DNS FRAME Records Explained

A FRAME record is a proprietary DNS record type that performs URL forwarding using HTML frames (iframes). When a user visits a domain configured with a FRAME record, the DNS provider serves a page containing an iframe that loads the destination URL. The original domain remains visible in the browser's address bar, effectively "masking" the actual destination URL.

This technique is sometimes called "URL cloaking" or "domain masking" and is useful when you want visitors to see your domain name in their browser while serving content from a different location.

When a browser requests a domain with a FRAME record, the DNS provider's infrastructure responds with an HTML page containing an iframe element. This iframe loads the target URL specified in the FRAME record and fills the entire browser viewport, making the framed content appear as if it's hosted on the original domain.

FRAME records can optionally include a title attribute, which sets the HTML page title that appears in the browser tab. This allows you to customize what users see when they bookmark the page or view it in their browser history.

Both FRAME and HTTPRED records are used for URL forwarding, but they work differently:

• HTTPRED records perform a true HTTP redirect, changing the URL in the browser's address bar to the destination URL.
• FRAME records load the destination content within an iframe, keeping the original URL visible in the browser's address bar.

While FRAME records can be useful for URL masking, there are some important considerations:

• SEO Impact: Search engines may not properly index framed content, which can negatively affect your site's search rankings.
• Security: Some websites prevent being loaded in frames using X-Frame-Options or Content-Security-Policy headers, which will cause FRAME records to fail.
• User Experience: Framed content can cause issues with bookmarking, browser history, and the back button.
• Mobile Compatibility: Frames may not work well on all mobile devices and screen sizes.

Note that FRAME records are a proprietary feature and are not part of the standard DNS specification. They are only available with certain DNS providers like eNom.

Here's what a FRAME record looks like for the domain example.com:

This record displays the content from https://www.destination-site.com/ when users visit example.com, while keeping "example.com" visible in the browser's address bar.