
A NAPTR record is a type of DNS record that provides a way to map a domain name to a URI, such as a URL or an email address.
The NAPTR record has several key fields that make it work, including the Flags field, which indicates the type of processing required, and the Services field, which specifies the URI or other data to be retrieved.
The NAPTR record is often used in conjunction with other DNS records, such as the A record, to provide a complete mapping of a domain name to a URI.
The Flags field can be set to one of several values, including S, which indicates that the Services field contains a URI, and N, which indicates that the Services field contains a URI with a specific protocol.
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What is a NAPTR Record?
A NAPTR record is a DNS record that allows you to set rules for how your website processes requests. It's especially useful for websites that provide internet telephony services.
NAPTR records are used to map telephony resources to DNS resources, and they're used in IP telephony and VOIP applications. This is done within the context of ENUM, along with SRV records.
A NAPTR record specifies a rule that may use a regular expression to rewrite a string to a domain name or a Uniform Resource Identifier.
What is a DNS Record?
A DNS record is essentially a database that stores information about a domain name, such as its IP address and other relevant details.
DNS records are used to direct users to a specific server or location on the internet based on the domain name they enter.
There are several types of DNS records, including A, MX, and SRV records, each serving a specific purpose.
These records help to ensure that users can access websites, email, and other online services by mapping domain names to their corresponding IP addresses.
A NAPTR record is actually an extension of the classic DNS records, designed to provide more information about a domain name.
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Record Definition
A NAPTR record is a DNS record that allows you to set rules for how your website processes requests. NAPTR stands for 'Name Authority Pointer' and specifies a rule that may use a 'regular expression' (or 'regex') to rewrite a 'string' (sequence of characters) to a domain name or a so-called 'Uniform Resource Identifier'.
A NAPTR record is made up of 6 different parts, which are crucial for the correct rewriting and interpretation of the other NAPTR record parts. These parts are: Order, Preference, Flags, Service, Regular expression, and Replacement.
The correct order of these parts is as follows:
- Order: also called ‘priority’;
- Preference: also called ‘weight’;
- Flags: These are crucial for the accurate rewriting and interpretation of the other NAPTR record parts;
- Service: This lists the available services and, if applicable, the specific protocol that should be used to connect to a service;
- Regular expression: also called ‘regexp’;
- Replacement: When the value "S" or "A" is set in the "flags" option, this (sub)domain is used.
This order is essential to ensure that your NAPTR record is set up correctly and functions as intended.
Creating and Managing NAPTR Records
To create a NAPTR record, head to your DNS zone management page and click on the Add new record link. Choose NAPTR from the options, and you'll be presented with the necessary fields to fill out.

The correct order for setting a NAPTR record is crucial, so make sure to stick to it. The order is: Order (priority), Preference (weight), Flags, Service, Regular expression (regexp), and Replacement.
To add a NAPTR record, go to your DNS zone management page, click on the Add new record option, and select NAPTR. The six components of a NAPTR record are in the correct order: Order, Preference, Flags, Service, Regular expression, and Replacement.
Here's a quick rundown of the components:
- Order (priority)
- Preference (weight)
- Flags
- Service
- Regular expression (regexp)
- Replacement
Remember, the Regular Expression and Replacement cannot be used both or left empty when creating a NAPTR record.
Create a Record
To create a NAPTR record, you can start by going to your DNS zone management page and clicking on the Add new record link. Choose NAPTR from the options provided.
The correct order for setting a NAPTR record is crucial. The order is as follows: Order (priority), Preference (weight), Flags, Service, Regular expression, and Replacement.
You can add a NAPTR record by going to your control panel, selecting the domain, and then navigating to Advanced Domain Settings and DNS. Make sure to switch off TransIP settings to view your DNS records.
A NAPTR record is made up of six different parts, which must be in the correct order. The correct order is: Order, Preference, Flags, Service, Regular expression, and Replacement.
Here are the six components of a NAPTR record in the correct order:
The Regular Expression and Replacement cannot be used both or left empty.
DDNS Principal
The DDNS Principal is a crucial part of creating and managing NAPTR records. It's the name of the NAPTR record in punycode format.
You won't be able to write the dns_name as part of the DDNS Principal, so make sure to keep that in mind when setting it up.
Understanding NAPTR Record Fields
A NAPTR record is made up of 6 different parts, and it's essential to stick to the correct order when setting one. The correct order is as follows: Order, Preference, Flags, Service, Regular Expression, and Replacement.
The Order field, also called 'priority', indicates which NAPTR record should be used first. It's a value from 0 to 65535.
The Preference field, also called 'weight', indicates which NAPTR record should be used first if multiple NAPTR records have the same 'order'. It's a value from 0 to 65535.
The Flags field is crucial for the accurate rewriting and interpretation of the other NAPTR record parts. It's used to control the interpretation of the fields for an NAPTR record object, and supported values are “U”, “S”, “P”, and “A”.
The Service field lists the available services and, if applicable, the specific protocol that should be used to connect to a service. It contains protocol and service identifiers, such as “http+E2U” or “SIPS+D2T”.
The Regular Expression field, also called ‘regexp’, is used when the value “U” is set in the ‘flags’ option. It's a string that can be used to rewrite a string to a domain name or a Uniform Resource Identifier.
The Replacement field is used when the value “S” or “A” is set in the ‘flags’ option. It's a (sub)domain that is used when the value “S” or “A” is set in the ‘flags’ option.

Here's a summary of the NAPTR record fields:
The Regular Expression and Replacement fields are mutually exclusive, meaning only one of them can be used in a particular record. Their usage is determined by the Flags field.
NAPTR Record Lookup and Troubleshooting
If you need to look up a NAPTR record, there are several ways to do it. You can use the DIG command in the Terminal application on a Linux or macOS system.
For Linux users, open the Terminal and type "dig domain.net NAPTR" to view the NAPTR record if it exists. This is a straightforward way to check for NAPTR records.
If you're a Windows user, however, you're out of luck. Unfortunately, the NAPTR record type cannot be looked up in Windows using tools like nslookup or Powershell's Resolve-DnsName. You can either install WSL and follow the Linux instructions or use an online NAPTR lookup tool.
To check NAPTR records on a Mac, follow these steps: Open a terminal by entering [command] + [space] → 'terminal.app' → [enter], type "dig example.com naptr" and hit [enter] to get the NAPTR records for example.com. The NAPTR records are listed below the ANSWER SECTION heading.
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On a Linux system, the process is similar: Open a terminal by entering [Super] → 'terminal' → [enter], type "dig example.com naptr" and hit [enter] to get the NAPTR records for example.com. The NAPTR records are listed below the ANSWER SECTION heading.
If you prefer not to use the Terminal, you can use an online NAPTR lookup tool. Simply enter the domain name and hit [enter] to view the NAPTR record if one exists.
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NAPTR Record Restrictions and Limitations
NAPTR record restrictions are important to understand for effective use in DNS resolution.
The Regular Expression and Replacement fields in NAPTR records are mutually exclusive, meaning only one can be used in a particular record.
This restriction is determined by the Flags field, which indicates how these fields are used.
Only one of these fields can be used at a time, so it's essential to choose the correct one for your specific use case.
In some cases, using a Regular Expression might be more suitable, while in others, a Replacement field might be necessary.
The Flags field helps you decide which one to use, making NAPTR record configuration more manageable.
NAPTR Record Object Reference
A NAPTR record object reference is a way to reference a NAPTR record in a specific format. This format has several components that are used to identify the record.
The name part of a NAPTR record object reference has specific components that are used to break it down. For example, the name part of a NAPTR record object reference might look like this: record:naptr/ZG5zLmhvc3RjkuMC4xLg:9.9.0.1/some.name.com/default.
The default value in a NAPTR record object reference is typically empty.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the preference of the NAPTR record?
The preference of the NAPTR record determines the order in which records with equal 'order' values are processed, with lower numbers being processed first. It's a value between 0 and 65535 that helps DDDS applications convert input values to output values.
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