What DNS is and how to point your domain

What DNS is

On the internet, every server is identified by a number called an IP address. Remembering those numbers would be impossible, so we use names like yourbusiness.com instead. DNS (the Domain Name System) is what translates that name into the right number.

A simple way to picture it is the contacts list on your phone: you look up “Mom” and the phone knows which number to dial. When someone types your domain into a browser or sends you an email, DNS checks that “contacts list” and answers where the request should go.

A domain on its own shows nothing. What connects it to your website and your email are its DNS records.

The records you will use most

A domain can have many records, but for a small business you will almost always only need to know four:

One important detail: A and CNAME records control your website, while MX records control your email. That is why you can have your site with one provider and your email with another, as long as each record points to the right place.

TXT records are also key to keeping your emails out of spam folders. We walk through them in SPF, DKIM and DMARC explained.

You will come across other types, such as AAAA (like A, but for IPv6 addresses) or SRV (used by some communication services). If you don't know what an existing record on your domain is for, don't delete it: ask first, because it may be supporting a service you rely on without realizing it.

Nameservers: who manages your DNS

DNS records have to live somewhere. Nameservers are the servers that store and answer those records. Every domain declares which nameservers it uses, and that is where you make your changes.

In practice you have two options:

• Use your hosting provider's nameservers. You switch the domain's nameservers to the ones your host gives you, and from then on you manage every record in their panel, for example in cPanel's Zone Editor. This is the simplest route.
• Keep your current nameservers and only edit the records you need (A, CNAME, MX) in the panel where they are managed today. This is useful if you already have other services set up there.

Propagation: why changes aren't instant

To avoid checking the “contacts list” every time, internet providers and devices keep a temporary copy of DNS answers. Each record has a value called TTL (time to live) that says how long that copy can be kept.

So when you change a record or your nameservers, some people see the change almost right away while others keep seeing the old version for a while. That window is called propagation. It can take anywhere from minutes to a couple of days, depending on the TTL and the kind of change.

A few tips while you wait:

• Don't stack changes on top of each other; let the first one settle.
• Test from another network, such as your phone's mobile data, to compare.
• If you are planning a change, lower the TTL a few days ahead so it takes effect sooner.

To see what your domain is answering right now, use an online DNS lookup tool: type the domain, choose the record type and see the current value from different places around the world. It is the quickest way to confirm whether a change has taken effect.

How to point your domain to your hosting and email

These are the general steps to connect a domain to a new hosting plan:

1. Gather the details your provider gave you: nameservers, or the server's IP address if you will edit records.
2. Log in to the panel where your domain is managed.
3. Switch the nameservers to your host's, or edit the domain's A record and the www CNAME record so they point to the server.
4. If your email is also on that hosting, confirm the MX records point to it. If it lives on another service, leave the MX records as they are.
5. Wait for propagation, then check that your site loads and that email comes and goes.

If you don't have a domain yet or are thinking of registering another one, see how to choose a domain name. And to understand what sits on the other end of the connection, read what web hosting is.

The most common mistakes when pointing a domain are forgetting the www record, losing the MX records when changing nameservers and leaving old records that point to a server you no longer use. Reviewing the whole zone after every change prevents most surprises.