You might be surprised to learn that websites don’t actually have addresses made of words, like google.com. True website addresses are long strings of numbers. This is where DNS comes in.
What Is DNS?
DNS (Domain Name System) is what connects your domain name (like example.com) to the actual computer (server) where your website lives. That’s not all it does, but more on that below.
Think of DNS as the address book of the Internet:
- You remember a website name like mightyminnow.com.
- DNS takes the name and redirects it to the numerical address like “142.250.9.101.”
When someone types your domain name into their browser, DNS tells their computer where to go to find your website. Without DNS, visitors would have to memorize long strings of numbers instead of easy-to-remember names.
The Pieces of the DNS Puzzle
Behind every domain name are a few key players:
- The Registrar – Where you bought your domain name (GoDaddy, Namecheap, Google Domains, etc.).
- The Nameservers – Where your DNS settings actually live. This is usually managed by your registrar, your hosting provider, or a service like Cloudflare.
- The Web Host – The company that stores your actual website.
- The Email Provider – The company that manages your domain email (like Google Workspace or Microsoft 365).
All of these systems connect through your DNS records – little pieces of data that tell the Internet where to send your visitors, your emails, etc..
The most common DNS records
There are dozens of possible DNS records, but most people only need to understand a few. Here’s what they do.
A Records – Point Your Domain to Your Website
Your A record connects your domain name to the IP address of your website’s server.
- Example: yourwebsite.com → 192.0.2.123
This is what connects your domain name to your website. If this record points to the wrong place, visitors may see an error page or a completely different site.
AAAA Records – The IPv6 Version of A Records
An AAAA record is just like an A record but uses a newer version of Internet addressing (IPv6 rather than IPv4).
- Example: yourwebsite.com → 2606:4700:4700::1111
As the Internet expands, more devices and networks use IPv6. Having AAAA records helps your website stay compatible and future-proof. Many modern hosting providers set these automatically.
Why have both?
Both A and AAAA records are sometimes present for the same domain because they support different versions of the Internet Protocol (IP).
This setup, called dual-stack networking, helps maximize compatibility and performance, though many hosts still don’t support AAAA.
CNAME Records – Create Aliases or Subdomains
CNAME stands for “canonical name.” It lets one domain name point to another domain name.
- Example: www.yourwebsite.com → yourwebsite.com
CNAMEs are useful when you use third-party services (like email marketing platforms, online stores, or form tools) that need a verified domain connection. They also make sure that “www” or “shop” versions of your site load the same as your main domain.
A note about “CNAME flattening”
Normally, you can’t use a CNAME record for your main domain (like yourwebsite.com) because it conflicts with other record types such as MX (email) and TXT (verification). Some DNS providers, like Cloudflare, offer something called CNAME flattening to work around this limitation. It lets your root domain behave like it has a CNAME (pointing to another hostname – usually your web hosts hostname, like wp.wpenginepowered.com) without breaking your other records. When CNAME flattening is available, it can be a more streamlined way to point a domain name, because A records can need updating when web hosts change internal configurations.
MX Records – Route Your Email
MX (Mail Exchange) records tell the Internet where to deliver your emails.
- Example: @yourdomain.com → ASPMX.L.GOOGLE.COM (Google Workspace)
Without these, your domain-based email (like you@yourdomain.com) won’t work. If your MX records are incorrect, emails might bounce, get delayed, or vanish entirely.
TXT Records – Verification and Email Authentication
TXT (text) records are small pieces of information stored in your DNS that other systems can read. They’re not used to send visitors anywhere, but rather to prove ownership or verify authenticity.
You’ll often add TXT records when connecting services like Mailchimp, Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, or your web host. These records confirm that you control your domain name and prevent unauthorized use.
There are three main types of TXT records used for email authentication:
SPF (Sender Policy Framework): These tell mail servers which platforms are allowed to send email for your domain (for example, Google, Mailchimp, or your CRM).
DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail): Adds a digital signature to your outgoing messages, helping mail providers verify that the email wasn’t altered in transit.
DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance): Works with SPF and DKIM to reduce spam and phishing, and can send you reports about failed delivery attempts.
If you send newsletters or automated emails from services like Mailchimp or Constant Contact, these records are essential for keeping your messages out of spam folders.
DNS Changes Take Time
When we update your DNS records — for example, to launch a new site or connect a new email provider — those changes take time to spread worldwide. This is called DNS propagation.
Depending on caching (how long old information is stored), updates can take anywhere from a few minutes to 24 hours. During that time, some people might see the new version of your site while others still see the old one, and emails may temporarily route to different servers. This is expected.
DNS Tips
- We want to lower your TTL before big changes, like moving a site. TTL (“time to live”) controls how long DNS info is cached. Lowering it before launch speeds up propagation. That’s why we need to access your DNS settings prior to launch. This helps with the propogation time noted above.
- Keep your DNS credentials handy. When starting a new project or moving hosting, we’ll need access to your DNS so we can launch smoothly.
- Ideally, don’t manage DNS in your web host. It’s easier and safer to manage it through your registrar or a dedicated DNS service like Cloudflare. We love Cloudflare, and it’s free.
DNS might sound complicated, but it’s really just a system of directions that tells browsers and email servers where to find your stuff online. Or in the case of txt records, it’s a way to say, ‘See, I own this domain. I was able to place the record you asked for to prove it.’
When your DNS is managed correctly, your website, email, and integrations all “just work.” When it’s not, things can get tricky which is why we handle DNS management carefully.
If you ever see a request from us asking for “DNS access” or a “DNS record update,” now you know why. It’s how we keep your digital world connected.
