How to Add DNS Records
DNS resolution is the process of pointing a domain name to a server IP address or another service. When users access your website through a domain name, the DNS system directs the request to the correct destination based on the resolution records. This article explains how to add and manage DNS records in NamesLink.
DNS Record Overview
NamesLink provides free DNS resolution services for every domain, supporting the following record types:
| Record Type | Purpose |
|---|---|
| A / AAAA | Point a domain to an IPv4 / IPv6 address |
| CNAME | Point a domain to another domain name (alias) |
| MX | Set the mail server address |
| TXT | Add a text record, commonly used for domain verification and SPF configuration |
| NS | Specify the DNS servers for the domain |
| SRV | Define the server address and port for a specific service |
| CAA | Specify which certificate authorities are allowed to issue SSL certificates for the domain |
Adding DNS Records
Steps
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Log in to your NamesLink account
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Go to Domain Management > My Domains
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Find the target domain and click Manage
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Select the DNS Records tab
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Click the Add Record button
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Select the record type and fill in the parameter fields
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Click Save. Records usually take effect globally within minutes to 48 hours
Tip: When setting up resolution for the first time, the system may have automatically added some default records. You can modify or delete them as needed.
Record Type Details
A / AAAA Records
A records and AAAA records are the most commonly used resolution records, used to point a domain name directly to a server's IP address. The difference is that A records correspond to IPv4 addresses, while AAAA records correspond to IPv6 addresses. As IPv6 networks become more widespread, we recommend adding both A and AAAA records for your domain to ensure compatibility with more access environments.
| Field | Description | A Record Example | AAAA Record Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Record Type | Select A or AAAA | A | AAAA |
| Host | Enter the subdomain prefix. @ represents the root domain, * represents wildcard resolution | @, www | @, www |
| Value | The server's IP address | IPv4: 192.0.2.1 | IPv6: 2001:db8::1 |
| TTL | DNS cache time. The smaller the value, the faster it takes effect | 600 seconds | 600 seconds |
Common use cases:
-
Point the root domain to a web server:
@→ A →192.0.2.1 -
Point the www subdomain to a web server:
www→ A →192.0.2.1 -
Add IPv6 support for the same domain:
@→ AAAA →2001:db8::1 -
Wildcard resolution points all undefined subdomains to the same server:
*→ A →192.0.2.1
CNAME Records
A CNAME record maps one domain name to another domain name rather than pointing directly to an IP address. The target domain ultimately resolves to a specific server address through its own A or AAAA records.
| Field | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Host | Enter the subdomain prefix | www, cdn |
| Value | Target domain name. Add a trailing . or the system will append one automatically | example.com |
| TTL | DNS cache time | 600 seconds |
Common use cases:
-
Point
wwwto the root domain:www→ CNAME →example.com -
When using a CDN service:
cdn→ CNAME →example.cdn-provider.com
Note: A CNAME record's host cannot coexist with other record types (such as A records or MX records) under the same host. If an A record already exists for
www, you must delete the A record before adding the CNAME record.
MX Records
MX records specify the mail server address and priority for receiving email on that domain.
| Field | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Host | Usually @, representing the root domain | @ |
| Value | Mail server domain name | mail.example.com |
| Priority | The lower the value, the higher the priority. Range: 1–65535 | 5, 10, 20 |
| TTL | DNS cache time | 600 seconds |
Common use cases:
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Single mail server:
@→ MX → priority 5 →mail.example.com -
Multiple mail servers (primary and backup):
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@→ MX → priority 5 →mail1.example.com -
@→ MX → priority 10 →mail2.example.com
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Tip: When setting up MX records, we recommend adding a corresponding A record for the mail server domain to ensure proper mail routing.
TXT Records
TXT records are used to store arbitrary text information and are commonly used for domain ownership verification, SPF anti-spam configuration, and DKIM email signing.
| Field | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Host | Usually @ or a subdomain specified by the service provider | @, _verification |
| Value | Text content, usually provided by a third-party service provider | v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com ~all |
| TTL | DNS cache time | 600 seconds |
Common use cases:
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SPF record: Prevent email spoofing.
@→ TXT →v=spf1 ip4:192.0.2.0/24 include:_spf.google.com ~all -
Domain verification: A third-party service requires adding a verification record, such as
_verification→ TXT →verify-abc123 -
DKIM record: Email signature verification, such as
selector._domainkey→ TXT → public key content
NS Records
NS records specify which DNS servers are responsible for resolving the domain name (or subdomain). NamesLink usually has NS records configured by default, so manual modification is not necessary. You only need to add custom NS records when delegating a subdomain to another DNS provider.
| Field | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Host | Usually @ or a subdomain prefix | @, subdomain |
| Value | DNS server domain name | ns1.other-provider.com |
| TTL | DNS cache time | 86400 seconds |
Note: Modifying a domain's NS records will affect the entire domain's resolution service. If you simply want to use a DNS service other than NamesLink, we recommend changing the domain's DNS server settings rather than modifying NS records within NamesLink's DNS resolution.
SRV Records
SRV records are used to define the server address and port for a specific service (such as SIP or XMPP).
| Field | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Host | Format is _service._protocol, such as _sip._tcp | _sip._tcp |
| Value | Format is priority weight port target-domain | 5 0 5060 sipserver.example.com |
| TTL | DNS cache time | 600 seconds |
Common use cases:
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SIP service:
_sip._tcp→ SRV →10 5 5060 sip.example.com -
Microsoft 365 service:
_autodiscover._tcp→ SRV →0 0 443 autodiscover.outlook.com
Tip: The host of an SRV record must begin with an underscore, strictly following the
_service._protocolformat.
CAA Records
CAA records specify which certificate authorities (CAs) are authorized to issue SSL/TLS certificates for your domain, helping prevent unauthorized certificate issuance.
| Field | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Host | Usually @ or a subdomain prefix | @ |
| Value | Format is 0 issue "ca-domain" | 0 issue "letsencrypt.org" |
| TTL | DNS cache time | 600 seconds |
Common use cases:
-
Only allow Let's Encrypt to issue certificates:
@→ CAA →0 issue "letsencrypt.org" -
Allow multiple CAs: Add multiple CAA records separately
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Prohibit all CAs from issuing certificates (useful when only subdomains need certificates):
@→ CAA →0 issue ";"
Resolution Propagation Time
The time it takes for a DNS record to take effect depends on the TTL value and caching by DNS servers worldwide:
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Local effect: NamesLink's DNS servers usually update within minutes after saving
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Global effect: Because ISPs and DNS servers around the world cache resolution results, full global propagation may take minutes to 48 hours
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Speed up propagation: Setting a smaller TTL value (such as 300 seconds) can speed up global propagation, but it will increase DNS query load
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Why can't I access my website after adding DNS records?
A: Please check the following:
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Is the record value correct (for example, is the IP address correct)?
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Does the host record match the domain you are accessing (for example,
wwwand@are different records)? -
Has the resolution propagated globally? Try flushing your local DNS cache or testing from a different network
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Is the server itself running normally?
Q: Can A records and CNAME records coexist?
A: Not under the same host record. For example, www cannot have both an A record and a CNAME record simultaneously. However, different host records can be mixed, such as using an A record for @ and a CNAME record for www.
Q: What does MX record priority mean?
A: The lower the priority value, the higher the priority. The mail system will first attempt to deliver email to the highest-priority mail server. If that fails, it will try the next highest-priority server.
Q: Can I set up DNS records immediately after registering a domain?
A: Yes. However, newly registered domains need to wait for the DNS servers to update at the global registry (usually minutes to 24 hours) before the resolution records can take effect normally.