Changing your DNS records
In some situations your web developer will ask you to change your DNS records so that your web site operates from another platform. They will provide you with an IP address and ask that you update your DNS records.
The following guide will show you how to change your A record, so that your web site points to another platform whilst leaving your email to continue operating within your FASTDOT account.
Changing your MX Record Record
1. Go the the Email section and click on MX Entry.
2. Click on the Edit button.
3. Change the Destination field to:
mail.mydomain.com.au
Replace mydomain.com.au with your actual domain name.
Click on Edit button again to save the changes.
4. Click on the Home link in the upper right hand corner. This will return you to the main cPanel screen.
Changing your A record
1. Go to the Domains section and click on Advanced Zone Editor.
2. Locate the first A record at the top of the screen and click on the Edit button
2. Write down the current IP address, you will need to refer to this in the last step in this guide.
3. Remove the current IP address and replace it with the one provided by your web developer.
Changing your Mail record
You now need to adjust your email record so that it continues to point to your FASTDOT account.
1. Locate the record called mail.yourdomain.com.au and click on the Edit button.
2. Change the Type of Record to A.
3. In the Address field enter the IP address of your FASTDOT server. This was the IP address that you previously wrote down earlier in this guide.
4. Click the Edit button to save the changes.
Please allow 12-24 hours for these change to propagate across the Internet. After this period of time has passed your web site will begin to operate from its new location, with your email still being received by your FASTDOT hosting account.
What are DNS records
DNS (Domain Name System) records are essentially a database of information that maps domain names to IP addresses. When a user types a domain name (such as example.com) into their web browser, the DNS system translates that domain name into an IP address (such as 192.0.2.1) that the browser can use to locate the website. DNS records include different types of data, such as:
1. A (address) records: maps a domain name to an IPv4 address.
2. AAAA (address) records: maps a domain name to an IPv6 address.
3. MX (mail exchange) records: specifies the mail server responsible for handling email messages for a domain name.
4. CNAME (canonical name) records: maps an alias name (such as www) to the canonical domain name (such as example.com).
5. TXT (text) records: provides additional information about a domain name, such as the domain owner or authentication information.
DNS records are managed by domain name registrars or DNS hosting providers, and they can be updated or modified as needed. They are critical to the functioning of the internet, as they allow users to easily locate websites and other online resources using domain names rather than numeric IP addresses.
