Here’s a guide to configuring DNS Resource Records

In a previous article, we looked at the most commonly used DNS Resource Records, we now need to look at how we configure these records. In this guide, we will use cPanel as our control panel. Here is a step by step guide to configuring the DNS resource records.

Firstly, you need to log in to your domain name host’s control panel. Then click on the button to manage DNS records. In cPanel, click on Advanced DNS Zone Editor under the Domains tab. This will take you to the page to manage your DNS records.

Configuring the A/AAAA  Records

What to enter in the fields

Name: Enter the domain name you are configuring the A record for, e.g im.co.zw. Note: it’s possible to configure the A record for a number of sub-domains as well e.g you can also have A records for www.im.co.zw and webmail.im.co.zw. Alternatively, you can just configure a wildcard domain (i.e *.im.co.zw). However, the later is generally considered poor practice.

TTL: This is the time allowed for the other DNS servers to cache DNS query results in seconds.

Type:  From the drop down menu you select the type of record you are setting. In cPanel the “A” record is usually set as the default type. To select the “AAAA” record you select it from the drop down menu.

Address: Enter the IP address (IPV4/ IPV6) of the server you want to point your domain to, that is your host.

Configuring CNAME Records

What to enter in the fields

Name: Enter the alias you want to set up, e.g if you want to alias example.im.co.zw to im.co.zw, you will enter example.im.co.zw in this field. Note that this has to be a subdomain because a CNAME doesn’t play nicely with other DNS records. If you try to set it up for the root domain it will clash with the SOA record.

TTL: This is the time allowed for the other DNS servers to cache DNS query results in seconds.

Type: Select CNAME from the drop down menu

CNAME: Enter the destination (im.co.zw) for the CNAME record you created (example.im.co.zw).

Configuring TXT Records

What to enter in the fields

Name: Enter the (sub)domain you are adding the TXT record for.

TTL: This is the time allowed for the other DNS servers to cache DNS query results in seconds.

Type: Select TXT in the drop down menu.

TXT Data: Enter the TXT data  for the domain. Note that this can be upto 255 characters. Technically TXT Data should be quoted, i.e. you should put it inside “”. However, cPanel does this for you automatically so you should not include them.

Configuring the MX Records

To configure the MX records go to the cPanel home page by clicking the home icon. On the home page click on the MX entry under the Mail tab. This will take you to a page where you can manage your MX records.

 

What to enter in the fields

Priority: Email servers deliver emails with preference to the priority set in this field, giving the lowest number the first preference and if delivery fails it then tries the next lowest priority.

Destination: Enter the email servers which are hosting your emails. For example, if you are using your ISP to host the emails you can have email servers like mx1.yourisp.co.zw and mx2.yourisp.co.zw.