DNS record types
DNS records tell the internet where a domain's website, email and services live. Each record has a type, a value and a TTL (how long resolvers may cache it).
| Type | Purpose |
|---|---|
| A | IPv4 address of the domain. |
| AAAA | IPv6 address of the domain. |
| CNAME | Alias pointing to another name (not allowed at the root of a domain). |
| MX | Mail servers that accept email for the domain, with priority (lower = preferred). |
| NS | Authoritative name servers for the domain. |
| TXT | Free-form text, used for SPF, DKIM, DMARC and domain verification. |
| SOA | Start of authority: primary name server, contact and zone timers. |
| CAA | Which certificate authorities may issue TLS certificates for the domain. |
How this lookup works
Queries go from our server to public recursive resolvers (Cloudflare 1.1.1.1 and Google 8.8.8.8), so you see what the wider internet sees rather than your own device's cache. To compare many resolvers at once — for example after changing a record — use the DNS propagation checker.
Common problems
- NXDOMAIN — the name doesn't exist: a typo, an expired registration or a record that was never created.
- Old value after a change — resolvers keep the previous answer until its TTL expires. Lower the TTL before planned changes.
- Email not arriving — check MX records point to your mail provider and that SPF/DMARC TXT records are published.
Questions
What DNS server should I use?
Your ISP's resolver works for most people. Public resolvers such as 1.1.1.1 (Cloudflare), 8.8.8.8 (Google) or 9.9.9.9 (Quad9) can be faster or more reliable; test the difference rather than assuming.
What does TTL mean?
Time to live — how many seconds a resolver may cache the record before asking again. 300 seconds (5 minutes) is common for records that change; 3600 or more for stable ones.