All About DNS Resource Records: The DNS Settings Your Website Really Needs

DNS looks simple on the surface: type a domain, website appears. But when you open your DNS panel and see A, AAAA, MX, TXT, CNAME all staring back at you, it suddenly feels like a puzzle from another planet.
This guide walks through DNS resource records in plain language, so you know exactly which DNS records you need for your website, email, and web hosting, and how to set them up with more stability and less guesswork.

What Is a DNS Resource Record (In Plain English)?

Imagine your domain name is a person in your phone’s contact list.

• The name is example.com.

• The phone number is the IP address.

• Every extra detail (email, notes, address) is another record.

A DNS resource record is simply one line in that global “phone book” for the internet.
Each record says: “For this name, here’s what you should do or where you should go.”

When you:

1. Open a browser,

2. Type example.com,

3. Hit Enter,

your device asks a series of DNS servers:

• A DNS root server points to where .com lives.

• The .com servers point to the authoritative DNS server for example.com.

• A DNS resolver (often run by your ISP or a public DNS like 1.1.1.1) does the legwork and caches answers for you.

The authoritative DNS server looks at its resource records, finds the right one, and replies with the IP address or other information. That’s the whole magic trick.

Main Types of DNS Records (With Real-Life Uses)

Let’s go through the common DNS records one by one, but in “what do I actually do with this?” style.

A Record – The Basic Address

• Maps a domain name → IPv4 address.

• Example: example.com → 203.0.113.10.

You use an A record whenever you want a domain or subdomain to point to a server that has an IPv4 address.
Without at least one A record, your website basically has a name with no address. Nothing loads.

AAAA Record – The IPv6 Address

• Maps a domain name → IPv6 address.

• Think of it as the IPv6 version of the A record.

IPv4 addresses are limited, so IPv6 exists to give us a much larger pool.
If your server supports IPv6, you can add an AAAA record so visitors on modern networks reach you faster and more directly.

CNAME Record – The Alias

• Maps a name → another name, not to an IP address.

• Example: www.example.com → example.com.

Use a CNAME record when you want one domain to follow another:

• www.example.com follows example.com.

• blog.example.com follows sites.example.com.

You usually don’t put other records (like A or MX) on the same name as a CNAME. It’s meant to be a clean alias.

MX Record – Email Delivery

• Tells the world which server handles email for your domain.

• Example: example.com → mail.example.com (priority 10).

If you want you@example.com to work, you need at least one MX record.
No MX record, no proper email delivery. Mail may bounce or vanish into a spam black hole.

NS Record – Who’s in Charge?

• Points to the name servers that hold the DNS records for your domain.

• Example: example.com → ns1.dns-provider.com.

When you change DNS providers or move to a new hosting platform, you usually change the NS records at your domain registrar.
They tell the world: “Ask these servers for the real answers about this domain.”

PTR Record – Reverse Lookup

• Maps an IP address → domain name (reverse of A/AAAA).

• Often used for email servers and security checks.

Mail providers and some security systems like to confirm that:

• The IP address says it belongs to mail.example.com.

• mail.example.com has an A record pointing to that IP.

That’s where PTR records come in. They help build trust.

SOA Record – Zone Authority Info

• “Start of Authority” record for a DNS zone.

• Contains admin email, serial number, and timing info for secondary DNS servers.

You don’t usually edit the SOA record by hand unless you know what you’re doing.
But it quietly handles things like zone updates and how often other DNS servers refresh their copies.

SRV Record – Service Location

• Tells clients where to find specific services (like SIP or some game servers).

• Example: “For this service, use this host and port.”

If a protocol supports SRV records, it can automatically discover where it should connect.
They are “custom” records for particular apps and services, not general web traffic.

TXT Record – Extra Info and Verification

• Holds text data about your domain.

• Common uses:

  • SPF records for email sending policy

  • DKIM keys for email signing

  • Verification for services (Google, Microsoft, etc.)

TXT records are basically sticky notes attached to your domain.
They don’t affect where traffic goes, but they affect how other services trust and treat your domain.

ALIAS Record – Like CNAME, But Smarter at the Root

• Behaves like a CNAME but works at the root domain (e.g., example.com) where CNAME normally isn’t allowed.

• Automatically resolves to an IP for you.

Use an ALIAS record when your DNS provider offers it and you need the convenience of a CNAME at the zone root.
It lets you point example.com to another hostname without breaking other records.

Which DNS Records Do You Actually Need for a Website?

If you’re just trying to get a normal website and email online, here’s the minimal set you usually care about.

1. A (and Maybe AAAA) Record – Website Online

You need:

• At least one A record for example.com → your server’s IP.

• Optional: AAAA record if your host gives you IPv6.

If you have subdomains like api.example.com or shop.example.com, each one needs its own A/AAAA record or a CNAME that points somewhere with an address.

2. CNAME Record – Easy www Setup

Instead of creating separate A records for www.example.com, you can:

• Create an A record for example.com.

• Create a CNAME record: www.example.com → example.com.

Now any IP change on example.com automatically applies to www.example.com. Less work, fewer chances to break something.

3. MX Record – Email That Actually Works

If you use email on your domain:

• Add one or more MX records pointing to your mail server or email provider.

• Follow their exact settings, including priorities.

Without the MX records set correctly, you’ll see bounced emails, delivery delays, or nothing at all.

4. TXT Records – Email Reputation and Ownership

Modern email depends heavily on TXT records:

• SPF TXT records show who is allowed to send mail for your domain.

• DKIM TXT records hold public keys for signed emails.

• Verification TXT records prove you control the domain to various services.

If you send any serious amount of email, get these right. It’s the difference between landing in the inbox and living in the spam folder.

DNS + Hosting: They Work Together

DNS is the signpost. Hosting is the actual building.

You can have perfect DNS records, but if they point to a slow or unstable server, users still get a bad experience. On the other side, a great server with broken DNS is invisible.

If you want a setup where your DNS records point to dedicated, predictable hardware instead of random shared servers, it helps to start with a hosting provider built for that.

👉 Launch an instant dedicated server with GTHost that works smoothly with your DNS settings in minutes

Once your DNS A/AAAA, MX, and other records all point to a stable GTHost server, your site and email feel a lot less fragile and a lot more under your control.

Common DNS Mistakes (And How to Avoid Them)

A few things people trip over again and again:

• No A record at the root
  example.com has no A record, only www.example.com. Some users type the bare domain and see nothing. Always check both.
  
  

• CNAME + other records on the same name
  Having a CNAME and an MX or A record on the same hostname is trouble. Choose one pattern: either alias to another name or attach records directly.
  
  

• Wrong MX priorities or hosts
  Entering an IP directly into MX, or mixing up priorities, can break email delivery. Follow your email provider’s instructions exactly.
  
  

• Forgotten DNS TTLs
  You change a record, but the TTL was 24 hours, so users still see the old result. When testing moves, lower the TTL first, change records, then raise it later.
  
  

• Editing DNS at the wrong place
  Some settings live at your domain registrar, others at your DNS hosting provider or web hosting panel. Make sure you’re editing the authoritative DNS zone, not a random local copy.
  
  

Quick DNS FAQ

Do I need both A and AAAA records?
No, but it’s nice if your host supports IPv6. An A record is enough to get online. Adding AAAA can give better performance and future-proofing in some networks.

How many MX records should I have?
Most setups have 1–3 MX records, often with different priorities. Multiple MX records can provide redundancy if one mail server goes down.

What happens if my DNS records are wrong?
In the best case, things just don’t work: website won’t load, email bounces. In the worst case, traffic or email can go to someone else’s server. Always double-check IPs, hostnames, and record types before hitting save.

Conclusion

DNS resource records are just simple instructions: for each name, say where traffic should go and how services should behave. Once you understand A, CNAME, MX, and a few supporting records, setting up stable DNS for your website and email stops feeling mysterious and starts feeling routine.
For projects where you want those DNS records to point to fast, reliable hardware instead of overloaded shared hosting, 👉 GTHost is a strong choice because its instant dedicated servers give you stable, DNS-friendly hosting with global coverage and more predictable performance.