Add DNSMadeEasy as a secondary DNS server

Last updated October 26, 2026

For an overview of secondary DNS, see Add a secondary DNS server to DNSimple.

Requirements

• An active account with DNSMadeEasy. Every DNSMadeEasy plan allows for secondary DNS setup.
• Your domain is pointing to the DNSimple name servers.

You can get started with secondary DNS from the DNS tab on the domain page.

Select DNSMadeEasy as the provider. Click Enable at the bottom of the form. The name servers and IP addresses DNSMadeEasy is expecting are already filled in for you.

A confirmation message will tell you Secondary DNS has been enabled from the DNSimple side.

Next, set up the secondary domain in your DNSMadeEasy account. Follow their guides in this order:

1. Create an IP Set with these values:
   • Name: axfr.dnsimple.com
   • IPs: 18.189.127.127
2. Add a secondary domain: enter your domain name and select the IP set you just created.

At first, DNSMadeEasy might show an error message that the zone is out of sync. You may need to wait a few minutes for the zones to synchronize. If the zone stays out of sync, see Troubleshoot Secondary DNS Zone Transfers. Once the configuration is working, the domain’s page at DNSMadeEasy shows the health of the secondary name servers.

Another way to verify your configuration is by using dig and querying one of the DNSMadeEasy name servers. Read more about dig in our overview article.

From your terminal, type the following dig command, replacing example.com with your domain:

$ dig @ns5.dnsmadeeasy.com example.com soa

The query should return all the DNSimple and DNSMadeEasy name servers in the AUTHORITY SECTION.

; <<>> DiG 9.20.24 <<>> @ns5.dnsmadeeasy.com example.com soa
; (2 servers found)
;; global options: +cmd
;; Got answer:
;; ->>HEADER<<- opcode: QUERY, status: NOERROR, id: 33777
;; flags: qr aa rd; QUERY: 1, ANSWER: 1, AUTHORITY: 7, ADDITIONAL: 1
;; WARNING: recursion requested but not available

;; OPT PSEUDOSECTION:
; EDNS: version: 0, flags:; udp: 1280
;; QUESTION SECTION:
;example.com.   IN  SOA

;; ANSWER SECTION:
example.com.  3600  IN  SOA axfr.dnsimple.com. admin.dnsimple.com. 1788969600 86400 7200 604800 300

;; AUTHORITY SECTION:
example.com.  3600  IN  NS  ns1.dnsimple-edge.com.
example.com.  3600  IN  NS  ns2.dnsimple-edge.net.
example.com.  3600  IN  NS  ns3.dnsimple-edge.io.
example.com.  3600  IN  NS  ns4.dnsimple-edge.org.
example.com.  3600  IN  NS  ns5.dnsmadeeasy.com.
example.com.  3600  IN  NS  ns6.dnsmadeeasy.com.
example.com.  3600  IN  NS  ns7.dnsmadeeasy.com.

;; Query time: 21 msec
;; SERVER: 208.94.148.13#53(ns5.dnsmadeeasy.com) (UDP)
;; WHEN: Wed Sep 09 16:01:11 UTC 2026
;; MSG SIZE  rcvd: 304

Congratulations, your secondary DNS is now working with DNSMadeEasy.

Have more questions?

If you have any questions about adding DNSMadeEasy as a secondary DNS server, contact support, and we’ll be happy to help. You can also read more about secondary DNS at DNSimple.