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DNS Management: Configuring Your Domain's DNS Records

The Domain Name System (DNS) is the backbone of the internet — it translates human-readable domain names (like yourbusiness.com) into IP addresses that servers understand. Properly managing your DNS records is essential for directing web traffic to your website, routing email correctly, verifying domain ownership, and connecting third-party services. This guide explains DNS concepts, common record types, and how to manage DNS from your Salama Hosting account.

What is DNS?

DNS stands for Domain Name System. Think of it as the internet's phone book — when someone types your domain name into their browser, DNS servers look up the corresponding IP address and direct the browser to your website's server.

How DNS Works (Simplified)

  1. A user types yourdomain.com in their browser.
  2. The browser asks a DNS resolver: "What's the IP address for this domain?"
  3. The resolver queries the authoritative DNS servers (nameservers) listed for your domain.
  4. The nameserver responds with the IP address (e.g., 192.168.1.100).
  5. The browser connects to that IP address and loads your website.

This entire process happens in milliseconds.

DNS Record Types Explained

Each DNS record serves a specific purpose. Here are the most important types you'll work with:

A Record (Address Record)

Maps your domain to an IPv4 address. This is the most fundamental DNS record.

Field Example
Type A
Name @ (root domain) or www
Value 192.168.1.100
TTL 3600 (1 hour)

When to use: Point your domain or subdomain to your hosting server's IP address.

Example:

yourdomain.com      A    192.168.1.100
www.yourdomain.com  A    192.168.1.100

AAAA Record (IPv6 Address Record)

Same as an A record but maps to an IPv6 address.

Field Example
Type AAAA
Name @ or www
Value 2001:0db8:85a3:0000:0000:8a2e:0370:7334
TTL 3600

When to use: If your server supports IPv6, add AAAA records alongside A records.

CNAME Record (Canonical Name)

Creates an alias that points one domain to another domain (not an IP).

Field Example
Type CNAME
Name www
Value yourdomain.com
TTL 3600

When to use: - Point www.yourdomain.com to yourdomain.com - Connect to third-party services (CDNs, landing pages, email marketing platforms) - Create subdomains that point to external services

Important: CNAME records cannot be set on the root domain (@) — use A records for that.

MX Record (Mail Exchange)

Directs email for your domain to the correct mail server.

Field Example
Type MX
Name @
Value mail.yourdomain.com
Priority 10
TTL 3600

When to use: Essential for email delivery. Without correct MX records, you cannot receive email.

Common setups:

@ MX 10 mail.yourdomain.com        (Hosting email)
@ MX 10 mx1.salamahosting.com      (Salama Hosting mail)
@ MX 1  aspmx.l.google.com         (Google Workspace)
@ MX 10 mx.zoho.com                (Zoho Mail)

Priority (lower = higher priority): If you have multiple MX records, email is delivered to the server with the lowest priority number first.

TXT Record (Text Record)

Stores text-based information for various purposes — primarily email authentication and domain verification.

Field Example
Type TXT
Name @
Value v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com ~all
TTL 3600

Common uses:

SPF (Sender Policy Framework)

Specifies which servers are allowed to send email on behalf of your domain. Prevents email spoofing.

v=spf1 include:salamahosting.com ~all

DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail)

Adds a digital signature to verify emails were sent by your domain and weren't tampered with.

default._domainkey  TXT  v=DKIM1; k=rsa; p=MIGfMA0GCS...

DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication)

Tells receiving servers what to do with emails that fail SPF/DKIM checks.

_dmarc  TXT  v=DMARC1; p=quarantine; rua=mailto:dmarc@yourdomain.com

Domain Verification

Services like Google, Microsoft, and Facebook use TXT records to verify domain ownership.

@  TXT  google-site-verification=abc123...

NS Record (Nameserver)

Specifies which nameservers are authoritative for your domain.

Field Example
Type NS
Name @
Value ns1.salamahosting.com

Salama Hosting Nameservers:

ns1.salamahosting.com
ns2.salamahosting.com

Note: NS records are typically managed at your domain registrar, not in your hosting control panel.

SRV Record (Service Record)

Specifies the location of specific services (like VoIP, chat, or gaming servers).

Field Example
Type SRV
Name _sip._tcp
Priority 10
Weight 60
Port 5060
Target sip.yourdomain.com

When to use: Required by some services like Microsoft Teams, SIP/VoIP, and XMPP chat.

CAA Record (Certificate Authority Authorization)

Specifies which certificate authorities are allowed to issue SSL certificates for your domain.

yourdomain.com  CAA  0 issue "letsencrypt.org"
yourdomain.com  CAA  0 issue "sectigo.com"

Managing DNS in Your Control Panel

cPanel: Zone Editor

  1. Log in to cPanel.
  2. Navigate to Domains → Zone Editor.
  3. Click Manage next to your domain.
  4. You'll see all existing DNS records.
  5. Click Add Record and select the record type.
  6. Fill in the name, TTL, and value.
  7. Click Save Record.

Plesk: DNS Settings

  1. Log in to Plesk.
  2. Go to Websites & Domains → Your Domain → DNS Settings.
  3. View or edit existing records.
  4. Click Add Record to create a new DNS entry.
  5. Select the type, enter the values, and click OK.

DirectAdmin: DNS Management

  1. Log in to DirectAdmin.
  2. Go to Account Manager → DNS Management.
  3. Select your domain.
  4. Add, edit, or delete records as needed.
  5. Click Save to apply changes.

Common DNS Configuration Scenarios

Pointing Your Domain to Salama Hosting

@     A     [Your Server IP]
www   CNAME yourdomain.com

Your server IP is provided in your hosting welcome email.

Setting Up Email with Your Hosting

@     MX  10  mail.yourdomain.com
mail  A       [Your Server IP]
@     TXT     v=spf1 +a +mx +ip4:[Your Server IP] ~all

Using Google Workspace for Email

@  MX  1   aspmx.l.google.com
@  MX  5   alt1.aspmx.l.google.com
@  MX  5   alt2.aspmx.l.google.com
@  MX  10  alt3.aspmx.l.google.com
@  MX  10  alt4.aspmx.l.google.com
@  TXT     v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com ~all

Creating a Subdomain

To create blog.yourdomain.com pointing to a different server:

blog  A  [Other Server IP]

Or to an external service:

blog  CNAME  your-blog-platform.com

Setting Up a CDN (e.g., Cloudflare)

When using Cloudflare, you'll update your nameservers at your registrar:

NS  cloudflare-ns1.example.com
NS  cloudflare-ns2.example.com

Then manage all DNS records from the Cloudflare dashboard.

DNS Propagation

When you change DNS records, the changes don't take effect instantly. DNS propagation is the time it takes for updated DNS information to spread across all DNS servers worldwide.

Typical Propagation Times

Change Type Typical Time
A / AAAA / CNAME records 1–4 hours
MX records 1–12 hours
Nameserver changes 12–48 hours
TXT records 1–4 hours

How to Speed Up Propagation

  • Lower the TTL before making changes. Set it to 300 (5 minutes) an hour before your change, then restore it after propagation.
  • Clear your local DNS cache: On Windows, run ipconfig /flushdns. On Mac, run sudo dscacheutil -flushcache.

How to Check Propagation

Use online tools to verify your DNS changes have propagated:

  • whatsmydns.net — Check DNS propagation globally
  • dnschecker.org — Multi-location DNS lookup
  • Command line: nslookup yourdomain.com or dig yourdomain.com

DNS Best Practices

  1. Keep TTL values reasonable. Use 3600 (1 hour) for stable records and 300 (5 minutes) when planning changes.
  2. Always set up SPF, DKIM, and DMARC for email authentication — this dramatically improves email deliverability.
  3. Document your DNS records. Keep a spreadsheet or document listing all DNS entries for reference.
  4. Don't delete records you don't understand. Some records are auto-generated and required for hosting to work.
  5. Use CNAME where possible for third-party services — it's easier to manage than tracking IP changes.
  6. Test after changes. Always verify DNS changes using propagation checkers before assuming everything works.

Troubleshooting DNS Issues

Website not loading after DNS change

  • Check propagation status using whatsmydns.net.
  • Verify the A record points to the correct server IP.
  • Clear your browser cache and local DNS cache.
  • Wait up to 48 hours for full propagation (especially for nameserver changes).

Email not working

  • Verify MX records are correct and active.
  • Ensure SPF/DKIM/DMARC records are properly configured.
  • Check that the mail server A record resolves correctly.
  • Test with an external email checker tool.

SSL certificate not issuing

  • Ensure the A record correctly points to your hosting server.
  • Check for CAA records that might restrict certificate issuance.
  • Verify DNS has fully propagated before requesting/renewing SSL.

Need Help?

DNS configuration can be complex. If you need assistance:

Our technical team can help configure DNS records for your domain at no extra charge.