ClouDNS: Affordable DNS Service with DNSSEC, Master-Slave DNS, and Asia-Pacific Anycast Nodes

Finding a reliable DNS service that doesn't break the bank can feel like searching for a needle in a haystack. I've been down this road myself, hopping between providers trying to find the sweet spot between features and affordability.

My DNS journey started with NS1 DNS – powerful stuff, but the pricing made my wallet cry. Sure, it had global Anycast nodes including Hong Kong and Japan for speedy resolution in Asia, but the free tier was so limited I kept hitting the cap. That's when I discovered there's a whole world of DNS providers out there, each with their own quirks.

Why I Switched to ClouDNS

After bouncing around from DNS Made Easy (good pricing, solid master-slave DNS support, but no DNSSEC) to Google Cloud DNS (feature-complete but lacking master-slave DNS), I finally landed on ClouDNS. The timing was perfect – they'd just rolled out DNSSEC support in June 2019, right when my DNS Made Easy subscription was expiring.

What caught my attention was the combination: DNSSEC for security, master-slave DNS for redundancy, and Asia-Pacific Anycast nodes for speed. Plus, the pricing didn't require me to take out a second mortgage.

Free vs. Paid: What's the Difference?

ClouDNS offers both free and paid tiers. The free version is surprisingly capable if you're not obsessed with millisecond-level resolution speeds. The paid tier's main attraction is Anycast routing, which directs users in mainland China to nearby Hong Kong nodes instead of making them trek across continents for DNS queries.

👉 Discover how ClouDNS can supercharge your DNS infrastructure with global Anycast nodes

Premium DNS servers:

• pns101.cloudns.net (185.136.96.99)

• pns102.cloudns.net (185.136.97.99)

• pns103.cloudns.net (185.136.98.99)

• pns104.cloudns.net (185.136.99.99)

ClouDNS operates 23 DNS nodes globally, with strategic locations in Hong Kong, Japan, and India. My testing showed China Telecom users get routed to Hong Kong nodes, and China Unicom follows the same pattern. China Mobile users, however, end up hitting European nodes – not ideal, but still functional.

One pleasant surprise: ClouDNS now accepts Alipay payments, making it dead simple for users in Asia to upgrade their accounts.

Getting Started: The Basics

The interface is available in Chinese, so there's virtually no learning curve. When adding a domain, you'll see several zone types:

• Primary DNS: Manage records directly through ClouDNS interface

• Secondary DNS: Records managed on your primary server, synced to ClouDNS

• Reverse zones: For IPv4/IPv6 reverse lookups

• Parked zones: Simple landing pages with contact forms

• Free zones: For free domain names only

For most users, Primary DNS is the way to go. Just add your domain and start creating records.

Essential DNS Records

A Records: Point your domain to an IP address – the bread and butter of DNS.

CAA Records: Specify which certificate authorities can issue SSL certificates for your domain. This is crucial for security, preventing unauthorized certificate issuance.

MX Records: Required for email services. If you're using a custom domain email like Zoho, you'll need these configured properly.

TXT Records: Used for domain verification, SPF records, and SSL certificate validation. These pop up constantly when integrating third-party services.

After adding your records, head to your domain registrar and update the nameservers to ClouDNS's servers. The changes typically propagate within a few hours.

Advanced Features That Actually Matter

DNSSEC: Security You Can Enable in Minutes

DNSSEC adds cryptographic signatures to your DNS records, protecting against cache poisoning and man-in-the-middle attacks. ClouDNS makes enabling it painless – activate it in their dashboard, grab the generated keys, and paste them into your domain registrar's DNSSEC settings.

Whether you're using Name.com or Namesilo, the process is straightforward. Once configured, you can verify it's working using online tools like Verisign's DNSSEC Analyzer.

Master-Slave DNS: Your Redundancy Safety Net

Running DNS on a single provider is asking for trouble. 👉 Set up bulletproof DNS redundancy with ClouDNS's master-slave configuration

Here's how it works: ClouDNS acts as your primary DNS, and you configure a secondary provider (like NS1 or Alibaba Cloud DNS if you need China coverage) as the slave. Any changes you make on ClouDNS automatically sync to your secondary provider.

The setup requires you to enable zone transfers in ClouDNS and provide the IP addresses of your secondary DNS servers. Once configured, your DNS records exist in multiple locations, dramatically reducing the risk of complete DNS failure.

Don't forget to add both sets of nameservers at your domain registrar for this to work properly.

The Bottom Line

ClouDNS hits a sweet spot that's rare in the DNS market. The free tier genuinely works for small projects, while the paid plans (supporting up to 25 domains on a single subscription) make economic sense for anyone managing multiple sites.

The combination of DNSSEC, master-slave DNS support, and Asia-Pacific Anycast routing covers the essential requirements for modern web infrastructure. Compared to providers that charge per-domain for premium features, ClouDNS's pricing model feels refreshingly straightforward.

One heads-up: if you want to use DNSSEC, make sure your domain is registered with a provider that supports it. Most domestic Chinese registrars don't offer DNSSEC configuration, so you might need to transfer to international registrars like Name.com, NameCheap, or Namesilo.

For anyone tired of overpaying for DNS or settling for feature-limited free tiers, ClouDNS deserves a serious look. It's been handling my DNS queries reliably, and the price-to-feature ratio keeps me from shopping around for alternatives.