Add DNS Records in VergeCloud

Adding DNS Records on VergeCloud: A Guide to Managing Your Website’s DNS Settings

Add DNS Records

Changing your domain’s NS to those defined by VergeCloud activates your domain’s DNS service. All your DNS records must be entered into your VergeCloud account to be resolved by VergeCloud. This ensures that your subdomains load without problems.

To add DNS records, you need to understand the different types of DNS records, their uses, and how to configure them step by step through the VergeCloud panel. This guide provides detailed instructions for each record type.

Steps for Adding DNS Records:

  1. Select Record Type: Choose the record type (e.g., A, CNAME, MX) based on your needs.
  2. Determine the Root Domain or Subdomain: Enter @ for the root domain or specify the desired subdomain.
  3. Set TTL: Define the Time to Live (TTL) for the record. Note: If the cloud icon is enabled, TTL cannot be customized.
  4. Fields Configuration: Configure fields specific to the selected record type.

A and AAAA Records

What Is It?

A records map a domain name to an IPv4 address (e.g., 192.0.2.1), while AAAA records map a domain name to an IPv6 address (e.g., 2001:db8::1). These records direct users to the physical server hosting your website.

Fields

  • Name (Subdomain): Specify the subdomain for the record. Use @ for the root domain.
  • IP Addresses: The IPv4 or IPv6 addresses of your server.  You can set up DNS load balancing by having multiple values for a domian or subdomain. DNS Load Balancing allows distributing traffic across multiple servers for A and AAAA records. This ensures high availability and optimal performance. 
  • TTL: Time to live (cache duration in seconds).
  • Cloud Icon: Enable to proxy traffic through VergeCloud and hide origin addresses.

Step-by-Step Guide

  1. Go to the DNS Management section in your VergeCloud panel.
  2. Click Add Record and select A or AAAA from the dropdown.
  3. Fill in the fields:
    • Name: Enter @ for the root domain or a subdomain (e.g., www).
    • IP Address: Provide your server’s IPv4 or IPv6 address. How to Setup DNS Load Balancing?
    • TTL: Set a cache duration, e.g., 120 seconds.
    • Cloud Icon: Toggle on to enable VergeCloud’s CDN services. We recommend disabling it temporarily to check record resolution. How to Setup Cloud Icon?
  4. Save the record.
  5. Test record resolvation and your website.
  6. Edit the record and enable Cloud Icon.

Example Configuration

  1. Type: A
Name: @
IP Address: 192.0.2.1
TTL: 120
Cloud Icon: Enabled

How to Test

Use the dig command to verify the record:
  1. dig A vergecloud.site

Example Test Results

  1. ;; ANSWER SECTION:
vergecloud.site.  120  IN  A  192.0.2.1

Considerations

  • Ensure the IP address is correct to avoid downtime.
  • TTL values affect how quickly changes propagate.
  • Cloud Icon must be enabled for CDN features like caching or security features to work.

CNAME Records

What Is It?

CNAME (Canonical Name) records are used to alias one domain to another. For instance, www.vergecloud.site can be aliased to example.vergecloud.site, making it easier to manage domain changes.

Fields

  • Name (Subdomain): Specify the subdomain for the alias. 
  • Target: The domain name to which the alias points.
  • TTL: Time to live (cache duration in seconds).
  • Cloud Icon: Enable to proxy traffic through VergeCloud and hide origin addresses.
  • Host Header: Optionally, you can set a host header that will be forwarded to the origin server.

Step-by-Step Guide

  1. Go to the DNS Management section in your VergeCloud panel.
  2. Click Add Record and select CNAME from the dropdown.
  3. Fill in the fields:
    • Name: Enter subdomain.
    • Target: Provide the alias target (e.g., example.vergecloud.site).
    • TTL: Set a cache duration, e.g., 120 seconds.
    • Cloud Icon: Toggle on to enable VergeCloud’s CDN services. We recommend disabling it temporarily to check record resolution. How to Setup Cloud Icon?
    • Host Header: You can change the host header to a destination value; otherwise, the source value will be sent as the host header.
  4. Save the record
  5. Test record resolvation and your website.
  6. Edit the record and enable Cloud Icon.

Example Configuration

  1. Type: CNAME
Name: www
Target: example.vergecloud.site
TTL: 120
Cloud Icon: Enabled

How to Test

  1. Use the dig command to verify the record:
  1. dig CNAME www.vergecloud.site

Example Test Results

  1. ;; ANSWER SECTION:

  2. www.vergecloud.site.  120  IN  CNAME  example.vergecloud.site.

Considerations

  • CNAME records cannot coexist with other records for the same name.
  • Ensure the target domain is correctly configured and accessible.
  • Use CNAME records for subdomains; the root domain cannot have a CNAME record.
  • Cloud Icon must be enabled for CDN features like caching or security features to work.

ANAME Records

What Is It?

ANAME records provide the functionality of CNAME records but for the root domain. This allows the root domain (e.g., vergecloud.site) to alias another domain while maintaining compatibility with DNS standards.

Fields

  • Name (Subdomain): Use @ for the root domain.
  • Target: The domain name to which the alias points.
  • TTL: Time to live (cache duration in seconds).
  • Cloud Icon: Enable to proxy traffic through VergeCloud and hide origin addresses.
  • Host Header: Optionally, you can set a host header that will be forwarded to the origin server.

Step-by-Step Guide

  1. Go to the DNS Management section in your VergeCloud panel.
  2. Click Add Record and select ANAME from the dropdown.
  3. Fill in the fields:
    • Name: Enter @ for the root domain.
    • Target: Provide the alias target (e.g., example.vergecloud.site).
    • TTL: Set a cache duration, e.g., 120 seconds.
    • Cloud Icon: Toggle on to enable VergeCloud’s CDN services. We recommend disabling it temporarily to check record resolution. How to Setup Cloud Icon?
    • Host Header: You can change the host header to a destination value; otherwise, the source value will be sent as the host header.
  4. Save the record.
  5. Test record resolvation and your website.
  6. Edit the record and enable Cloud Icon.

Example Configuration

  1. Type: ANAME
Name: @
Target: example.vergecloud.site
TTL: 120
Cloud Icon: Enabled

How to Test

  1. Use the dig command to verify the record:
  2. dig ANAME vergecloud.site

Example Test Results

  1. ;; ANSWER SECTION:
vergecloud.site.  120  IN  ANAME  example.vergecloud.site.

Considerations

  • ANAME records are specific to VergeCloud’s platform and may not work with other DNS providers.
  • Ensure the target domain is correctly configured and accessible.
  • Cloud Icon must be enabled for CDN features like caching or security features to work.

TXT Records

What Is It?

TXT (Text) records store arbitrary text and are often used for domain verification, email authentication (e.g., SPF, DKIM), and other purposes.

Fields

  • Name (Subdomain): Specify the subdomain for the record. Use @ for the root domain.
  • Value: The text string for the record (e.g., SPF or DKIM values).
  • TTL: Time to live (cache duration in seconds).

Step-by-Step Guide

  1. Go to the DNS Management section in your VergeCloud panel.
  2. Click Add Record and select TXT from the dropdown.
  3. Fill in the fields:
    • Name: Enter @ for the root domain or a subdomain.
    • Value: Provide the text string for the record (e.g., "v=spf1 include:vergecloud.site -all").
    • TTL: Set a cache duration, e.g., 120 seconds.
  4. Save the record.

Example Configuration

  1. Type: TXT
Name: @
Value: "v=spf1 include:vergecloud.site -all"
TTL: 120

How to Test

  1. Use the dig command to verify the record:
  1. dig TXT vergecloud.site

Example Test Results

  1. ;; ANSWER SECTION:
vergecloud.site.  120  IN  TXT  "v=spf1 include:vergecloud.site -all"

Considerations

  • Ensure the TXT record value is accurate to avoid verification or email delivery issues.
  • Use proper syntax for SPF, DKIM, and other authentication mechanisms.

MX Records

What Is It?

MX (Mail Exchange) records specify the mail servers responsible for receiving emails on behalf of a domain. These records prioritize servers to ensure email delivery even if one server fails.

Fields

  • Name (Subdomain): Specify the subdomain for the record. Use @ for the root domain.
  • Priority: A numeric value indicating the server’s priority. Lower values have higher priority.
  • Target: The mail server’s domain name (e.g., mail.vergecloud.site).
  • TTL: Time to live (cache duration in seconds).

Step-by-Step Guide

  1. Go to the DNS Management section in your VergeCloud panel.
  2. Click Add Record and select MX from the dropdown.
  3. Fill in the fields:
    • Name: Enter @ for the root domain or a subdomain.
    • Priority: Enter a numeric value (e.g., 10).
    • Target: Provide the mail server’s domain name (e.g., mail.vergecloud.site).
    • TTL: Set a cache duration, e.g., 120 seconds.
  4. Save the record.

Example Configuration

  1. Type: MX
Name: @
Priority: 10
Target: mail.vergecloud.site
TTL: 120

How to Test

  1. Use the dig command to verify the record:
  1. dig MX vergecloud.site

Example Test Results

  1. ;; ANSWER SECTION:
vergecloud.site.  120  IN  MX  10 mail.vergecloud.site.

Considerations

  • Use multiple MX records with different priorities for redundancy.
  • Ensure the target mail servers are properly configured to receive emails.

NS Records

What Is It?

NS (Name Server) records specify the authoritative DNS servers for a domain. These servers respond to DNS queries for the domain.

Fields

  • Name (Subdomain): Specify the subdomain for the record. Use @ for the root domain.
  • Target: The authoritative nameserver (e.g., a.ns.vergedns.com).
  • TTL: Time to live (cache duration in seconds).

Step-by-Step Guide

  1. Go to the DNS Management section in your VergeCloud panel.
  2. Click Add Record and select NS from the dropdown.
  3. Fill in the fields:
    • Name: Enter @ for the root domain.
    • Target: Provide the nameserver’s domain name (e.g., a.ns.vergedns.com).
    • TTL: Set a cache duration, e.g., 120 seconds.
  4. Save the record.

Example Configuration

  1. Type: NS
Name: @
Target: a.ns.vergedns.com
TTL: 120

How to Test

  1. Use the dig command to verify the record:
  1. dig NS vergecloud.site

Example Test Results

  1. ;; ANSWER SECTION:
vergecloud.site.  120  IN  NS  a.ns.vergedns.com.

Considerations

  • NS records must match the nameservers provided by VergeCloud.
  • Ensure the domain’s registrar settings point to these nameservers.

SRV Records

What Is It?

SRV (Service) records specify the location (hostname and port) of servers for specific services (e.g., VoIP, IM).

Fields

  • Name (Subdomain): Specify the subdomain in the format _service._protocol (e.g., _sip._tcp).
  • Target: The hostname of the server providing the service.
  • Priority: A numeric value indicating server priority. Lower values have higher priority.
  • Weight: Relative weight for servers with the same priority. Higher weights receive more traffic.
  • Port: The port number where the service is hosted.
  • TTL: Time to live (cache duration in seconds).

Step-by-Step Guide

  1. Go to the DNS Management section in your VergeCloud panel.
  2. Click Add Record and select SRV from the dropdown.
  3. Fill in the fields:
    • Name: Enter the service and protocol (e.g., _sip._tcp).
    • Target: Provide the server’s hostname (e.g., sip.vergecloud.site).
    • Priority: Enter a numeric value (e.g., 10).
    • Weight: Specify the weight for traffic distribution (e.g., 50).
    • Port: Enter the port number (e.g., 5060).
    • TTL: Set a cache duration, e.g., 120 seconds.
  4. Save the record.

Example Configuration

  1. Type: SRV
Name: _sip._tcp
Target: sip.vergecloud.site
Priority: 10
Weight: 50
Port: 5060
TTL: 120

How to Test

  1. Use the dig command to verify the record:
  1. dig SRV _sip._tcp.vergecloud.site

Example Test Results

  1. ;; ANSWER SECTION:
_sip._tcp.vergecloud.site.  120  IN  SRV  10 50 5060 sip.vergecloud.site.

Considerations

  • Ensure the port number is open and the service is running.
  • Set proper priorities and weights to balance traffic effectively.

PTR Records

What Is It?

PTR (Pointer) records are used for reverse DNS lookups, resolving an IP address to a domain name. They are essential for email server validation and network diagnostics.

Fields

  • Name (Subdomain): The reversed IP address followed by .in-addr.arpa for IPv4 or .ip6.arpa for IPv6 (e.g., 1.2.0.192.in-addr.arpa).
  • Target: The domain name associated with the IP address (e.g., vergecloud.site).
  • TTL: Time to live (cache duration in seconds).

Step-by-Step Guide

  1. Go to the DNS Management section in your VergeCloud panel.
  2. Click Add Record and select PTR from the dropdown.
  3. Fill in the fields:
    • Name: Enter the reversed IP address (e.g., 1.2.0.192.in-addr.arpa).
    • Target: Provide the domain name (e.g., vergecloud.site).
    • TTL: Set a cache duration, e.g., 120 seconds.
  4. Save the record.

Example Configuration

  1. Type: PTR
Name: 1.2.0.192.in-addr.arpa
Target: vergecloud.site
TTL: 120

How to Test

  1. Use the dig command to verify the record:
  1. dig PTR 1.2.0.192.in-addr.arpa

Example Test Results

  1. ;; ANSWER SECTION:
1.2.0.192.in-addr.arpa.  120  IN  PTR  vergecloud.site.

Considerations

  • Ensure your ISP supports reverse DNS delegation.
  • PTR records are critical for email servers to avoid being flagged as spam.

CAA Records

What Is It?

CAA (Certification Authority Authorization) records specify which Certificate Authorities (CAs) are authorized to issue SSL/TLS certificates for the domain.

Fields

  • Name (Subdomain): Specify the subdomain for the record. Use @ for the root domain.
  • Tag: Specifies the type of CAA property (issue, issuewild, or iodef).
  • CA Address: The domain of the authorized CA (e.g., letsencrypt.org).
  • TTL: Time to live (cache duration in seconds).

Step-by-Step Guide

  1. Go to the DNS Management section in your VergeCloud panel.
  2. Click Add Record and select CAA from the dropdown.
  3. Fill in the fields:
    • Name: Enter @ for the root domain.
    • Tag: Select issue, issuewild, or iodef.
    • CA Address: Provide the authorized CA’s domain name (e.g., letsencrypt.org).
    • TTL: Set a cache duration, e.g., 120 seconds.
  4. Save the record.

Example Configuration

  1. Type: CAA
Name: @
Tag: issue
CA Address: letsencrypt.org
TTL: 120

How to Test

  1. Use the dig command to verify the record:
  1. dig CAA vergecloud.site

Example Test Results

  1. ;; ANSWER SECTION:
vergecloud.site.  120  IN  CAA  0 issue "letsencrypt.org"

Considerations

  • Use the issuewild tag to restrict wildcard certificates.
  • Configure the iodef tag to receive certificate issuance violations.

TLSA Records

What Is It?

TLSA (Transport Layer Security Authentication) records bind TLS certificates to DNS, enabling DANE (DNS-based Authentication of Named Entities). This enhances trust by validating certificates through DNSSEC.

Fields

  • Name (Subdomain): Specify the subdomain in the format _port._protocol.subdomain (e.g., _443._tcp.vergecloud.site).
  • Usage: Defines how the certificate is used (e.g., 0 for CA constraints).
  • Selector: Specifies which part of the certificate is used (e.g., 0 for full certificate).
  • Matching Type: Indicates how the certificate data is hashed (e.g., 1 for SHA-256).
  • TTL: Time to live (cache duration in seconds).

Step-by-Step Guide

  1. Go to the DNS Management section in your VergeCloud panel.
  2. Click Add Record and select TLSA from the dropdown.
  3. Fill in the fields:
    • Name: Enter the subdomain in the format _443._tcp.
    • Usage: Select 0 for CA constraints or other appropriate usage.
    • Selector: Choose 0 for full certificate or 1 for public key.
    • Matching Type: Select 1 for SHA-256 or 2 for SHA-512.
    • TTL: Set a cache duration, e.g., 120 seconds.
  4. Save the record.

Example Configuration

  1. Type: TLSA
Name: _443._tcp
Usage: 0
Selector: 0
Matching Type: 1
TTL: 120

How to Test

  1. Use the dig command to verify the record:
  1. dig TLSA _443._tcp.vergecloud.site

Example Test Results

  1. ;; ANSWER SECTION:
_443._tcp.vergecloud.site.  120  IN  TLSA  0 0 1 HASHEDDATA

Considerations

  • Enable DNSSEC for TLSA records to function correctly.
  • Use tools like SSL Labs to validate your DANE setup.