In short: DNS records publish information about a domain. Different record types direct websites, email and other services. Change only the records you understand, and keep a copy of the working zone before editing it.
| Type | Purpose | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| A | Maps a hostname to an IPv4 address. | www.example.com to a web server. |
| AAAA | Maps a hostname to an IPv6 address. | IPv6 access to a website or service. |
| CNAME | Makes one hostname an alias of another hostname. | www following the main website name. |
| MX | Names the servers that accept email for a domain. | Routing mail to hosted email or Microsoft 365. |
| TXT | Publishes text used by verification and security systems. | SPF, DMARC and service-verification values. |
| CAA | States which certificate authorities may issue certificates. | Restricting certificate issuance to approved providers. |
| SRV | Publishes a service hostname, port, priority and weight. | Voice, messaging and Microsoft service discovery. |
| NS | Delegates a DNS zone or subdomain to authoritative nameservers. | Registrar delegation or delegated subdomains. |
| PTR | Maps an IP address back to a hostname. | Reverse DNS, commonly required for mail servers. |
Important rules
- A CNAME points to another hostname, not directly to an IP address.
- An MX record also points to a hostname, not an IP address.
- Modern SPF policies are published as TXT records; do not create the obsolete SPF record type.
- A hostname with a CNAME normally cannot also hold unrelated record types.
- Lowering a TTL affects only answers cached after the lower value has propagated.
- Reverse DNS is controlled by the provider responsible for the IP address, not usually in the domain's normal DNS zone.
Manage records in SiteWorx
- Sign in to SiteWorx.
- Go to Hosting Features > Domains > DNS Records.
- Select the magnifying-glass icon for the domain.
- Add or edit the required record and save the change.
Be careful with email: Removing or incorrectly replacing MX, SPF, DKIM or DMARC records can interrupt delivery or make legitimate messages look suspicious.
If a record is unavailable or you are unsure how a third party's value maps to the SiteWorx fields, send us the provider's exact instructions before changing the zone.
Further reading: InterWorx: Manage DNS records in SiteWorx.
