DNS, or the Domain Name System, is one of those behind-the-scenes technologies that most people never think about until something goes wrong. But understanding the basics of DNS and domain management is important for any business owner who has a website. It is the system that ensures your domain name points to the right place and that your email reaches the right server.
What DNS Does
Every website on the internet lives on a server, and every server has a numerical IP address, something like 192.168.1.1. DNS translates your human-friendly domain name, like yourbusiness.com, into the IP address of the server where your website is hosted. When someone types your domain into their browser, DNS looks up the corresponding IP address and directs the browser to the right server.
Think of DNS as the internet's phone book. Instead of looking up a person's name to find their phone number, it looks up a domain name to find a server address. Without DNS, we would all have to remember strings of numbers to visit websites.
Key DNS Records Explained
DNS uses different types of records to manage how your domain works. Understanding the most common ones helps you make sense of your domain settings and troubleshoot issues.
A Records
An A record, or Address record, is the most fundamental DNS record. It maps your domain name to an IP address. When someone visits yourbusiness.com, the A record tells the internet which server to connect to. If you change hosting providers, you will need to update your A record to point to your new server.
CNAME Records
A CNAME record, or Canonical Name record, maps one domain name to another. This is commonly used for subdomains. For example, you might have a CNAME record that maps www.yourbusiness.com to yourbusiness.com, ensuring that both versions of your domain reach the same website.
MX Records
MX records, or Mail Exchange records, control where email for your domain is delivered. When someone sends an email to you@yourbusiness.com, the MX records tell the internet which server handles your email. If you use a separate email provider from your website hosting, your MX records will point to a different server than your A records.
TXT Records
TXT records store text-based information that other services can read. They are commonly used for email authentication, including SPF and DKIM records, and for domain verification by services like Google and social media platforms.
Managing Your Domain
Where Your Domain Is Registered
Your domain name is registered through a domain registrar. This is the company where you purchased your domain and where you manage its settings. Common registrars include GoDaddy, Namecheap, and Google Domains. Your registrar is not necessarily the same as your hosting provider, though some companies offer both services.
Keeping Your Domain Secure
Your domain is a valuable business asset, and it should be treated as such. Enable two-factor authentication on your registrar account to prevent unauthorised access. Set your domain to auto-renew so it does not accidentally expire. If your domain expires and someone else registers it, getting it back can be extremely difficult and expensive.
Domain Privacy
When you register a domain, your contact information is stored in a public database called WHOIS. Domain privacy, also known as WHOIS privacy, replaces your personal details with generic information from the registrar, protecting you from spam and unwanted contact. Most registrars offer this as a free or low-cost add-on.
Common DNS Tasks
Pointing Your Domain to a New Host
If you change your website hosting provider, you will need to update your DNS records to point to the new server. This typically involves updating the A record and possibly the CNAME record in your domain's DNS settings. Changes can take anywhere from a few minutes to 48 hours to propagate across the internet, though most updates take effect within an hour or two.
Setting Up a Subdomain
A subdomain is a prefix added to your domain, like blog.yourbusiness.com or shop.yourbusiness.com. Subdomains are created by adding the appropriate DNS records, usually an A record or CNAME record, that point the subdomain to the correct server.
Configuring Email
Setting up email for your domain requires adding MX records that point to your email provider's servers. You will also need to add TXT records for SPF, DKIM, and DMARC authentication to ensure your emails are delivered properly and your domain is protected from spoofing.
When to Ask for Help
DNS management is not particularly difficult, but mistakes can take your website or email offline. If you are not comfortable making changes to your DNS records, ask your web developer or hosting provider for assistance. A small error in a DNS record can have significant consequences, so it is worth getting it right.
Keep a record of your current DNS settings before making any changes. If something goes wrong, you can quickly revert to the previous configuration and avoid prolonged downtime.
The Key Takeaway
You do not need to become a DNS expert, but having a basic understanding of how domain management works puts you in control of your online presence. Knowing what A records, MX records, and CNAME records do means you can have informed conversations with your web developer, troubleshoot basic issues, and make sure your domain is properly secured and configured.