How do I get my own PTR record?

Setting up an application server to send emails, and someone mentions a "PTR" record you need to configure? Nothing complicated. Here's what it is, what it's actually used for, and how to get one for your server.

What exactly is a PTR record?

A PTR record (for "Pointer Record") does the opposite of a standard DNS record. Where an A record links a domain name to an IP address (for example mapetiteentreprise.re points to 185.161.10.160), a PTR record works the other way round. It lets you find a domain name from an IP address.
In practice, when your server sends an email from the IP address 185.161.10.160, a mail server receiving that message can query that IP address and get back, for example, "mail.mapetiteentreprise.re" in response. This is known as reverse DNS resolution.

Why it matters, especially for sending email

Many mail servers worldwide (Gmail, Outlook, and many others) systematically check the PTR record of the IP address sending them an email, even before looking at the message content. If no PTR record is configured, or if it doesn't match the domain name used for sending, these mail servers may consider the email suspicious. As a result, your messages end up in spam, or are flatly rejected.

This situation comes up more often with application servers (a server sending notifications, invoices, order confirmations, and so on) than with standard web hosting. These servers send their emails directly from their own IP address, without necessarily going through a dedicated mail service, which makes the PTR record all the more important for their credibility with other mail servers.

How to get your own PTR record

Unlike a standard DNS record that you can edit yourself from your DNS zone, a PTR record is managed at the IP address level itself, which requires action on our end.

To request one, contact us by email at technique@hodi.host, letting us know the IP address involved as well as the domain name you'd like to associate with it (for example mail.mapetiteentreprise.re). Our technical team will take care of configuring the PTR record on your IP address.

One thing to keep in mind. For the configuration to be fully consistent and recognized by other mail servers, it's recommended that the PTR's domain name itself points back to that same IP address via an A record. This is known as forward-confirmed reverse DNS, an extra mark of legitimacy in the eyes of spam filters.

Have a question?

Feel free to contact us by email at technique@hodi.host, we'll help you set up your PTR record.

Updated on: 17/07/2026