How do I set reverse DNS (PTR) for my server?

Point a hostname at your server's IP address with an A record, then open a support ticket with the IP address and that hostname and ask us to set the PTR record. Reverse DNS for Tremhost IP addresses is set on our side.

Reverse DNS turns an IP address back into a name. Mail services such as Gmail and Outlook check it: if your server sends email and its IP has no PTR record, or one that does not match, your mail is much more likely to be rejected or marked as spam.

1. Choose the hostname. Use a name on a domain you control, for example mail.yourdomain.com or server1.yourdomain.com. Each IP address has one PTR record.
2. Create the A record. Point that hostname at the server's IP address wherever your domain's DNS is managed. In cPanel this is Domains → Zone Editor (see How do I edit DNS records?). If the domain uses Cloudflare, set the record to DNS only (grey cloud), not proxied.
3. Give the server the same name. On an unmanaged KVM VPS, run hostnamectl set-hostname mail.yourdomain.com as root. On a managed cPanel VPS or dedicated server, use Networking Setup → Change Hostname in WHM, or ask us to do it.
4. Ask us to set the PTR. Open a support ticket, pick the server as the service, and give the IP address and the exact hostname. If the server has extra IP addresses, list each one with its own hostname.
5. Check it. Once we confirm, run dig -x 203.0.113.24 +short on Linux or a Mac, or nslookup 203.0.113.24 on Windows, with your own IP address. It should return your hostname. Some networks show the old answer for a few hours while their caches expire.

Tip: The PTR record, the A record and the name your mail server introduces itself with should all be the same hostname. Mail providers call this forward-confirmed reverse DNS, and it is one of the first things they check.

A reverse DNS change is a configuration request, so it falls under the one-business-day response target in our Service Level Agreement. Sending mail from the server? Set up SPF, DKIM and DMARC too.

Can I set reverse DNS on web hosting or a reseller plan?

No, and you do not need to. Many accounts share the server's IP address there, so its reverse DNS belongs to the server, not to any one account.

Does my website need reverse DNS?

No. Visitors reach your site through its A record. Reverse DNS matters for sending email and for some logging and security tools.

Still stuck? Message us on WhatsApp with the IP address and the hostname you want.

Updated 6 November 2026. Something here out of date? Tell us.