@ and value your server’s IPv4 address (for example 203.0.113.10), plus a second A record (or a CNAME to example.com) for www. If your server has IPv6, add matching AAAA records. Check with dig example.com +short or nslookup example.com, then set up the website and SSL.
Before you start
- DNS is the internet’s address book. An A record links a name to an IPv4 address; an AAAA record links it to an IPv6 address; a CNAME makes one name an alias of another name.
- Find your server’s IP: see find your server IP address or the VPS Panel Network tab.
- Find where your DNS is managed. It’s the provider your domain’s nameservers point to, which isn’t always where you bought the domain:
- Linux / macOS
- Windows
How to point your domain to your server
1
Open the DNS zone
Log in to the DNS provider shown by the nameserver check and open the DNS records (zone) for your domain.
2
Create or edit the root A record
@ means the domain itself (example.com). If an A record for @ already exists, edit it instead of adding a second one, or visitors are sent to both addresses.3
Add www
Or use another A record with name
www and the same IP. Both work.4
Add AAAA records if you have IPv6
Only add AAAA records if IPv6 works on the server and your web server listens on it. A wrong AAAA record breaks the site for visitors with IPv6. See configure IPv6 on Linux.
5
Save and wait
Changes are usually visible within minutes, but resolvers that cached the old record keep it until its TTL (time to live, in seconds) runs out. Lowering the TTL a day before a move makes the switch faster.
Using Cloudflare? A Proxied (orange cloud) record answers with Cloudflare’s addresses and only passes HTTP and HTTPS through. Set records for SSH, game servers, mail or other services to DNS only. See Cloudflare’s proxy status documentation.
How to check the domain points to your server
- Linux / macOS
- Windows
What to do next
Pointing the domain only sends visitors to your server. To show a website you also need:- A web server that answers for the domain: see install nginx and nginx server blocks, install Apache, or install IIS.
- Ports 80 and 443 open in the server firewall.
- An SSL certificate: see free SSL with Certbot or win-acme on IIS. Let’s Encrypt’s HTTP check only uses port 80, so the domain must already point to the server and port 80 must be open.
Frequently asked questions
How long does DNS propagation take?
There is no single propagation time. A new record is usually visible within minutes. A changed record can take as long as the old record’s TTL to update everywhere, because resolvers keep their cached copy until then.Can I use a CNAME for the root domain?
Standard DNS doesn’t allow a CNAME on the root (@) next to the other records a domain needs, such as NS and MX. Use an A record for @. Some providers offer their own workaround (often called CNAME flattening or ALIAS).
Is this the same as reverse DNS?
No. A records map name to IP and are set where your domain’s DNS is hosted. Reverse DNS (PTR) maps IP to name and is set by whoever owns the IP: see configure reverse DNS.Can I point a subdomain to a different server?
Yes. Create an A record with the subdomain as the name, for exampleplay with value 198.51.100.20, for play.example.com.
Related guides
VPS and dedicated server guides
Every guide in this section.
Find your server IP
The address your A record needs.
Free SSL with Certbot
HTTPS once the domain points here.
Website not loading?
Find why the site doesn’t open.
Reverse DNS
Set a PTR record for your IP.
Checked against Cloudflare’s DNS record types documentation, Let’s Encrypt challenge types and Microsoft Learn (ipconfig) on 4 November 2026;
dig syntax tested on Ubuntu 24.04 LTS (BIND 9.18). Commands can differ on other systems.Need Extra Help?
If you encounter any issues, our support team is ready to assist:- Live Chat: Quick assistance via our website.
- Support Ticket: Open a Ticket
- Discord: Join our Community
- Email: support@freakhosting.com
Last Updated: November 2026