Getting Started with Authoritative DNS | NOC.org Support

NOC provides a globally distributed authoritative DNS service with built-in health checks, failover, and smart routing. This guide covers adding a domain, configuring DNS records, and pointing your registrar's nameservers to NOC.

Prerequisites

• An active NOC.org account.
• Admin access to your domain registrar (e.g., Namecheap, GoDaddy, Hover).
• A list of your current DNS records (A, AAAA, CNAME, MX, TXT, etc.).

Step 1 — Add Your Domain

1. Log in to the NOC Dashboard.
2. Click DNS in the left sidebar, then click Add Domain.
3. Enter your domain name (e.g., example.com).
4. NOC will automatically scan and import your existing DNS records. Review the imported zone to ensure accuracy.
5. Click Confirm & Add.

Step 2 — Configure DNS Records

After import, review and adjust your records as needed:

1. Go to DNS » Records for your domain.
2. To add a record, click Add Record and select the type:
   • A — maps a hostname to an IPv4 address.
   • AAAA — maps a hostname to an IPv6 address.
   • CNAME — creates an alias pointing to another hostname.
   • MX — directs email to your mail servers (set priority values).
   • TXT — stores text data for SPF, DKIM, domain verification, etc.
   • SRV — defines service locations for protocols like SIP or XMPP.
3. Set the TTL (Time to Live). The default of 3600 (1 hour) works well for most records. Use lower values (300) during migrations.
4. Click Save after each record.

Step 3 — Update Nameservers at Your Registrar

NOC assigns you a pair of nameservers. You will see them displayed on your domain's overview page:

ns1.noc.org
ns2.noc.org

1. Log in to your domain registrar.
2. Find the Nameservers or DNS settings for your domain.
3. Switch from the default nameservers to Custom Nameservers.
4. Enter ns1.noc.org and ns2.noc.org.
5. Save your changes.

Nameserver changes typically propagate within 1 to 24 hours, though it can take up to 48 hours in some cases.

Step 4 — Verify DNS Resolution

After propagation, verify that your domain resolves through NOC:

dig example.com NS +short

You should see ns1.noc.org and ns2.noc.org in the response. You can also check an A record:

dig example.com A +short

The returned IP should match the A record you configured in the NOC Dashboard.

Registrar-Specific Guides

For step-by-step instructions at specific registrars, see:

• Change Nameservers on Namecheap
• Change Nameservers on GoDaddy
• Change Nameservers on Hover
• Change Nameservers on Network Solutions

Next Steps

• DNS Smart Routing — configure health checks, failover, and geo-based routing.
• DNS Proximity Routing — route users to the nearest server based on latency.