Reverse DNS check

Checks the PTR record of an IP address and whether it matches a forward A or AAAA record.

Why the PTR record matters

When your server opens a connection to another mail server, the first thing that server does is ask who this address is. If there is no PTR record, or it returns a generic name from the address pool of the provider, the message is scored much harder, and some servers close the connection before the message is even sent.

A correct setup is symmetric: the PTR record returns the host name of the server, and that host name has an A or AAAA record pointing back to the same address. The match is called forward confirmed reverse DNS, and it is what receiving servers check.

Who can create a PTR record

A PTR record lives in the reverse zone of the address block, which belongs to whoever holds the addresses, not to the owner of the domain. That is why it cannot be added in the DNS panel where the rest of your records are. Request it from the hosting company or the data centre that issued the address, and say which host name it should return.

Frequently asked questions

Can one address have several PTR records?

Technically yes, in practice it should not. Many checks look only at the first answer, so the result becomes unpredictable. One address, one name.

Does an IPv6 address need a PTR record too?

Yes, if mail is sent from it. Some large receivers require a PTR record for IPv6 senders and will not accept the connection without one, which is stricter than what they ask of IPv4.

How does a reverse lookup actually work?

The address is turned into a name and looked up like any other. IPv4 addresses are reversed under in-addr.arpa, IPv6 addresses are written out one nibble at a time under ip6.arpa, and the PTR record found there is the answer.

The PTR record is correct, so why does mail still land in spam?

A PTR record is one signal among many. Check SPF, DKIM and DMARC for the sending domain, and keep in mind that the reputation of the address itself counts: an address that was just assigned, or reused after another sender, starts with no history.