Records
- A: points a hostname to an IPv4 address.
- AAAA: points a hostname to an IPv6 address.
- CNAME: aliases one hostname to another hostname.
- MX: tells mail servers where to deliver email.
- TXT: stores SPF, DKIM, DMARC, verification, and policy records.
- SRV: tells applications where a service is located.
- NS: delegates DNS authority for a domain or subdomain.
Common mistakes
- Creating a CNAME at the root domain when the DNS provider does not support it.
- Forgetting mail records during a website migration.
- Duplicating SPF records instead of merging them into one TXT record.
- Changing website DNS but leaving old cached data in browsers or local resolvers.
DNS troubleshooting flow
- Find the authoritative nameservers first.
- Edit records only at the authoritative DNS provider.
- Check root domain, www, mail, MX, TXT, and any app-specific records.
- Watch for stale IPv6, duplicate SPF, and old mail records.
- Wait for TTL expiry before assuming a change failed.
Quick support handoff
If this article does not solve the issue, open a support ticket with the domain, service name, exact error, time the problem started, and what changed recently.
