Add DNS Record to D-53 (IIJ DNS Platform Service)
To send emails using your private domain name, you will first need to add your domain and create a subdomain within your Benchmark account. After the subdomain has been added, Benchmark will generate the DNS record that you'll add to your D-53 account — the IIJ DNS Platform Service from Internet Initiative Japan (IIJ) — under Record Management.
This guide provides step-by-step instructions for adding the Benchmark DNS record to D-53 ((IIJ DNS Platform Service).
Topics Covered in This Article
Before Getting Started
- Benchmark does not have access to your D-53 account.
- Your DNS record is unique to the domain and subdomain you added to Benchmark.
- Once your record is created, find it under Email Settings > Domain.
- Propagation can take up to 48 hours, though changes typically reach D-53's DNS servers within a few minutes of a zone update.
- If your zone has any invalid records, D-53 will block new record additions until those are fixed — see the FAQ below.
How to Add Your DNS Record to D-53
The instructions included in this article were developed using resources from IIJ.
- Log in to the IIJ DNS Platform Service.
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Select the domain's contract from the IIJ Managed DNS Service list to open its Record Management screen.
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Click Add Record at the top of the Record List.
- Enter the details for your new NS record, using the values provided in Benchmark:
- Name: paste the hostname provided in Benchmark.
- TTL: use the suggested time. If none is given, the default TTL is a reasonable choice.
- Type: select NS from the dropdown.
- Value: paste the nameserver value provided in Benchmark.
- Click Register. The new record appears in the Record List with a status of TBA (to be added).
- Click Zone Update in the upper right of the screen to push the change to the DNS server. This usually takes effect within a few minutes.
After you have finished adding the record, you may return to your Benchmark account to complete the process. If you have navigated away from the records screen, you can still verify your work by checking your domain on the Domain page. From there, click the Retry Verification button next to the domain you are validating. This will initiate a web check to confirm whether the record was added successfully. Please note that DNS record propagation — once the record is valid on the web — can take anywhere from 24 to 48 hours.
If the record is not added, your domain's verification will remain pending.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will adding this record affect my existing website or email?
No. This record only applies to the subdomain you added in Benchmark — it doesn't change or remove any existing records on your root domain.
How long does it take for my record to be verified?
Most records are verified within a few hours, but DNS changes can take up to 48 hours to fully propagate. If your domain still shows as unverified after 48 hours, double-check that the record matches exactly what's listed on your Domain page in Benchmark.
Do I need to use Subdomain Delegation Management to add this record?
No. Subdomain Delegation Management is a separate, optional feature for registering NS records for several subdomains at once in a batch. Adding a single NS record through the standard Add Record flow, as described above, is all that's needed to connect your subdomain to Benchmark.
I got an error saying a record is invalid — what do I do?
D-53 won't let you add or change records in a zone while it contains an invalid record (for example, one that violates DNS standards). Check the Record List for any flagged records and correct or remove them first, then try adding the NS record again.
Can I add records for more than one subdomain?
Yes. Each subdomain you verify in Benchmark gets its own unique record. Add each subdomain in Benchmark first, then repeat the steps above for each one.