CNAME record Archives - extranewspapers.co.uk

Dо you want to learn more about the different records? If yes, you are in the right place. Here you can find the list of the most popular DNS record types.

1. SOA record

The Start Of Authority record, or SOA record for short, is the first on our list. It is the one that must be comprehended. Why? It represents the beginning of the Authoritative DNS zone. This DNS record contains a wealth of data for the DNS zone. If you want your network to run smoothly and without errors, you’ll need this DNS record. It sends all requests to the principal DNS server. In addition, the SOA record contains the information and contact information for the DNS administrator. A variety of parameters, such as the domain serial number, are also included. It’s worth noting that each DNS zone should have just one SOA record.

How many DNS record types are there?

2. А record

Any DNS list must include the A DNS record. It’s perhaps the most well-known record format. The A record is used to direct or point a hostname to its IP address. When talking about A record, the address is IPv4 (32-bit) (32-bit). A newer AAAA record type supports IPv6 addresses (128-bit) (128-bit).

As a result, your site’s A record will include the host (extranewspapers.co.uk), as well as the host’s location (89.32.146.196), type (A), and TTL (time to live). It’s the most often utilized DNS record.

3. PTR record

The PTR record is another crucial type, often known as a Pointer record. It is used for backchecks and performs the reverse of the A record. It connects a hostname to an IP address (IPv4 or IPv6). It’s required because the rest of the servers in the globe may request proof that an IP address corresponds to a hostname before accepting a service, communicating, or taking any other action. As a result, it is frequently utilized in the authentication of the host.

4. CNAME record

The CNAME record essentially displays the real domain name (canonical) for the domain or subdomain you’re looking for. This DNS record type is significant because it can be used for all your subdomains. They point to your domain name by adding a CNAME record for each of them. Additionally, you also don’t need to add any additional DNS records to your subdomains.

5. TXT record

We can’t omit the TXT (Abridged from text) DNS record. It is incredibly adaptable. It provides information to sources outside the domain in text format. The SPF record is a type of TXT record. It is used by mail servers to determine whether a message is trustworthy and from the correct domain.

TXT records could be used for various types of verification and authentication. For example, increasing trust in your domain and emails is critical for your online reputation.

6. CAA record

The DNS administrator of a domain uses the Certification Authority Authorization record, or CAA record, to add and establish which Certificate Authorities (CAs) can publish SSL or TLS certificates for the domain.

The domain owner benefits from the CAA record since it gives them control over issuing certificates. Furthermore, the number of incorrectly issued certificates for that domain will be minimized. You can utilize the CAA record for your entire domain or only part of the subdomains. It all relies on your particular preferences and the setup you choose.

Conclusion

Let’s review. You are now familiar with one of the most popular DNS record types. They are as follows: SOA, A, PTR, CNAME, TXT, and CAA records. So, it’s now your turn to make them real in your Domain Name System. Good luck!

CNAME explained completely

There are two parts in the CNAME’s name. C stands for canonical, and it wants to show which is the true domain name for the one that you are trying to resolve. The NAME is obvious. It stands for name, as in hostname.

The purpose of the CNAME record is to point one hostname to another. You can point different subdomains to the domain name. That way, you don’t need to add any other records for the subdomain because it will automatically redirect to the domain name.

If you have just a single DNS record for each subdomain, you will have far fewer DNS records, and the administration of your domain will be a lot easier.

CNAME records can be used to point:

www.domain.com to domain.com

blog.domain.com to domain.com

mail.domain.com to domain.com

newyork.domain.com to domain.com

Because of the way the CNAME record works, if the host (subdomain) already has other DNS records like A, MX, etc., you can’t create a CNAME record. And if you first create a CNAME record in the zone, you can’t create any other type of record in that zone.

How to lookup a CNAME record?

If you are on Windows, the easiest and the safest way to check a CNAME record is to use the nslookup command. Go to the cmd (Command Prompt). Type “nslookup”, and press Enter. Now type “set type=cname”, and press Enter. The last pass is to write down the hostname, which you want to check. See this example, “mail.bing.com” and you will see the canonical name “star-bing-com.a-0001.a-msedge.net”.

If you are using Linux, go for the dig command. Open the Terminal and type “dig cname mail.bing.com,” and you will see the same “star-bing-com.a-0001.a-msedge.net” plus additional information. Dig command has very rich answers.

CNAME vs A record

The CNAME and the A records are very different. CNAME point one hostname to another while the A record points the domain name to an IP address. Also, if you want to resolve a domain, and first you get a CNAME, then you will need the A record too. So, the CNAME will take 2 queries instead of 1.

If you are interested in DNS records, check our article about the DNS CAA record!

List of the basic DNS record types