Manage Glue Records

Glue records associate a custom nameserver hostname (for example, ns1.yourdomain.com) with its IP address at the registry, so that the nameserver can be resolved when it lives inside the same domain it serves. The Use As Name Servers section of the Reseller Control Panel (RCP) lets you add, modify, or delete glue records for any domain registered with OpenSRS. This article walks through each operation.

When you need a glue record

If your nameserver hostname is a subdomain of the domain it serves (for example, ns1.example.com serving example.com), DNS resolution requires a glue record. The glue record provides the IP address directly at the registry, breaking what would otherwise be a circular lookup. You do not need a glue record for nameservers that live on a different domain.

Before you begin

• Sign in to the Reseller Control Panel at manage.opensrs.com.
• Know the nameserver hostname (for example, ns1) and the IPv4 address, IPv6 address, or both that you plan to register.
• Confirm the domain whose glue records you want to manage is registered through your OpenSRS account.

Step 1: Add a custom nameserver

1. In the Domains section of the RCP, enter all or part of the domain name in the search field and click Search. You can use a wildcard character to match parts of the name.
2. Click the domain name to open its details.
3. In the Use As Name Servers section, click Edit.
4. In the Nameserver Hostname field, enter the subdomain for the nameserver (for example, ns1).
5. In the IP Address field, enter the IP address of the nameserver. You can specify an IPv4 address, an IPv6 address, or both.
6. Click the plus sign (+) in the Action column.
7. To add another nameserver, repeat steps 4 through 6.

Step 2: Modify a custom nameserver

1. In the Domains section of the RCP, search for and select the domain.
2. In the Use As Name Servers section, click Edit.
3. Beside the nameserver you want to change, click Edit.
4. Update the fields as needed and click Save.

Warning: Changing the IP address of a nameserver that is currently in use can interrupt DNS resolution for every domain that points to it. Plan the change during a maintenance window and confirm the new IP responds to DNS queries before saving.

Step 3: Delete a custom nameserver

A nameserver that is currently assigned to any domain cannot be deleted. Reassign the affected domains to different nameservers before continuing.

1. In the Domains section of the RCP, search for and select the domain.
2. In the Use As Name Servers section, click Edit.
3. Beside the nameserver you want to remove, click the x.
4. Click OK to confirm the deletion.

Next steps

• Verify propagation — After adding or modifying glue records, query the registry (via WHOIS or dig +trace) to confirm the new hostname and IP are visible.
• Assign the nameserver — Update the affected domains to use your new custom nameserver in the Reseller Control Panel.
• Plan for redundancy — Best practice is to register at least two custom nameservers on different IP ranges to maintain availability.

Questions? Contact OpenSRS Support.