How do I submit a DNS request?
CenturyLink customers will have a circuit number such as 99.QHSX.123456 and will complete our online DNS Request Form. The DNS request requires that you know the circuit number of your dedicated IP connection. Please allow 72 business hours to complete your request.
Note:
Your request may be delayed if we have not received a Job Cost Analysis document from your CenturyLink Account Manager, authorizing new or additional hosted DNS services . If you need assistance in completing the CenturyLink Regional Dedicated IP form please call our IP services support team at 1.800.603.8044 Options 1,2
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How can I view my DNS entries on CenturyLink's DNS servers?
At this time you can use NSLOOKUP and query the name server directly.
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What is DNS?
DNS is an acronym for "Domain Name Services"; most people misuse the term for Domain Name Server. This is incorrect because one would not say Domain Name Server Server as in DNS Server, one would say Domain Name Services Server. Domain Name Services are the glue that binds the Internet together. Domain Name Services are used to translate domain names such as www.centurylinkservices.net, which is easy for people to remember, into an Internet Protocol (IP) number or address that computers recognize. For example, if someone wants to access Your Customer Support Website at www.centurylinkservices.net, a DNS server would translate the domain name (www.centurylinkservices.net) into the IP address 209.26.88.23. Your computer is then able to send your request to the correct server located either on your local network or out to the Internet if necessary.
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Do I need DNS Services?
The Internet uses IP addresses to transport information from one place to another. If you want to get to websites or use e-mail you will need Domain Name Services. You can use CenturyLink's DNS servers for hostname resolution at no additional charge. If you require domain hosting and provide resolution services, Domain Name Services are part of CenturyLink's Value Added Services. Please contact your sales representative for additional information regarding the DNS Hosting Value Added Service.
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Can CenturyLink provide DNS services for me?
Yes, CenturyLink provides Domain Name Services as a Value Added Service. CenturyLink can provide authoritative primary and secondary Domain Name Services for your domain(s). If you choose, CenturyLink also provides authoritative secondary DNS service for a primary DNS server you would provide. Please contact your sales representative for additional information regarding the DNS Hosting Value Added Service.
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What host names and IP addresses do I give to my Registrar vs. use for my own local office network to do DNS Lookups for CenturyLink service?
GIVE TO MY REGISTRAR:
| Type
| Server Names
| IP Address
| Server Type
|
| IPv4 |
authns1.centurylink.net |
63.150.72.4 |
DNS Hosting or Authoritative Primary DNS for registrars
(NOT recursive) |
| IPv4 |
authns2.centurylink.net |
208.44.130.120 |
DNS Hosting or Authoritative Secondary DNS for registrars
(NOT recursive) |
| IPv6 |
authns1.centurylink.net |
2001:428::5 |
DNS Hosting or Authoritative Primary DNS for registrars
(NOT recursive) |
| IPv6 |
authns2.centurylink.net |
2001:428::6 |
DNS Hosting or Authoritative Secondary DNS for registrars
(NOT recursive) |
USE FOR MY OWN LOCAL NETWORK TO DO DNS LOOKUPS:
| Type
| Server Names
| IP Address
| Server Type
|
| IPv4 |
resolver1.centurylink.net |
205.171.3.26 or
205.171.3.65 |
Caching or Recursive - Local Office Network Devices only
(NOT authoritative) |
| IPv4 |
resolver2.centurylink.net |
205.171.2.26 or
205.171.2.65 |
Caching or Recursive - Local Office Network Devices only
(NOT authoritative) |
| IPv6 |
resolver1.centurylink.net |
2001:428::1 |
Caching or Recursive - Local Office Network Devices only
(NOT authoritative) |
| IPv6 |
resolver2.centurylink.net |
2001:428::2 |
Caching or Recursive - Local Office Network Devices only
(NOT authoritative) |
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What is a domain name?
A domain name is used to identify the location of a website on the Internet. Here are some domain names you might be familiar with:
microsoft.com - Microsoft Inc.
ucla.edu - University of California Los Angeles
centurylink.com - CenturyLink Corporation
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Does CenturyLink register domain names?
At this time CenturyLink does not provide domain name registration services. Please see
ICANN's list of accredited companies that do perform domain registration services. CenturyLink makes no specific recommendations to use any specific registrar. If you require assistance in submitting the information for a new registration, a CenturyLink Internet Service technician will be able to assist you.
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How do I register a new domain?
1. First you have to determine the name you wish to register as a domain. It may be your business name, or a description of your products, services, or company slogan.
Example:
CenturyLink could register:
WorldClassTelecomCompany-TheStandardByWhichOthersAreMeasured.com.
2. Second you will need the following information for the administrative, billing, and technical contacts.
- Position titles for each contact
- Company address, including city, state, and postal code.
- Contact telephone number
- Fax number (optional)
- E-mail address - Create an alias e-mail address
- DNS server information - Server hostnames and IP addresses
* Using position titles (a.k.a. Role Account) is a suggestion to protect an individuals privacy. It also aids in management of the domain; when the person holding the postion changes, changes to the domain registration is not needed. The DNS servers can have up to six unique entries if necessary.
3. Third you will need to find a registry where you can register your domain. Many of the registries have affiliate programs, which allow other companies to provide registration services. Since the domain registration services are competative, shop around for domain pricing.
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What are the components of a domain name?
A domain name consists of two or more words separated by a period. The last word (the far right) is called a "top-level domain". Here are some common top-level domains and their use:
.COM - Used for commercial entities. It is the most popular top-level domain. Anyone can register a .com domain.
.NET - Originally used for networking organizations such as Internet Service Providers and backbone providers. Today, anyone can register a .net domain.
.ORG - Designed for miscellaneous organizations, including nonprofit groups. Today, anyone can register a .org domain.
.EDU - Four-year, accredited colleges and universities.
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How long can a domain name be and what are the restrictions?
A domain can have a maximum of 67 characters including the extensions (.com, .net, .org, .edu other TLDs have their own requirements.). Valid characters in a domain name are letters, numbers, and dashes. The domain can not start or end with a dash, nor can it contain any spaces. No other characters are valid except as listed.
An example of a valid domain is:
YouCanRegisterADomainAnytimeThatYouWishCauseTheInternetIsAlwaysOn.com
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How long can a hostname be and what are the restrictions?
A host name is specified in either relative or absolute domain name format. If you specify the absolute domain name, the portion of the name preceding the first . (period) has a maximum length of 63 characters and cannot contain blanks. For both formats of the name, the total number of characters cannot exceed
255 characters, and each entry must be contained on one line. Multiple hostnames (or aliases) can be specified.
Note:
Valid hostnames or alias hostnames must contain at least one alphabetic character. If you choose to specify a host name or alias that begins with an x followed by any hexadecimal digit (0-f ), the host name or alias must also contain at least one additional letter that cannot be expressed as a hexadecimal digit. The system interprets a leading x followed by a hexadecimal digit as the base 16 representation of an address, unless there is at least one character in the host name or alias that is not a hexadecimal digit. Thus, xdeer would be a valid host name, whereas xdee would not.
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I want to register a domain in another country, what are the Country Codes?
Other top-level domains include those for countries (
.CA for Canada,
.UK for the United Kingdom,
.HK for Hong Kong, and so forth), which are based on the
International Standards Organization's 3166 standard for country abbreviations.
To the left of the top-level domain is what is called the "second-level domain." In centurylink.com, "centurylink" represents a second-level domain within the top-level domain of .com. It is also possible to have a domain name in the form of somename.centurylink.com. In this case the "somename" is called a "host" name also known as a "sub-domain". It is not necessary to register a host or sub-domain with a registry before being able to use it. The resolution of sub-domains are handled by the authoritative DNS server of the second level domain (SLD) name. To register a domain using one of the country codes find the appropriate
registry for that country.
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What is a registry?
A registry is an organization such as OpenSRS, Network Solutions, and eNom who register domain names and enter them into central computers (root servers), which are accessed by individual DNS servers throughout the Internet. Registry companies report name registrations to ICANN a.k.a. the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, who assumes responsibility for the for the TLDs .com, .net, .org, .edu, .info, .biz and .gov.
ICANN accredited companies like OpenSRS, charge an annual fee which varies due to the competitive nature of ICANN Accredited Registries and their resellers.
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What is a URL?
It stands for Universal Resource Locator. Some people refer to it as a web address (although URL is not limited to the web). An example of a URL is http://www.centurylink.com. Please note that a URL is a unique identifier. No two websites can have the same URL. This is the reason why you should register your domain name before someone else does.
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What if the name I want to use is already taken?
You can choose an alternative domain name, or if you feel that you have a right to that domain name, such as a your companies trademark, you could follow the Uniform Domain-name Resolution dispute Policy (
UDRP) and try to regain the domain name. If the domain does not appear to be in use, you could contact the administrative contact listed in the WhoIs database.
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How long should the registration process take?
If the information provided is correct, it should take less than 24 hours You can check any registry WhoIs tool to see whether or not your domain name has been registered. Once the domain is registered it has to be put into the root servers which occurs twice daily. Within the next 72 hours your domain will begin to propagate throughout the Internet.
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Once a domain is registered, who "owns" the domain name?
The domain name is owned by the organization that is listed in the WhoIs database. You can view this information by searching for the name using our WhoIs tool.
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What domain extensions do CenturyLink's DNS servers support?
CenturyLink's DNS servers support all
ICANN approved TLD, ccTLD and gTLD extensions. Our name servers do support
New.net domain extensions.
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Help!, I no longer have access to the e-mail address listed on my domain registration?
Each Domain Registry has a different proccess required to change invalid administrative contact e-mail addresses. Please visit the website of your domain registrar to search for their admin e-mail contact change form.
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