Domains can be easily configured by using different types of DNS records, each serving a specific function. In this guide, we explain all record types and how they work.
There are various types of DNS records, each with different meanings and purposes. We will now explain their significance and differences.
An A record points a domain name to an IPv4 address. This is the classic record type used to connect a domain or subdomain to a server.
| Name | Type | Value | TTL | Priority |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| zap-hosting.com. | A | 123.123.123.123 | 3600 | -- |
An AAAA record works like an A record but points to an IPv6 address instead of an IPv4 address.
| Name | Type | Value | TTL | Priority |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| zap-hosting.com. | AAAA | 2001:db8::1234:5678 | 3600 | -- |
A CAA record specifies which certificate authorities are allowed to issue SSL certificates for your domain. This increases your domain's security by preventing unauthorized certificate authorities from issuing valid certificates.
| Name | Type | Value | TTL | Priority |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| zap-hosting.com. | CAA | 0 issue "letsencrypt.org" | 3600 | -- |
A CNAME record points a domain name to another domain name (an alias) instead of directly to an IP address. This is useful when the underlying IP address changes frequently.
| Name | Type | Value | TTL | Priority |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| www.zap-hosting.com. | CNAME | zap-hosting.com. | 3600 | -- |
An MX record (Mail Exchange) specifies which mail server is responsible for receiving email for your domain. You can specify multiple mail servers with priorities; the server with the lowest value is contacted first.
| Name | Type | Value | TTL | Priority |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| zap-hosting.com. | MX | mail.zap-hosting.com. | 3600 | 10 |
An NS record (Name Server) delegates a subdomain to another name server. This is a more advanced feature, used for example when a specific subdomain is managed by a completely different DNS service.
| Name | Type | Value | TTL | Priority |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| shop.zap-hosting.com. | NS | ns1.other-provider.com. | 3600 | -- |
A PTR record maps an IP address back to a domain name (Reverse DNS). This is used, for example, to increase the trustworthiness of a mail server.
Note: PTR records are currently temporarily unavailable; this feature will be added shortly.
| Name | Type | Value | TTL | Priority |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 123.123.123.123.in-addr.arpa. | PTR | zap-hosting.com. | 3600 | -- |
An SRV record (Service) specifies the host and port where a particular service is available, for example, for a game server or TeamSpeak server. In addition to priority, you also set a weight and port here.
| Name | Type | Value | TTL | Priority |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| _teamspeak._udp.zap-hosting.com. | SRV | 1 9987 ts.zap-hosting.com. | 3600 | 10 |
An SSHFP record stores the fingerprint of an SSH host key for your domain. SSH clients can automatically verify this fingerprint to ensure they connect to the correct server.
| Name | Type | Value | TTL | Priority |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| zap-hosting.com. | SSHFP | 4 2 123456789abcdef123456789abcdef123456789abcdef123456789abcdef12 | 3600 | -- |
A TLSA record cryptographically binds a TLS/SSL certificate to a DNS record (DANE standard). This allows clients to verify that the exact expected certificate is used, in addition to the classic certificate check.
| Name | Type | Value | TTL | Priority |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| _443._tcp.zap-hosting.com. | TLSA | 3 1 1 123456789abcdef123456789abcdef123456789abcdef123456789abcdef12 | 3600 | -- |
A TXT record stores arbitrary text for your domain, for example for domain verifications or SPF records to protect against email spoofing.
| Name | Type | Value | TTL | Priority |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| zap-hosting.com. | TXT | "v=spf1 include:_spf.zap-hosting.com ~all" | 3600 | -- |
Preferred source on Google
