What is a PTR Record?
A PTR (Pointer) record, also known as a reverse DNS record, maps an IP address back to a domain name. It’s used in reverse DNS lookups to identify the domain associated with a given IP address—essentially the opposite of what an A or AAAA record does.
It is the opposite of an A record, which maps a domain name to an IP address. PTR records are essential for verifying the authenticity of an IP address, particularly in email delivery and anti-spam measures.
While the main purpose of the Domain Name System is to point domains to IP addresses, a PTR record works in the opposite way – it associates an IP with a domain name. Because of its purpose, a PTR record is sometimes called a Reverse DNS Record. The purpose of a PTR record is mostly administrative – it shows that an IP is in fact used with a particular domain.
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