The name resolves to the address. It must have an A record that points to that IP, live on public
  DNS. The A record can be on E2E DNS or at any other DNS provider. See
  [Add a DNS record](/myaccount/dns/how-to/add-a-dns-record/).
- Your role in the project lets you create resources, which is what shows **Add Reverse DNS**.

To check that the name resolves to the address, run this, with your name in place of
`mail.example.com`:

```bash
dig mail.example.com A +short
```

The output must be the address you are setting reverse DNS for, such as `203.0.113.10`. An empty
output means the name has no A record yet. A new A record can take a while to show, until any older
answer's TTL runs out.

## Open Manage Reverse DNS

In MyAccount, under **Network**, click **DNS**, and on **Manage DNS**, click **Add Reverse DNS**.
**Manage Reverse DNS** opens.

It lists each address you can set reverse DNS for, with **Host**, **TTL**, **Record Type**, and
**Value**. **Host** is the address written backwards with `in-addr.arpa.` at the end: `203.0.113.25`
is listed as `25.113.0.203.in-addr.arpa.`. That is how DNS stores reverse names. **Value** is the
address's current name: its default name until you add your own. **Search Reverse DNS** finds an
address by either.

## Add the reverse DNS record

1. On **Manage Reverse DNS**, click **Add Record**. The **Add Reverse Domain** dialog opens.
2. Under **IPv4 Address**, choose the address from the list. It holds the public IPs of your nodes,
   in every project, and the reserved IPs of the project you are in. To set reverse DNS for a
   reserved IP in another project, switch to that project first.
3. In **Domain**, enter the name you want the address to return, such as `mail.example.com`.
4. Click **Submit**.

You see **The custom Reverse DNS record was created successfully!**, and the address's **Value** on
**Manage Reverse DNS** changes to your name. A new reverse DNS record has a TTL of 86400 seconds,
which is one day.

These messages tell you what to change:

- **mail.example.com. does not point to 203.0.113.10**, with your name and address: the name's A
  record points to another address. Correct the A record, wait until `dig` shows the right address,
  and add the reverse DNS again.
- **The forward record mail.example.com. 203.0.113.10 does not exist**: the name has no A record on
  public DNS. Add one that points to the address, and try again.
- **Domain name you have specified is not valid.**: check the name, such as `mail.example.com`.
- **No available PTR record was found for this IP. Please verify the IP address and try again.**,
  when you open **Add Reverse Domain**: you have no node or reserved IP to choose. Create a node or
  reserve an IP first, in this project for a reserved IP.
- **Custom Reverse DNS record already exist**: see
  [Custom Reverse DNS record already exist](/myaccount/dns/troubleshooting/dns/#custom-reverse-dns-record-already-exist).

## Check the reverse name

To look the address up the way a mail server does, run:

```bash
dig -x 203.0.113.10 +short
```

The output is your name, with a dot at the end:

```text
mail.example.com.
```

If it still shows the default name, run the command again later. Then check both directions
together: `dig -x` gives your name, and `dig mail.example.com A +short` gives the same address.

Your address now returns your own name. For the mail records that go with it, see
[Set up email records](/myaccount/dns/how-to/set-up-email-records/). For help with any message, see
[Troubleshooting DNS](/myaccount/dns/troubleshooting/dns/).