DNS Manager hosts the DNS of a domain you own at Localtonet. Add the domain, point it to the Localtonet nameservers, manage its records in the dashboard, and use the domain for your tunnels.
When to use it #
- You want a tunnel to answer on your own domain, for example
app.example.com, instead of a Localtonet address. - You want to keep all DNS records of that domain (website, mail, verification records) in one place next to your tunnels.
There are two ways to connect a domain, and you choose per domain:
| Way | What Localtonet controls | Choose it when |
|---|---|---|
| Use Localtonet nameservers | The whole domain. | You are ready to manage every record of the domain here. |
| Keep your current DNS provider (subdomain delegation) | Only the selected subdomain and the names beneath it. Your root domain and other subdomains stay with your current DNS provider. | The domain already runs a website or email elsewhere and you only need one subdomain for a tunnel. |
Before you start #
- A domain you own, and access to its settings at the registrar or at your current DNS provider.
- Balance on your account. Adding a domain and adding or changing records require it. See Plans and Balance.
- Your own account dashboard. The DNS Manager menu item is not shown while you work in a team dashboard.
Add a domain #
-
Enter the domain #
Open DNS Manager. Under Add domain, type the name into Domain name, for example
example.comorapp.example.com. Leave outhttps://, the port and any path. For subdomain delegation, add the exact subdomain you will use with your HTTP tunnel.Select Add domain. The dashboard confirms with Domain added. Connect your DNS, then choose this domain when creating a tunnel in My Tunnels. and the domain appears under Domains.
-
Connect your DNS #
Open Connect your domain below the form and follow one of the two options.
Use Localtonet nameservers. At your domain registrar, set the nameservers of the domain to:
Nameserversns1.localtonet.com ns2.localtonet.comCopy your existing records first. After the switch, only the records in DNS Manager are served. Add your existing website and email records here before you change the nameservers.
Keep your current DNS provider. If your provider supports NS delegation for a subdomain, delegate only that subdomain. For
app.example.com, in your current provider's DNS settings remove the existing CNAME record forapp, then add these two records:Type Name Nameserver NS appns1.localtonet.comNS appns2.localtonet.comSome providers require the full name
app.example.cominstead ofappin the Name field. Then addapp.example.comitself to DNS Manager, notexample.com. -
Wait for the change to spread #
DNS changes need time to reach everyone. Adding a domain does not verify its nameservers, and a saved record does not confirm nameserver setup or propagation. You can check from a terminal which nameservers the internet sees:
Bashnslookup -type=NS app.example.comWhen the answer lists
ns1.localtonet.comandns2.localtonet.com, the domain is served by DNS Manager.
Use the domain for a tunnel #
- Open My Tunnels › HTTP, choose Custom domain as the URL type and select the exact domain you added.
- Create the tunnel and select Start.
- Visit the domain, for example
https://app.example.com. The first request starts certificate and routing setup; allow a short time, then try again.
A CNAME record that points to an autogenerated tunnel hostname or to a localto.net server name does not replace this setup. The steps on the tunnel side, including subdomains of an added domain, are described in Custom domains.
CAA records. A CAA record controls which certificate authorities may issue certificates for a name. Restrictive values can prevent the HTTPS certificate of your tunnel from being issued.
Manage records #
Each domain in the Domains list has three actions: Records opens the record list of the domain (Hide records closes it), Add record opens the record editor, and the delete button removes the domain.
The record list shows the type, name, TTL and data of every record. Use the search box to find names or record data, and the All types list next to it to show one type. In the name column, @ represents the zone root; other names are relative to the domain.
Add or edit a record #
Select Add record, or the edit button of an existing record. Every record has these fields:
| Field | What it does | Values |
|---|---|---|
| Name | The name of the record inside the domain. The editor shows the resulting Full name. | @ or blank for the zone root, a relative name such as www or api, or * for a wildcard. The zone name is appended automatically. |
| Type | The record type. The explanation at the top of the editor changes with your selection. | See the table below. |
| TTL | Time to live, in seconds: how long a resolver may cache the record. Shorter values help changes expire sooner; longer values reduce repeat DNS queries. | A number of seconds. If you leave it blank when adding a record, 600 is used. |
| Overwrite existing records | Replaces existing records of the same name and type instead of adding another value. | On or off. Offered when you add a record, not when you edit one. Check the existing records before you enable it. |
| Comments | An optional note to help you recognize the record later. | Up to 255 characters |
Select Save. The editor confirms with Add successful! or Update successful!
Record types #
| Type | Purpose | Fields |
|---|---|---|
| A | Points a name to an IPv4 address, for example 192.0.2.1. | IPv4 Address. Optional: Add reverse (PTR) record, Create reverse zone for PTR record. |
| AAAA | Points a name to an IPv6 address, for example 2001:db8::1. | IPv6 Address, and the same PTR options. |
| CNAME | Makes a subdomain an alias of another hostname. CNAME is not supported at the zone root here. | Domain Name: a hostname without https:// or a path. |
| ANAME | Uses a hostname as the target for address resolution, including at the zone root. | Domain Name |
| NS | Specifies a nameserver for this zone or delegates a subdomain. Changing this record does not change the nameservers set at your registrar. | Name Server: the full hostname, such as ns1.example.com. Glue Addresses: optional IP addresses of that nameserver, one per line. |
| MX | Routes email to a mail server. | Preference: lower numbers have higher priority; 10 is a common value. Exchange: the full mail server hostname from your email provider. |
| TXT | Stores text for domain verification, SPF, DKIM and other services. | Text Data: the exact value supplied by your provider. |
| SRV | Locates a service by hostname and port. Use a name such as _service._tcp. | Priority (lower is preferred), Weight, Port, Target (the full hostname of the server). |
| CAA | Controls which certificate authorities may issue certificates for this name. | Flags: usually 0; 128 marks the property as critical. Tag: issue, issuewild or iodef. Authority: the value for the tag, such as a certificate authority domain. |
| PTR | Maps an address in a reverse DNS zone to a hostname. | Domain Name |
| DNAME | Redirects names below this name to another domain. | Domain Name |
| URI | Publishes a service URI with priority and weight. | Priority, Weight, URI (the complete URI, including its scheme). |
| Unknown | Adds a DNS record using its numeric record type and raw data. | RR Type: the numeric type code. RDATA: the data as a hex value. |
| Android | Creates a domain link for the Android workflow: the name becomes the host of your Change IP and restart links. See Android records. | None. TTL and record data are managed automatically for this type. |
The domain also has an SOA record, which defines the zone authority and refresh timings. You can edit it, but change these values only when you know the settings your DNS setup needs. Some record types can be listed but not edited; the editor then shows Editing this record type is not supported.
Android records #
The Change IP links and restart links of your Android devices normally use localtonet.com as their host. With a record of type Android, a name in your own domain is used as the host of these links instead. The Change IP links of your USB devices use the same name.
- Select Add record on the domain and choose the type Android.
- Enter a Name, for example
link. TTL and record data are managed automatically for this type. - Select Save. DNS Manager points that name to Localtonet with an A and an AAAA record, and replaces existing A and AAAA records of the same name.
The dashboard then builds your links with that name. With an Android record for link.example.com:
| Link | Without an Android record | With the Android record |
|---|---|---|
| Change IP | https://localtonet.com/android/changeip?u=<LINK_ID> | https://link.example.com/android/changeip?u=<LINK_ID> |
| Restart | https://localtonet.com/android/restartphone?u=<LINK_ID> | https://link.example.com/android/restartphone?u=<LINK_ID> |
You create and copy the links in Proxy Manager or in the Android device settings of a Proxy Server tunnel.
Examples #
Mail for example.com handled by an email provider:
| Type | Name | Values |
|---|---|---|
| MX | @ | Preference 10, Exchange <MAIL_SERVER_FROM_YOUR_PROVIDER> |
| TXT | @ | Text Data <SPF_VALUE_FROM_YOUR_PROVIDER> |
A website on another server, next to your tunnels:
| Type | Name | Values |
|---|---|---|
| A | www | IPv4 Address 192.0.2.1 |
| CNAME | blog | Domain Name <HOSTNAME_FROM_YOUR_HOST> |
Delete a record or a domain #
- The delete button of a record asks Delete DNS record? For an A or AAAA record, any tunnels linked to that name are deleted as well.
- The delete button of a domain asks Delete domain? All its subdomains and linked tunnels are deleted as well.
Deleting a domain deletes its tunnels. Before you delete a domain, check under My Tunnels which tunnels use it or one of its subdomains.
Troubleshooting #
"Add balance to your account to use this feature."
DNS Manager requires Balance. Add Balance under Balance, then add the domain or record again.
"Enter a valid domain name, without a protocol or path. IP addresses are not allowed."
Enter only the name, such as example.com or app.example.com. Remove https://, a port, a trailing slash or a path. An IP address cannot be added as a domain.
"This domain already exists."
The domain is already registered in another Localtonet account. If it is your domain, open a support ticket.
The domain is added but my tunnel does not open on it
Check, in this order: the nameservers or the NS delegation really point to ns1.localtonet.com and ns2.localtonet.com; enough time has passed for the change to propagate; the tunnel uses that exact domain and is started; you retried after the first request, which starts certificate and routing setup. A CNAME to a tunnel hostname does not replace the delegation.
If it still fails, contact support while the tunnel is running, before you select Stop, so its live configuration can be checked.
HTTPS does not work on my domain
Look for a CAA record on the name or on a parent name. A restrictive CAA value can prevent the tunnel certificate from being issued.
"The DNS server rejected the change."
The DNS server did not accept the record. When it gives a reason, the message continues with Details: and that reason, for example that the record already exists. Check the values and the existing records of that name, then save again.
