{"id":2926,"date":"2025-12-05T14:42:43","date_gmt":"2025-12-05T11:42:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.dchost.com\/blog\/what-are-dns-records-a-step-by-step-beginners-guide-to-a-aaaa-cname-mx-txt-and-srv\/"},"modified":"2025-12-05T14:42:43","modified_gmt":"2025-12-05T11:42:43","slug":"what-are-dns-records-a-step-by-step-beginners-guide-to-a-aaaa-cname-mx-txt-and-srv","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.dchost.com\/blog\/en\/what-are-dns-records-a-step-by-step-beginners-guide-to-a-aaaa-cname-mx-txt-and-srv\/","title":{"rendered":"What Are DNS Records? A Step\u2011by\u2011Step Beginner\u2019s Guide to A, AAAA, CNAME, MX, TXT and SRV"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"dchost-blog-content-wrapper\"><p>If you own a domain name or plan to launch a website, you will run into DNS records very quickly. They decide where your website lives, which server receives your email, and how third\u2011party tools verify that you actually control a domain. Misconfigured DNS is one of the most common reasons we see sites not loading or emails going missing on our infrastructure at dchost.com. The good news: you don\u2019t need to be a network engineer to manage the basics. Once you understand what a DNS record is and what each common type does, most everyday tasks\u2014like pointing a domain to your hosting, setting up email, or verifying your site with a service\u2014become straightforward. In this guide, we\u2019ll walk through the key DNS record types (A, AAAA, CNAME, MX, TXT and SRV) using simple language, real\u2011world examples, and practical steps you can follow on any DNS control panel.<\/p>\n<div id=\"toc_container\" class=\"toc_transparent no_bullets\"><p class=\"toc_title\">\u0130&ccedil;indekiler<\/p><ul class=\"toc_list\"><li><a href=\"#What_Is_DNS_and_What_Exactly_Is_a_DNS_Record\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_1\">1<\/span> What Is DNS, and What Exactly Is a DNS Record?<\/a><ul><li><a href=\"#The_phone_book_of_the_internet\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_2\">1.1<\/span> The phone book of the internet<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#Where_your_DNS_records_live\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_2\">1.2<\/span> Where your DNS records live<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li><a href=\"#How_DNS_Records_Work_Behind_the_Scenes\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_1\">2<\/span> How DNS Records Work Behind the Scenes<\/a><ul><li><a href=\"#The_basic_DNS_lookup_flow\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_2\">2.1<\/span> The basic DNS lookup flow<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#TTL_how_long_DNS_records_are_cached\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_2\">2.2<\/span> TTL: how long DNS records are cached<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#Common_record_fields_youll_see_in_a_DNS_panel\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_2\">2.3<\/span> Common record fields you\u2019ll see in a DNS panel<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li><a href=\"#A_and_AAAA_Records_Pointing_Your_Domain_to_a_Server\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_1\">3<\/span> A and AAAA Records: Pointing Your Domain to a Server<\/a><ul><li><a href=\"#What_A_and_AAAA_records_do\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_2\">3.1<\/span> What A and AAAA records do<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#Typical_examples\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_2\">3.2<\/span> Typical examples<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#Stepbystep_point_a_domain_to_your_hosting_or_VPS\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_2\">3.3<\/span> Step\u2011by\u2011step: point a domain to your hosting or VPS<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#When_to_use_AAAA_IPv6\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_2\">3.4<\/span> When to use AAAA (IPv6)<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li><a href=\"#CNAME_Records_Aliases_for_Easier_DNS_Management\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_1\">4<\/span> CNAME Records: Aliases for Easier DNS Management<\/a><ul><li><a href=\"#What_a_CNAME_record_does\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_2\">4.1<\/span> What a CNAME record does<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#Good_uses_for_CNAME_records\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_2\">4.2<\/span> Good uses for CNAME records<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#Where_CNAME_is_not_allowed\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_2\">4.3<\/span> Where CNAME is not allowed<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li><a href=\"#MX_Records_Making_Email_Reach_the_Right_Server\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_1\">5<\/span> MX Records: Making Email Reach the Right Server<\/a><ul><li><a href=\"#What_MX_records_do\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_2\">5.1<\/span> What MX records do<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#Typical_MX_configuration\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_2\">5.2<\/span> Typical MX configuration<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#Priority_and_multiple_MX_records\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_2\">5.3<\/span> Priority and multiple MX records<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#Stepbystep_switch_your_domains_email_to_a_new_provider\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_2\">5.4<\/span> Step\u2011by\u2011step: switch your domain\u2019s email to a new provider<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li><a href=\"#TXT_Records_Verification_SPF_DKIM_and_More\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_1\">6<\/span> TXT Records: Verification, SPF, DKIM and More<\/a><ul><li><a href=\"#What_a_TXT_record_is\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_2\">6.1<\/span> What a TXT record is<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#Common_uses_of_TXT_records\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_2\">6.2<\/span> Common uses of TXT records<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#SPF_example\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_2\">6.3<\/span> SPF example<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#Domain_verification_example\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_2\">6.4<\/span> Domain verification example<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li><a href=\"#SRV_Records_Directing_Traffic_to_Specific_Services\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_1\">7<\/span> SRV Records: Directing Traffic to Specific Services<\/a><ul><li><a href=\"#What_an_SRV_record_does\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_2\">7.1<\/span> What an SRV record does<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#Typical_SRV_record_format\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_2\">7.2<\/span> Typical SRV record format<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#When_youll_see_SRV_records\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_2\">7.3<\/span> When you\u2019ll see SRV records<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li><a href=\"#Putting_It_Together_Typical_DNS_Setups_for_a_New_Website\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_1\">8<\/span> Putting It Together: Typical DNS Setups for a New Website<\/a><ul><li><a href=\"#Scenario_1_New_website_on_shared_hosting_at_dchostcom\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_2\">8.1<\/span> Scenario 1: New website on shared hosting at dchost.com<\/a><ul><li><a href=\"#Option_A_Use_dchostcom_nameservers\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_3\">8.1.1<\/span> Option A: Use dchost.com nameservers<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#Option_B_Keep_registrar_DNS_point_to_dchostcom_IPs\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_3\">8.1.2<\/span> Option B: Keep registrar DNS, point to dchost.com IPs<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li><a href=\"#Scenario_2_Website_on_a_VPS_separate_email_provider\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_2\">8.2<\/span> Scenario 2: Website on a VPS + separate email provider<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li><a href=\"#Common_DNS_Mistakes_and_How_to_Avoid_Them\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_1\">9<\/span> Common DNS Mistakes and How to Avoid Them<\/a><ul><li><a href=\"#1_Mixing_CNAME_with_other_records_on_the_same_name\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_2\">9.1<\/span> 1. Mixing CNAME with other records on the same name<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#2_Missing_AAAAA_records_for_MX_targets\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_2\">9.2<\/span> 2. Missing A\/AAAA records for MX targets<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#3_Forgetting_about_TTL_and_propagation\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_2\">9.3<\/span> 3. Forgetting about TTL and propagation<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#4_Typos_in_hostnames\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_2\">9.4<\/span> 4. Typos in hostnames<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#5_Wrong_DNS_provider_panel\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_2\">9.5<\/span> 5. Wrong DNS provider panel<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li><a href=\"#Security_and_Advanced_Topics_Worth_Knowing\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_1\">10<\/span> Security and Advanced Topics Worth Knowing<\/a><ul><li><a href=\"#DNSSEC_protecting_DNS_answers_from_tampering\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_2\">10.1<\/span> DNSSEC: protecting DNS answers from tampering<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#Private_nameservers_and_glue_records\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_2\">10.2<\/span> Private nameservers and glue records<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#More_record_types_beyond_this_beginners_list\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_2\">10.3<\/span> More record types beyond this beginner\u2019s list<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li><a href=\"#Summary_Getting_Comfortable_with_DNS_Records\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_1\">11<\/span> Summary: Getting Comfortable with DNS Records<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n<h2><span id=\"What_Is_DNS_and_What_Exactly_Is_a_DNS_Record\">What Is DNS, and What Exactly Is a DNS Record?<\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span id=\"The_phone_book_of_the_internet\">The phone book of the internet<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><strong>DNS (Domain Name System)<\/strong> is like a phone book for the internet. Humans like names such as <code>example.com<\/code>; computers use IP addresses like <code>203.0.113.10<\/code> or <code>2001:db8::10<\/code>. DNS converts domain names into IP addresses so browsers and email servers know where to connect.<\/p>\n<p>A <strong>DNS record<\/strong> is a single entry in that phone book. It says something like:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\u201cFor <code>example.com<\/code>, go to IP address <code>203.0.113.10<\/code>.\u201d<\/li>\n<li>\u201cFor email to <code>@example.com<\/code>, use mail server <code>mail.example.com<\/code>.\u201d<\/li>\n<li>\u201cFor <code>blog.example.com<\/code>, just treat it as another name for <code>example.com<\/code>.\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Every one of these statements is stored as a DNS record of a specific type (A, AAAA, CNAME, MX, etc.). Together, they form the DNS \u201czone\u201d for your domain.<\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"Where_your_DNS_records_live\">Where your DNS records live<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Your DNS records are stored wherever your domain\u2019s <strong>nameservers<\/strong> point. That might be:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Your domain registrar\u2019s DNS panel<\/li>\n<li>Your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dchost.com\/web-hosting\">web hosting<\/a> provider\u2019s DNS (for example, via cPanel, DirectAdmin or a custom panel at dchost.com)<\/li>\n<li>A dedicated DNS provider or a CDN that also offers DNS<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>When you change DNS settings, you\u2019re usually editing records on one of these systems. If you\u2019d like to go deeper into choosing between hosting DNS and an external DNS service, we\u2019ve written about <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dchost.com\/blog\/en\/cloudflare-dns-mi-hosting-dnsi-mi-en-dogru-nameserver-stratejisi\/\">how to choose the right nameserver and DNS strategy<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"How_DNS_Records_Work_Behind_the_Scenes\">How DNS Records Work Behind the Scenes<\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span id=\"The_basic_DNS_lookup_flow\">The basic DNS lookup flow<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>When someone types <code>www.example.com<\/code> into their browser, this roughly happens:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>The browser asks the operating system for the IP of <code>www.example.com<\/code>.<\/li>\n<li>The OS asks a recursive DNS resolver (usually your ISP or public DNS).<\/li>\n<li>The resolver follows the chain: Root \u2192 TLD (.com) \u2192 your domain\u2019s nameservers.<\/li>\n<li>Your nameserver replies with the DNS records (e.g. an A record with an IP).<\/li>\n<li>The resolver caches the answer based on the record\u2019s <strong>TTL<\/strong> (time\u2011to\u2011live).<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>The important part for you: the final answer (which IP, which mail server, etc.) comes directly from the DNS records you manage in your DNS panel.<\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"TTL_how_long_DNS_records_are_cached\">TTL: how long DNS records are cached<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Every DNS record has a <strong>TTL (Time\u2011To\u2011Live)<\/strong> value in seconds. It tells resolvers how long they can safely cache the answer before asking again. For example:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><code>300<\/code> seconds = 5 minutes<\/li>\n<li><code>3600<\/code> seconds = 1 hour<\/li>\n<li><code>86400<\/code> seconds = 24 hours<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>When you make changes, old answers may stay in caches until the TTL expires. That\u2019s why DNS changes can appear \u201cslow\u201d to propagate. For more detailed strategies on using TTL values\u2014especially when planning a migration\u2014take a look at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dchost.com\/blog\/en\/zero-downtime-tasima-icin-ttl-stratejileri-dns-yayilimini-gercekten-nasil-hizlandirirsin\/\">how to use TTL for fast DNS propagation and zero\u2011downtime migrations<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"Common_record_fields_youll_see_in_a_DNS_panel\">Common record fields you\u2019ll see in a DNS panel<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Most DNS interfaces show something like:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Type<\/strong>: A, AAAA, CNAME, MX, TXT, SRV, etc.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Name \/ Host<\/strong>: The subdomain, e.g. <code>@<\/code> (root), <code>www<\/code>, <code>mail<\/code>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Value \/ Target<\/strong>: IP address, hostname, or other data.<\/li>\n<li><strong>TTL<\/strong>: Cache time for resolvers.<\/li>\n<li>(Sometimes) <strong>Priority<\/strong>: Used by MX and SRV records.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span id=\"A_and_AAAA_Records_Pointing_Your_Domain_to_a_Server\">A and AAAA Records: Pointing Your Domain to a Server<\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span id=\"What_A_and_AAAA_records_do\">What A and AAAA records do<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><strong>A records<\/strong> map a hostname to an IPv4 address (e.g. <code>203.0.113.10<\/code>).<\/p>\n<p><strong>AAAA records<\/strong> map a hostname to an IPv6 address (e.g. <code>2001:db8::10<\/code>).<\/p>\n<p>These are the core records that make your website reachable. If they are wrong, your site simply will not load.<\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"Typical_examples\">Typical examples<\/span><\/h3>\n<pre class=\"language-bash line-numbers\"><code class=\"language-bash\">Type   Name   Value            TTL\nA      @      203.0.113.10     3600\nA      www    203.0.113.10     3600\nAAAA   @      2001:db8::10     3600\nAAAA   www    2001:db8::10     3600\n<\/code><\/pre>\n<p>Here:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><code>@<\/code> represents the root domain <code>example.com<\/code>.<\/li>\n<li><code>www<\/code> represents <code>www.example.com<\/code>.<\/li>\n<li>Both resolve to the same server over IPv4 and IPv6.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span id=\"Stepbystep_point_a_domain_to_your_hosting_or_VPS\">Step\u2011by\u2011step: point a domain to your hosting or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dchost.com\/vps\">VPS<\/a><\/span><\/h3>\n<ol>\n<li>Log in to the DNS panel where your nameservers point.<\/li>\n<li>Find the DNS zone for your domain (e.g. <code>example.com<\/code>).<\/li>\n<li>Locate existing A\/AAAA records for <code>@<\/code> and <code>www<\/code>.<\/li>\n<li>Update the IPs to match the ones from your hosting or VPS at dchost.com.<\/li>\n<li>Set a reasonable TTL (e.g. 900\u20133600 seconds).<\/li>\n<li>Save and wait for propagation.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>If your IPs include IPv6, you can also follow our detailed <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dchost.com\/blog\/en\/vps-sunucunuzda-ipv6-kurulum-ve-yapilandirma-rehberi-2\/\">IPv6 setup and configuration guide for VPS servers<\/a> to ensure everything is correctly configured on the server side.<\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"When_to_use_AAAA_IPv6\">When to use AAAA (IPv6)<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>IPv6 adoption is growing quickly, and having AAAA records is becoming a best practice. Many visitors and networks prefer IPv6 when available. As long as your hosting or VPS has IPv6 correctly configured and firewalled, adding AAAA records improves compatibility and future\u2011proofing.<\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"CNAME_Records_Aliases_for_Easier_DNS_Management\">CNAME Records: Aliases for Easier DNS Management<\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span id=\"What_a_CNAME_record_does\">What a CNAME record does<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>A <strong>CNAME (Canonical Name)<\/strong> record makes one hostname an alias of another hostname. The alias does not point directly to an IP; it simply says \u201cuse the other name\u2019s records.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Example:<\/p>\n<pre class=\"language-bash line-numbers\"><code class=\"language-bash\">Type   Name        Value              TTL\nA      @           203.0.113.10       3600\nCNAME  www         example.com.       3600\n<\/code><\/pre>\n<p>Here, <code>www.example.com<\/code> uses whatever IPs <code>example.com<\/code> resolves to. If you later change the A\/AAAA records of <code>example.com<\/code>, <code>www<\/code> automatically follows.<\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"Good_uses_for_CNAME_records\">Good uses for CNAME records<\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Pointing <code>www<\/code> to the root domain.<\/li>\n<li>Creating aliases like <code>blog.example.com<\/code> that follow another hostname.<\/li>\n<li>Setting up third\u2011party services that ask you to create a CNAME to their hostname.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span id=\"Where_CNAME_is_not_allowed\">Where CNAME is not allowed<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>There are two important rules:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>You cannot have a CNAME and any other record type (A, MX, TXT, etc.) for the <strong>same name<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li>Traditionally, you cannot use CNAME at the root (<code>@<\/code>) of your domain. Some DNS providers offer special features (ALIAS\/ANAME\/flattening) to simulate this, but it is not a standard CNAME.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>If you\u2019re interested in deeper tricks like CNAME at the apex and ALIAS\/ANAME records, we\u2019ve covered them in more detail in our article on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dchost.com\/blog\/en\/bir-domain-bir-kahve-ve-kokte-cname-dilegi\/\">CNAME at the domain root and when to use CNAME\u2011like features safely<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"MX_Records_Making_Email_Reach_the_Right_Server\">MX Records: Making Email Reach the Right Server<\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span id=\"What_MX_records_do\">What MX records do<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><strong>MX (Mail Exchanger)<\/strong> records tell the world which mail servers handle email for your domain. When someone sends an email to <code>user@example.com<\/code>, their mail server looks up the MX records for <code>example.com<\/code> and connects to those servers.<\/p>\n<p>An MX record does <em>not<\/em> contain an IP address directly. It points to a hostname, which then must have A\/AAAA records.<\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"Typical_MX_configuration\">Typical MX configuration<\/span><\/h3>\n<pre class=\"language-bash line-numbers\"><code class=\"language-bash\">Type  Name   Priority  Value               TTL\nMX    @      10        mail.example.com.   3600\nA     mail   203.0.113.20                  3600\n<\/code><\/pre>\n<p>Here:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Emails to <code>@example.com<\/code> go to <code>mail.example.com<\/code>.<\/li>\n<li><code>mail.example.com<\/code> resolves to IP <code>203.0.113.20<\/code>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span id=\"Priority_and_multiple_MX_records\">Priority and multiple MX records<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>The <strong>priority<\/strong> field lets you define order and redundancy:<\/p>\n<pre class=\"language-bash line-numbers\"><code class=\"language-bash\">MX  @  10  mail1.example.com.\nMX  @  20  mail2.example.com.\n<\/code><\/pre>\n<ul>\n<li>Mail servers try priority 10 first.<\/li>\n<li>If it\u2019s down, they try priority 20 as a backup.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>This is how you build more resilient email setups with backup MX servers or split delivery. For more advanced email redundancy designs, see our guide to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dchost.com\/blog\/en\/e-posta-altyapisinda-yedeklilik-birden-fazla-mx-kaydi-backup-mx-ve-split-delivery-kurulumu\/\">email redundancy with multiple MX, backup MX and split delivery<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"Stepbystep_switch_your_domains_email_to_a_new_provider\">Step\u2011by\u2011step: switch your domain\u2019s email to a new provider<\/span><\/h3>\n<ol>\n<li>Get the MX records and hostnames from your new email provider or from your mail server on your dchost.com VPS\/hosting.<\/li>\n<li>In your DNS panel, locate existing MX records for <code>@<\/code>.<\/li>\n<li>Replace them with the new MX entries and priorities.<\/li>\n<li>Ensure each MX hostname has a valid A\/AAAA record.<\/li>\n<li>Optionally lower TTL beforehand to make the switch quicker.<\/li>\n<li>Wait for propagation and test sending\/receiving email.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Remember that good email delivery needs more than just MX. You also need SPF, DKIM and DMARC, which we\u2019ll touch on shortly when we discuss TXT records.<\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"TXT_Records_Verification_SPF_DKIM_and_More\">TXT Records: Verification, SPF, DKIM and More<\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span id=\"What_a_TXT_record_is\">What a TXT record is<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>A <strong>TXT record<\/strong> stores arbitrary text under your domain. It\u2019s extremely flexible, so many standards use it to publish policies, security settings, and ownership proof.<\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"Common_uses_of_TXT_records\">Common uses of TXT records<\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>SPF<\/strong> (Sender Policy Framework) to list allowed mail senders.<\/li>\n<li><strong>DKIM<\/strong> public keys for email signing.<\/li>\n<li><strong>DMARC<\/strong> policies to tell receivers how to handle suspicious emails.<\/li>\n<li>Domain ownership verification for search engines, SaaS platforms or CDN services.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span id=\"SPF_example\">SPF example<\/span><\/h3>\n<pre class=\"language-bash line-numbers\"><code class=\"language-bash\">Type  Name  Value                                              TTL\nTXT   @     &quot;v=spf1 ip4:203.0.113.20 include:_spf.example.net ~all&quot;  3600\n<\/code><\/pre>\n<p>This says: \u201cOnly the listed IP and included hosts are allowed to send mail for this domain; everything else is questionable.\u201d<\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"Domain_verification_example\">Domain verification example<\/span><\/h3>\n<pre class=\"language-bash line-numbers\"><code class=\"language-bash\">Type  Name              Value                                 TTL\nTXT   @                 &quot;google-site-verification=abcdef...&quot;  3600\nTXT   _acme-challenge   &quot;random-token-for-ssl-issue&quot;          300\n<\/code><\/pre>\n<p>Different services ask you to create TXT records with specific names and values. Once visible in DNS, they confirm you own the domain.<\/p>\n<p>We have a dedicated guide that goes deeper into email TXT records\u2014SPF, DKIM and DMARC\u2014especially for cPanel and VPS users: you can <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dchost.com\/blog\/en\/spf-dkim-ve-dmarc-nedir-ozel-alan-adi-ile-e-posta-dogrulamasini-cpanel-ve-vpste-sifirdan-kurmak\/\">learn how to configure SPF, DKIM and DMARC step\u2011by\u2011step for your own domain<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"SRV_Records_Directing_Traffic_to_Specific_Services\">SRV Records: Directing Traffic to Specific Services<\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span id=\"What_an_SRV_record_does\">What an SRV record does<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><strong>SRV (Service)<\/strong> records tell clients where to find a specific service (like VoIP, chat, or directory services) for your domain. They include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Service name (e.g. <code>_sip<\/code> for SIP\/VoIP)<\/li>\n<li>Protocol (e.g. <code>_tcp<\/code> or <code>_udp<\/code>)<\/li>\n<li>Priority and weight (to choose between multiple servers)<\/li>\n<li>Port number<\/li>\n<li>Target hostname<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span id=\"Typical_SRV_record_format\">Typical SRV record format<\/span><\/h3>\n<pre class=\"language-bash line-numbers\"><code class=\"language-bash\">_service._proto.name.  TTL  IN  SRV  priority weight port target.\n<\/code><\/pre>\n<p>Example for a SIP service:<\/p>\n<pre class=\"language-bash line-numbers\"><code class=\"language-bash\">Type  Name               Priority  Weight  Port  Target\nSRV   _sip._tcp          10        60      5060  sip1.example.com.\nSRV   _sip._tcp          10        20      5060  sip2.example.com.\n<\/code><\/pre>\n<p>Clients that understand SRV (like some VoIP phones, chat apps or Microsoft services) can automatically discover servers and load\u2011balance between them.<\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"When_youll_see_SRV_records\">When you\u2019ll see SRV records<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>SRV records are common when:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Setting up enterprise services like Microsoft 365, Lync\/Skype for Business or similar tools.<\/li>\n<li>Using SIP\u2011based VoIP providers that support DNS\u2011based discovery.<\/li>\n<li>Integrating services like XMPP chat or certain game servers.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Usually, you just copy\u2011paste SRV details from the service documentation into your DNS panel. Once added, clients automatically find the right host and port.<\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"Putting_It_Together_Typical_DNS_Setups_for_a_New_Website\">Putting It Together: Typical DNS Setups for a New Website<\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span id=\"Scenario_1_New_website_on_shared_hosting_at_dchostcom\">Scenario 1: New website on shared hosting at dchost.com<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Let\u2019s say you\u2019ve registered <code>example.com<\/code> and purchased a shared hosting plan from dchost.com. Here are two common approaches.<\/p>\n<h4><span id=\"Option_A_Use_dchostcom_nameservers\">Option A: Use dchost.com nameservers<\/span><\/h4>\n<ol>\n<li>At your domain registrar, set the nameservers to the ones provided by dchost.com.<\/li>\n<li>Wait for nameserver changes to propagate (often 1\u201324 hours).<\/li>\n<li>Log into your hosting control panel; DNS records for your domain are usually auto\u2011created.<\/li>\n<li>Verify that A\/AAAA, MX and basic TXT records are in place.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>This is the simplest for beginners: we manage most of the DNS details for you.<\/p>\n<h4><span id=\"Option_B_Keep_registrar_DNS_point_to_dchostcom_IPs\">Option B: Keep registrar DNS, point to dchost.com IPs<\/span><\/h4>\n<ol>\n<li>Keep your registrar\u2019s nameservers.<\/li>\n<li>In the registrar DNS panel, create or edit:<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<ul>\n<li>A record for <code>@<\/code> \u2192 your hosting IP (from dchost.com).<\/li>\n<li>A or CNAME record for <code>www<\/code> \u2192 either the IP or <code>example.com<\/code>.<\/li>\n<li>MX record(s) to the mail server you\u2019re using (dchost.com hosting or external).\n  <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>This gives you more direct control, but you must keep everything in sync.<\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"Scenario_2_Website_on_a_VPS_separate_email_provider\">Scenario 2: Website on a VPS + separate email provider<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Assume you have a VPS at dchost.com for your app and an external email service.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>On the VPS side<\/strong>: configure your web server (Nginx\/Apache) and get the server IPs.<\/li>\n<li><strong>DNS configuration<\/strong> (at registrar or DNS provider):<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<pre class=\"language-bash line-numbers\"><code class=\"language-bash\">Type  Name   Value \/ Target            Notes\nA     @      &lt;VPS IPv4&gt;                Main site\nAAAA  @      &lt;VPS IPv6&gt;                Optional, but recommended\nCNAME www    example.com.              Alias to root\nMX    @      &lt;email-provider-host&gt;.    From provider docs\nTXT   @      &quot;v=spf1 include:... ~all&quot; SPF from provider\n<\/code><\/pre>\n<p>This cleanly separates web hosting (your VPS) from email hosting (your provider), all controlled via DNS records.<\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"Common_DNS_Mistakes_and_How_to_Avoid_Them\">Common DNS Mistakes and How to Avoid Them<\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span id=\"1_Mixing_CNAME_with_other_records_on_the_same_name\">1. Mixing CNAME with other records on the same name<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Problem: You add a CNAME for <code>www<\/code> and also create A\/TXT\/MX records for <code>www<\/code>.<\/p>\n<p>Fix: A hostname with a CNAME must not have any other record types. If you need multiple records, replace the CNAME with A\/AAAA records instead.<\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"2_Missing_AAAAA_records_for_MX_targets\">2. Missing A\/AAAA records for MX targets<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Problem: MX points to <code>mail.example.com<\/code>, but <code>mail.example.com<\/code> has no A\/AAAA record.<\/p>\n<p>Fix: Always ensure each MX target hostname has valid A\/AAAA records, or email delivery will fail.<\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"3_Forgetting_about_TTL_and_propagation\">3. Forgetting about TTL and propagation<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Problem: You change an A record and expect the whole world to see it instantly.<\/p>\n<p>Fix: Remember caches respect TTL; lower TTL ahead of a migration and be patient. Our guide on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dchost.com\/blog\/en\/zero-downtime-tasima-icin-ttl-stratejileri-dns-yayilimini-gercekten-nasil-hizlandirirsin\/\">TTL strategies for zero\u2011downtime moves<\/a> covers this in practical detail.<\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"4_Typos_in_hostnames\">4. Typos in hostnames<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Problem: An MX record points to <code>mail.exampe.com<\/code> instead of <code>mail.example.com<\/code>.<\/p>\n<p>Fix: Copy\u2011paste hostnames from provider documentation, and double\u2011check spelling. One misplaced letter can break email or web access completely.<\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"5_Wrong_DNS_provider_panel\">5. Wrong DNS provider panel<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Problem: You edit DNS at your registrar, but the domain\u2019s nameservers actually point somewhere else (for example, your hosting or a CDN). Your changes appear to \u201cdo nothing.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Fix: First check which nameservers your domain uses. Always edit DNS in the panel associated with those nameservers.<\/p>\n<p>If your domain refuses to resolve and you\u2019re not sure why, walk through our step\u2011by\u2011step guide on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dchost.com\/blog\/en\/dns-hatalari-yuzunden-site-acilmiyor-dns_probe_finished_nxdomain-teshis-rehberi\/\">diagnosing and fixing common DNS errors such as DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"Security_and_Advanced_Topics_Worth_Knowing\">Security and Advanced Topics Worth Knowing<\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span id=\"DNSSEC_protecting_DNS_answers_from_tampering\">DNSSEC: protecting DNS answers from tampering<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><strong>DNSSEC<\/strong> adds cryptographic signatures to your DNS data so resolvers can verify that answers are authentic and not modified in transit. It does not hide or encrypt records, but it prevents certain spoofing attacks.<\/p>\n<p>Enabling DNSSEC usually requires steps both at your DNS provider and your domain registrar (DS records). If you\u2019re interested in hardening your domains, we\u2019ve explained <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dchost.com\/blog\/en\/dnssec-nedir-web-sitenizi-nasil-daha-guvenli-hale-getirir\/\">what DNSSEC is and how it makes your website more secure<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"Private_nameservers_and_glue_records\">Private nameservers and glue records<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Some agencies and advanced users prefer to use <strong>private nameservers<\/strong> like <code>ns1.yourbrand.com<\/code> rather than generic names like <code>ns1.provider.com<\/code>. This requires:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Registering the nameserver hostnames at the registrar with \u201cglue\u201d A\/AAAA records.<\/li>\n<li>Configuring corresponding NS and A\/AAAA records in your DNS server.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>If you want to run or brand your own nameservers (for example on your dchost.com VPS or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dchost.com\/dedicated-server\">dedicated server<\/a>), our guide on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dchost.com\/blog\/en\/ozel-ad-sunucusu-ve-glue-record-nasil-kurulur-kendi-dnsine-adim-adim-yolculuk\/\">setting up private nameservers and glue records<\/a> walks through the process.<\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"More_record_types_beyond_this_beginners_list\">More record types beyond this beginner\u2019s list<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>In this article we focused on A, AAAA, CNAME, MX, TXT and SRV\u2014the ones you\u2019ll see most often. There are many more types (NS, CAA, PTR, SOA, etc.). If you\u2019re curious and want a friendly, deeper technical dive including CAA records and real\u2011world gotchas, read our piece on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dchost.com\/blog\/en\/dns-kayitlari-adan-zye-a-aaaa-cname-mx-txt-srv-caa-ve-sizi-yakan-o-kucuk-hatalar\/\">DNS records from A to SRV and the small mistakes that trip people up<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"Summary_Getting_Comfortable_with_DNS_Records\">Summary: Getting Comfortable with DNS Records<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>DNS feels mysterious until you see it for what it is: a structured list of simple rules. Each record answers one very specific question. A and AAAA records answer \u201cwhich IP should I connect to?\u201d CNAME answers \u201cwhich other hostname should I follow?\u201d MX answers \u201cwhich server receives mail for this domain?\u201d TXT answers \u201cwhat extra policies or verification tokens apply here?\u201d and SRV answers \u201cwhere can I find this particular service and on which port?\u201d Once you know which question you\u2019re trying to answer, choosing the right record type becomes much easier.<\/p>\n<p>At dchost.com, we see every level of DNS usage\u2014from small business sites with a handful of A and MX records, to complex agency setups with custom nameservers, DNSSEC, and multi\u2011provider redundancy. If you\u2019re setting up a new domain, moving to our shared hosting, VPS, dedicated servers or colocation, or simply need someone to sanity\u2011check your DNS zone, our team can help you plan a clean, resilient configuration from day one. And if you ever get stuck, the guides we\u2019ve linked here will walk you through TTL planning, DNS troubleshooting, security hardening and more, so DNS becomes just another calm part of your stack\u2014not a source of surprises.<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>If you own a domain name or plan to launch a website, you will run into DNS records very quickly. They decide where your website lives, which server receives your email, and how third\u2011party tools verify that you actually control a domain. Misconfigured DNS is one of the most common reasons we see sites not [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2927,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[26],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2926","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-teknoloji"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dchost.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2926","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dchost.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dchost.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dchost.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dchost.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2926"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.dchost.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2926\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dchost.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2927"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dchost.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2926"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dchost.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2926"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dchost.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2926"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}