Do domains hosted at ProZ.com necessarily have to use ProZ.com's name servers?
Thread poster: Maksym Kozub
Maksym Kozub
Maksym Kozub  Identity Verified
Local time: 23:18
English to Ukrainian
+ ...
Mar 30, 2010

At www.proz.com/faq/hosting.html#what_is_the_difference_between_hosting_and_domain_registration_. we read the following:
Your hosting service provides nameservers for your domain, and handles your web site, email, etc.

In addition, in Jason's article at www.proz.com/translation-articles/articles/99/#ns, we read that
A domain's name servers define where the domain is hosted. Domains hosted at ProZ.com should use the following name servers:

Primary nameserver: NS1.HOST.PROZ.COM 66.193.29.152
Secondary nameserver: NS2.HOST.PROZ.COM 66.193.29.154

...If you chose to use a different domain registrar than ProZ.com, contact your domain registrar to find out how to set your domain's name servers to ProZ.com's name servers.
Generally speaking, use of a hosting service is not tied with using the name servers from the hosting provider. In my case, I was using name servers maintained by my domain registrar, and I would prefer to continue using them. With every hosting provider I saw up to now, I would not be forced to use that provider's name servers. Instead, I would just change the A record(s) at my existing name servers to point to the IP address of the hosting server where sites under my domain (and its subdomains) are located.
I would really like to know whether it is possible to do the same if my site in my (not-ProZ-registered) domain is hosted by ProZ. I suspect it is, because I cannot even quickly invent any method of prohibiting users from doing it that way. In that case, the above explanations in the hosting FAQ and Jason's article are a bit wrong, and I would gladly help with adding a section on using third-party name servers. If, however, it turns out that it is impossible to use such third-party name servers with ProZ hosting, I would strongly advise towards changing this unreasonable requirement.


 
Lucia Leszinsky
Lucia Leszinsky
SITE STAFF
ProZ.com hosting policy and requirements Mar 30, 2010

Hello Maksym,

The reason why domains hosted at ProZ.com should use ProZ.com's name servers is that ProZ.com hosting requires full control over domains. This full control allows integration, cPanel needs to be able to control the DNS for the domain so it can add ftp. mail, extensions, etc.

Hope this explains.

Regards,

Lucia


 
Maksym Kozub
Maksym Kozub  Identity Verified
Local time: 23:18
English to Ukrainian
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
Thanks, but I did not need the reasons I knew since long ago Mar 30, 2010

Hi Lucia,
Lucia wrote:

The reason why domains hosted at ProZ.com should use ProZ.com's name servers is that ProZ.com hosting requires full control over domains. This full control allows integration, cPanel needs to be able to control the DNS for the domain so it can add ftp. mail, extensions, etc.

Hope this explains.
I am aware of such reasoning, However, I have never seen it as an absolute requirement. I will repeat that I am able to fully control all DNS records at my domain registrar's name servers. This also includes MX records etc. (More to it, I can even handle configurations whereby I would use ProZ, or whatever hosting provider, for my web and FTP server, while having a different preference for my mailserver).

Anyway, I would like to ask you (and others at ProZ.com Inc.) for two things.
1) Please do not just provide reasoning why "domains hosted at ProZ.com should use ProZ.com's name servers" (as I already said, I am aware of such reasons), but confirm whether that is an absolute _must_. (In that case, I would probably have to use a different hosting provider, because, as I already said, I would strongly prefer to continue using my registrar's name servers, and I can do it with every other hosting provider, paid or free, other than ProZ...)
2) Please change back the name of this topick. The reason I created it was to know whether it is really allowed to use my (my domain registrar's etc.) name servers, not to know the reasons "Why do domains hosted at ProZ.com have to use ProZ.com's name servers".

If the second request (i.e. reverting the topic name change) is impossible to satisfy, then please delete this whole topic. I will repeat it very clearly: I am not interested why do domains hosted at ProZ.com have (in terms of it being preferrable etc.) to use ProZ.com's name servers: I know it. The only question is whether that "have/should" is actually an absolute _must_.


 
Lucia Leszinsky
Lucia Leszinsky
SITE STAFF
Thanks for clarifying, Maksym Mar 30, 2010

In reply to your requests:


1) Please do not just provide reasoning why "domains hosted at ProZ.com should use ProZ.com's name servers" (as I already said, I am aware of such reasons), but confirm whether that is an absolute _must_. (In that case, I would probably have to use a different hosting provider, because, as I already said, I would strongly prefer to continue using my registrar's name servers, and I can do it with every other hosting provider, paid or free, other than ProZ...)


Yes, I confirm domains hosted at ProZ.com must use ProZ.com's name servers.


2) Please change back the name of this topick. The reason I created it was to know whether it is really allowed to use my (my domain registrar's etc.) name servers, not to know the reasons "Why do domains hosted at ProZ.com have to use ProZ.com's name servers".


The title of this topic has been changed to a more descriptive one, pointing exactly to your doubt now. Please let me know if you think this new title still does not summarize your question.

Regards,

Lucia


 
Maksym Kozub
Maksym Kozub  Identity Verified
Local time: 23:18
English to Ukrainian
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
Thank you for clarifications Mar 30, 2010

Lucia wrote:

Yes, I confirm domains hosted at ProZ.com must use ProZ.com's name servers.
Thank you for this clarificarion. I will submit a suggestion (via a support ticket, and probably Ideas/UserVoice) for changing this policy, but at the moment the situation is at least clear (even though I do not like it as it is, and will not use ProZ hosting for my domain while there is this requirement).
The title of this topic has been changed to a more descriptive one, pointing exactly to your doubt now. Please let me know if you think this new title still does not summarize your question.
Thank you, this version of the title is OK for me.


 
Maxim Manzhosin
Maxim Manzhosin  Identity Verified
Russian Federation
Local time: 00:18
English to Russian
Why not use domain masking? Mar 31, 2010

Maksym Kozub wrote:

Instead, I would just change the A record(s) at my existing name servers to point to the IP address of the hosting server.


ProZ offers free 4th-level domains: http://myname.my.proz.com. Instead of pointing the A record you can point your CNAME record to this 4th-level domain name, masking it. This way you can retain control over your name records while complying with the ProZ policies.


 
Maksym Kozub
Maksym Kozub  Identity Verified
Local time: 23:18
English to Ukrainian
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
Domain masking would be the very last option I would use Mar 31, 2010

Maxim Manzhosin wrote:

ProZ offers free 4th-level domains: http://myname.my.proz.com.


Thank you for the reminder, Maxim. I am aware of that feature.

Instead of pointing the A record you can point your CNAME record to this 4th-level domain name, masking it. This way you can retain control over your name records while complying with the ProZ policies.


There are many reasons to avoid using CNAME in most cases. (In particular, MX records cannot point to aliases, which was first said as early as in the earliest Mockapetris-authored RFCs).
All in all, it is easier for me to get my stuff hosted somewhere else. I am still wondering why ProZ.com has made that sort of DNS policies, although they are AFAIU perfectly entitled to do so. (As I said, I _never_ saw it as a _mandatory requirement_ with other hosting providers, although it is quite usual to hear a _suggestion_ for using the hosting provider's nameservers.)


 


To report site rules violations or get help, contact a site moderator:


You can also contact site staff by submitting a support request »

Do domains hosted at ProZ.com necessarily have to use ProZ.com's name servers?






CafeTran Espresso
You've never met a CAT tool this clever!

Translate faster & easier, using a sophisticated CAT tool built by a translator / developer. Accept jobs from clients who use Trados, MemoQ, Wordfast & major CAT tools. Download and start using CafeTran Espresso -- for free

Buy now! »
TM-Town
Manage your TMs and Terms ... and boost your translation business

Are you ready for something fresh in the industry? TM-Town is a unique new site for you -- the freelance translator -- to store, manage and share translation memories (TMs) and glossaries...and potentially meet new clients on the basis of your prior work.

More info »