Question about reverse DNS
Hey everyone!
I’m currently setting up my own mail server, and I’m trying to configure reverse DNS so I don’t get flagged as spam by Gmail/Outlook.
My VPS provider keeps bouncing me around — first telling me to set the PTR record on my OVH DNS panel (where I bought the domain), then saying “nah actually, use Cloudflare instead”.
But as far as I know, reverse DNS is tied to the IP address, and only the IP owner (aka the VPS provider) can set it up.
Before I go back and explain that to him for the third time, could someone confirm that I’m not going crazy and that PTR records can't be set from OVH/Cloudflare DNS?
Appreciate any help 🙏
7 Replies
Only the owning/controlling organisation of the IP address range (e.g. your VPS provider) will be able to set up PTR records for their IP addresses.
For the example IP address
192.0.2.123, the PTR record (`123.2.0.192.in-addr.arpa`` PTR) pointing towards mail.example.com is created at the VPS provider.
To satisfy the FcRDNS (Forward-confirmed Reverse DNS) requirement, which is also mandatory at most destinations, - you will also need to create the Forward DNS part, by pointing mail.example.com towards 192.0.2.123 at your DNS provider for example.com, which you will need to do through Cloudflare, if you're using Cloudflare for example.com, and if not Cloudflare, then at your DNS provider for example.com.Even if i have fully control of the engine ??
Can you elaborate on what you mean by that?
Or even better:
1. What VPS provider?
2. What IP address?
I don't think you would no the vps provider cause its french one but the name is AzurHosts
AzurHOSTS gives the client full control over their machine without any restrictive governance. Most current hosting providers don’t allow this; their clients usually have to open a support ticket for even the smallest advanced actions. Here, everything is directly accessible to you!
So, according to them, I’m supposed to be able to configure the reverse DNS myself directly from the VPS, because they don’t manage anything network-related. But from what I know, a PTR record still has to be handled by whoever controls the IP block — and that’s not me. Am I wrong?
They even said that* “any experienced user would have gone straight to Cloudflare”* as if that’s the obvious answer.
I’m not trying to complain, but I’d really appreciate some clarification
— from what I understand, PTR records have to be set by whoever owns the IP block, and not through services like Cloudflare, right?
Also thank you for helping me
"from the VPS", ... it's not done directly from the VPS, - however, it is often done in your VPS provider's control panel, when you dig in to the settings of your VPS somewhere.
They even said that* “any experienced user would have gone straight to Cloudflare”* as if that’s the obvious answer.I would probably discard then as an incompetent VPS provider, and find something else. As said above, you will need: 1. The Reverse DNS (PTR record) for the ARPA zzone of the IP address to be done through the VPS provider (e.g. the owning/controlling organisation of the IP range). 2. The host name of the PTR record ("Forward DNS") to be done through your own DNS provider, pointing back to the IP address. As you mentioned "
setting up my own mail server", - I'm afraid I would expect nothing but trouble, when you're operating it from a such (apparent) incompetent provider.
Operating your own mail server isn't impossible (as some people out there would say), ... not even in 2025...
But trying to operate them on incompetent providers, ... that will likely be a definitive footgun.Thank you very much for your return, i know this employee and i konw is not the best so i dont think ii will quit because of one zmployee.
Also i have a question how do you know that much ??
Aure you a qupport or just an expert
For the majority of my life, I've been operating many different things, such as DNS servers (both authoritative and recursive/resolver), mail servers, game servers, and many other IT / tech related things.
There are some sayings out there, regarding you'll get good at what you practice. Maybe they are correct. 😉
If by "
qupport", you're referring to Cloudflare Support with, then no. Just an enthusiast helping out a little bit when I can.