For your website to appear when someone enters your address and for email to arrive, the domain must have the correct DNS records. A general explanation is under the term DNS. Here you will find a practical overview.
The most common records
| A | Points the domain to the IPv4 address of the server where the website runs. For example, mujweb.cz to the server address. |
| AAAA | The same for an IPv6 address. |
| CNAME | An alias, where one name points to another name. Typically www to the main domain. It cannot be used on the bare domain without www. |
| MX | Specifies which server receives mail for the domain. It has a priority, where a lower number means higher precedence. |
| TXT | Any text. Used for SPF, DKIM, and DMARC and for verifying domain ownership with various services. |
| NS | Says which name servers (nameservers) are authoritative for the domain. Changing NS moves the management of the entire DNS. |
Where to change DNS
You change records where the domain's DNS is managed. That is either at the domain registrar or at the provider whose nameservers the domain points to. If you are not sure, you can find out from the NS records.
Pointing a domain to our hosting
- Find out where your domain's DNS is managed.
- Set the A record (and, if needed, www as CNAME or A) to the IP address of the server your hosting runs on. If you do not know the address, write to us.
- If you want to use our mail service, also set the MX record and the verification records from the article SPF, DKIM, and DMARC.
How long a change takes
Changes do not spread instantly. Every record has a TTL value (time in seconds) for which servers may keep it. A change therefore takes effect after the TTL expires at the latest, but in some places it may appear later. Usually allow several hours, and occasionally up to a day or two. Before a planned change, you can lower the TTL in advance.
Tips
- Before making a change, write down the original values so you can revert.
- If the website has not been moved yet, you can preview it first following the guide Viewing pages before a DNS change.
- When moving, remember that changing the MX record will start delivering mail elsewhere.