Domain Registration and DNS Management: Relax We’ve Got Your Back

When it comes to the domain registration or management of a domain’s DNS records, we find some people are confused.  Common questions are:  “why is this important?”, “where do I go to make changes?” and “how do I make updates?  Here we will attempt to answer these and other questions as they relate to DNS (Domain Name Service) and domain registrations.

There are two essential components to owning a domain name, the Registration of the domain and the management of the domain’s DNS (referred to as Domain Name Service).   While some domains have one company that manages both the registration and DNS (act as the domain’s domain name servers), other domains have two companies, one where the domain is registered and another that manages the domain’s DNS records. LuxSci can manage a new or transferred domain registration as well as your domain’s DNS .

Key Components Explained

What it means to register a Domain Name:

When you register your domain name, it gets added to a central registry of all domain names on the Internet.  Your domain name must be in this registry for it to be recognized.   At the time that a domain is registered, the DNS servers you wish to use are set up. If the registrant elects, a domain can be registered and then parked. A parked domain name does not use DNS, as “Parked” means that it is in a “holding” state and does not require DNS.  When registering a domain name, the contact information you enter will be visible within that domain’s WHOIS information for the period of the registration.  Private registration, something that LuxSci offers, may also be an option.

What is a DNS (Domain Name Service)?

Essentially, DNS is the Internet’s equivalent to a phone book. Domain Name Service servers maintain a directory of domain names and their associated IP addresses.

DNS makes it possible for visitors to access your website using a familiar domain name, instead of having to remember a series of numbers.

LuxSci can be both the Registrar and act as the DNS provider for your domain.  If you host your web site with LuxSci,  we require that you have LuxSci manage your domain’s DNS. We require this because if there are any internal changes to our servers, we can automatically update the domain’s DNS records. If we don’t manage your domain’s DNS records, then you are responsible for making these changes; if you miss a notice explaining the change then there is the likelihood of your email/web site being down until you update your DNS records.

If you have Registered your domain elsewhere you can transfer the Registration to LuxSci

If you have entrusted LuxSci to act as your domain’s DNS provider and registration elsewhere is up for renewal,  or has not been purchased within 60 days, then you can transfer the registration to LuxSci where your domain’s complete administration (technical and billing) can be managed in one place.

When you request that LuxSci be the Registrar and/or act as your domain’s DNS provider, these services need to be renewed annually.  There are some exceptions to this; however, most domains require that they be renewed every year.  When your domain is up for renewal, LuxSci will automatically renew the service that you have entrusted us with as long as your account is in good standing (with regards to the billing) and there are no requests to not renew the domain.

Renewing a domain on-time is very important.  We see far too many domains and their associated services (email, web site, etc.) be inaccessible because a customer did not renew on-time.  Occasionally, it’s a situation where the owner forgets to renew it, they missed an important email, or were under the impression that their IT company would handle it.

When you entrust LuxSci with your domain, we manage the domain setup and renewal process which saves you time and reduces the risk of an outage due to a missed renewal.

If you don’t choose to have LuxSci manage your domain’s DNS records, you are responsible for the setup or updating of your MX records, your domain’s A record (if you have a web site or to verify your domain prior to pointing your MX records to LuxSci), and any other DNS settings at the company that manages your DNS.  (See Understanding DNS for more information on these.)

Finding the DNS settings in your LuxSci account: 

To find the current MX records for your domain you must be logged in as an Administrator before selecting:

“Account > Account Administration > [Domains Tab] > [Select the domain in question]” and under
“The recommended MX records for this domain in order to verify it and to receive inbound email to it are:” you will see the appropriate MX records.

If you have a web site hosted with LuxSci, you can find the proper A record for your web site(s) when logged in as an Administrator and selecting:

“Account > Account Administration > [Web Sites Tab] > [Select the web site in question]” and under
“Web Site IP Address” you will see the appropriate A record for the domain.

We also offer an optional Self-Service user interface for managing your DNS and WHOIS yourself at no extra cost.

Please Contact Us if you would like further information on an existing or new account, domain registration or DNS.