DNS Records Explained
A DNS record is one instruction in a domain's zone: an A record stores the IPv4 address, a CNAME another hostname, an MX the mail server, a TXT text such as SPF or DKIM, and NS names the authoritative nameservers. You edit these rows at the DNS host your nameservers point to.
For Indian site owners who need to know which DNS record to change, where, and how long the change takes.
knowledge
- Read time
- 4 min
- Sections
- 6
- Updated
- 14 Nov 2026
- Written by
- WebJi® team
Last editorial update: 15 November 2026.
What is a DNS record?
A DNS record is one instruction row in a domain's zone file — a name, a type, a value and a TTL — that resolvers read to decide where the name should send visitors or mail. The zone that matters is the one your nameservers publish: a DNS screen at the registrar is the live zone only while the nameservers still point there.
Buying a name through domain registration gives you the empty rows, not the website and mail destinations — you fill those in, or your host does. The TTL (time to live) on each row, in seconds, is how long the rest of the internet may cache the answer before asking again.
Which DNS record type does which job?
Each type stores one kind of value and does one job, so picking the wrong type is the most common zone mistake after a typo. Two rules prevent most of them: an A record and a CNAME cannot share a hostname, and an MX value is always a hostname, never an IP address.
| Type | Value it stores | Exact purpose |
|---|---|---|
| A | IPv4 address | Points a hostname such as the bare domain or www at a server's IPv4 address |
| AAAA | IPv6 address | The same job for IPv6 — add it when the host also has an IPv6 address |
| CNAME | Another hostname | Alias one name to another; the lookup restarts at that name. Never on the zone apex, never beside an A record on the same name |
| MX | Mail hostname plus priority | Tells senders which mail servers accept email for the domain; lower priority numbers are tried first |
| TXT | A text string | Carries SPF, DKIM and DMARC policies, and ownership-verification strings from services |
| NS | Nameserver hostnames | Delegates the zone — states which DNS servers are authoritative for the domain |
| SRV | Service, port and target | Locates the host and port for a named service (priority, weight, port, target) — SIP, XMPP, some game servers |
| CAA | A certificate authority | Restricts which certificate authorities may issue TLS certificates for the domain |
| PTR | A hostname | Reverse DNS: maps an IP address back to a name; set in the IP owner's zone, not your domain's forward zone |
Two of these have their own deep guides. The A record vs CNAME comparison works through apex rules and conflicts with worked examples, and the SRV records explained post unpacks priority, weight and port for each protocol. If you send mail from your domain, the PTR record guide matters too: receiving servers match reverse DNS against your HELO name, and that record can only be set by whoever owns the IP — usually the hosting provider.
What does a DNS TXT record store?
A TXT record stores a text string that machines read: an SPF policy naming which servers may send as the domain, a DKIM public key for signature checks, a DMARC rule for failed checks, or a verification code proving you control the name. In every DNS panel each of those is still just a TXT row with a host and a value.
Google Workspace (setup screens that still say G Suite) shows a DKIM value to paste: the host is usually a name like google._domainkey and the type is TXT. Copy the host and the value exactly — saving that long key as an A record is a classic misfire. The full authentication stack is covered in the SPF and DMARC setup guide, and the cPanel TXT walkthrough shows the exact clicks.
One caution: TXT values are public — anyone can query them. Verification strings are designed for that; passwords and API secrets are not.
Where do you find and edit your DNS records?
Read the NS records first: they name the DNS host that holds the live zone, and that host's panel is the only place an edit counts. On cPanel the screen is Zone Editor; if the nameservers belong to the registrar, the rows live in the registrar account, not in a hosting panel those nameservers no longer use.
- Public resolvers are for lookups, not edits: 1.1.1.1 (Cloudflare) and 8.8.8.8 / 8.8.4.4 (Google Public DNS) set on a laptop change where queries go, never what the zone says.
- Verify from outside: check the live DNS records with a public lookup to see whether the panel and the internet agree — a browser can still show the old site after the lookup already returns the new value.
- WebJi® domains on WebJi® nameservers: the zone is edited with that domain in the client area. If the DNS screen is missing, email support@webji.services — staffed round the clock in Hindi and English.
How do you update a DNS record without breaking the site?
Edit the row in the zone the live nameservers use, change one thing at a time, and stop only when a fresh query returns the new value. A save in any other panel does not change what the internet reads; moving the whole zone is a different job — change nameservers instead of editing rows the old host will stop serving.
- Write down the A records for the bare domain and www, plus every MX and TXT row, before touching anything.
- Open Zone Editor on cPanel, or the registrar's DNS screen when that host is authoritative, and select the domain.
- Edit the row or add one: hostname, type, value. Leave the TTL at its default unless a cutover is planned for the next day.
- Save. Never delete the only A record on the bare domain, and do not remove MX rows while adding a TXT record.
- Query that name and type from a network that did not just load the site — a phone on mobile data works. The save worked when the answer matches the new value.
How long until a DNS change shows up?
Propagation follows the TTL already cached — a 3600 value lets resolvers keep the old answer for an hour, and there is no button that clears every network's cache. People who looked the name up before your save can keep seeing the old destination until their cached copy expires.
The practical routine for a planned move: lower the TTL a day ahead (300 seconds is common), make the edit, confirm the new answer with a public lookup, then raise the TTL back. Unplanned edits simply take as long as the old TTL allows — usually minutes to a few hours, occasionally up to 48 hours when the previous value was long. The zone itself is correct the moment the panel saves it; the panel showing the new value instantly while other networks lag is normal caching, not an error.
For depth on neighbouring types, see CAA, AAAA and SOA records explained and the dedicated TXT record guide.
Frequently asked questions
What are DNS records?
One instruction each in a domain's zone: send the website to an IP (A/AAAA), alias a name (CNAME), route mail (MX), store text such as SPF (TXT), delegate the zone (NS), locate a service and port (SRV) or constrain certificate authorities (CAA). The nameservers decide which copy of the zone the internet reads.
What is the difference between an A record and a CNAME?
An A record stores an IPv4 address; a CNAME stores another hostname and the lookup restarts there. Use an A record on the bare domain — the apex cannot be a CNAME — and a CNAME for aliases like www only when that name has no other record. The full comparison is in the A record vs CNAME guide.
What is an SRV record used for?
It points to the host and port running a named service — SIP, XMPP, some game and VoIP servers — using priority, weight, port and target fields. Most websites never need one; services that do tell you the exact values to enter.
Who sets the PTR record for my server?
The owner of the IP address, not your domain's DNS panel. Reverse DNS lives in the in-addr.arpa zone the hosting provider controls, so ask the provider to set or change it — matching mail servers' reverse DNS matters for deliverability.
How long does a DNS record change take?
As long as the previously cached TTL: often minutes to a few hours, occasionally up to 48 hours after a long TTL. The panel shows the new value immediately; other networks update as their cached copies expire. Lower the TTL a day before a planned cutover.
Last editorial update: 15 November 2026.
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