DNS refers to Domain Name System, which takes human-understandable domain name such as “cloudways.com” and translates it to an IP address (35.178.xx.xx) of the server where the website is hosted. For this purpose, we create DNS entries usually hosted at a third-party DNS/Domain registrar service of your choice like Namecheap, GoDaddy, etc.
In this post, we’ll show how to create an A record to map an IP address (IPv4 address) to a domain or subdomain. We are assuming you have already launched an application on Cloudways Platform and added your domain(s). If not, follow our take site live checklist.
Tip
Please note that the Domain Registrar is a company from where you purchased your domain, while the DNS records can be hosted at the same domain registrar or any third-party service.
If you don’t want to point DNS records, you can also subscribe to DNS Made Easy Add-on for hassle-free DNS management, where we manage your DNS records.
How to Create an A Record
Accessing the DNS management panel can vary depending on the chosen service. Still, the process of creating a DNS record should not vary much. Here, we will use the domain “cloudways.icu” hosted on Namecheap for demonstration purposes.
DNS Management – Access your DNS Management Panel
Log in to your Domain Registrar Panel.
Select your target domain and visit the DNS management section.
DNS Management – Create an A Record
Create a new A record using the following information:
Point the following A Record if you want to point a root domain (yourdomain.com) to the IP address:
Type: A
Host/Name: @ or blank
Value/Target: Your IP address (available in application information)
TTL: Automatic/Default or select of your choice
2. Point the following A Record if you want to point a domain with www (www.yourdomain.com) to the IP address:
Type: A
Host/Name: www
Value/Target: Your IP address (available in application information)
TTL: Automatic/Default or select of your choice
3. Point the following A Record if you want to point a subdomain (blog.yourdomain.com) to the IP address:
Type: A
Host/Name: blog (any subdomain)
Value/Target: Your IP address (available in application information)
TTL: Automatic/Default or select of your choice
4. Point the following A Record if you want to use a wildcard. A wildcard record acts as a catch-all record, which means that it resolves every subdomain you haven’t defined to an IP address.
Type: A
Host/Name: *
Value/Target: Your IP address (available in application information)
TTL: Automatic/Default or select of your choice
Make sure to save all the changes. Once you have added or updated the DNS records, it may take up to 24 hours for your changes to be effective across the internet.
Check DNS Propagation
You can check the status of your DNS records propagation by using any third-party tool such as whatsmydns.net.
That’s it! We hope this tutorial was helpful. If you need any help, then feel free to search your query on Cloudways Support Center or contact us via chat (Need a Hand > Send us a Message). Alternatively, you can also create a support ticket.
Grow your business by switching to a Hostinger alternative. With fast service and high performance, Cloudways won't let your business down.