Overview

DNS records tell the internet how to reach your services. This article explains the most common record types and how to add, edit and remove them in the ALYPOD Console for a domain whose DNS you manage with ALYPOD.

Record types at a glance

• A — maps a hostname to an IPv4 address, e.g. example.com → 203.0.113.10.
• AAAA — maps a hostname to an IPv6 address.
• CNAME — points a hostname to another hostname, e.g. www → example.com. Not allowed at the zone root.
• MX — tells mail where to deliver, with a priority number (lower is preferred).
• TXT — free text; used for SPF, DKIM, DMARC and domain verification.

Steps

1. Log in to account.alypod.com and open Domains.
2. Select the domain and open DNS records (the zone editor).
3. Click Add record, choose the type, and fill in the fields:

• Name / host: @ for the root domain, or the subdomain such as www.
• Value / target: the IP or hostname.
• TTL: how long resolvers may cache the answer. 3600 (one hour) is a sensible default; use 300 while testing.

1. Save the record. Repeat for each record you need.

Typical zone

| Type | Name | Value | Notes | |-------|-------|---------------------|------------------| | A | @ | 203.0.113.10 | website root | | A | www | 203.0.113.10 | or CNAME to @ | | AAAA | @ | 2001:db8::10 | optional IPv6 | | MX | @ | mail.example.com (10) | inbound mail | | TXT | @ | v=spf1 mx -all | SPF |

Verifying records

bash dig +short A example.com dig +short AAAA example.com dig +short MX example.com dig +short TXT example.com dig @1.1.1.1 example.com A +short

Good practice

• Only one record can answer the zone root with a CNAME; use an A record there.
• Keep a single SPF TXT record and merge mechanisms into it.
• Lower TTLs before a planned migration, then raise them again afterwards.

Troubleshooting

• Problem: A record is not updating. Solution: Check the TTL and query a public resolver; cached answers expire when the old TTL runs out.
• Problem: Mail bounces. Solution: Confirm MX priorities and that the mail host has a matching A record and PTR.

Related articles

• [Setting up email DNS (SPF, DKIM, DMARC)]
• [Pointing a domain to your ALYPOD Pod]