With this guide DNS management You can get comprehensive information about. Configuring DNS records correctly is critical to making your website accessible on the internet.
DNS (Domain Name System); It is a basic internet system that translates domain names into IP addresses, ensuring the proper functioning of websites, emails and other internet services.
Redirects the domain name to an IP address
Redirects subdomain to another domain
Redirects email traffic
Domain verification and email security
DNS (Domain Name System) is an internet system that converts domain names (for example, example.com) into IP addresses (for example, 192.0.2.1). It makes it possible to browse the internet by translating domain names that are easy for humans to remember into IP addresses that computers understand.
The DNS query process takes place with these steps:
For example, the user types "www.example.com" into his browser.
The browser and operating system cache the IP addresses of previously visited sites. If this information is in the cache, the query ends there.
If there is no information in the cache, the query is sent to your internet service provider (ISP) DNS server.
The ISP DNS server initiates recursive queries:
The found IP address is transmitted to the ISP's DNS server and from there to the user's computer and cached.
The browser now connects to the web server using the IP address and displays the page.
DNS records are instructions that determine how a domain name behaves. Each type of DNS record represents a different type of information and serves different purposes. These records determine how your domain interacts with the web, email, and other internet services.
Function: Redirects a domain (or subdomain) to its IPv4 address.
Areas of Use: It is used to specify the IP addresses of web servers, FTP servers, and other internet services.
Example:
example.com → 192.0.2.1
Importance: It is the most basic type of DNS record and is required for most websites.
Detailed InformationFunction: It redirects one domain (usually a subdomain) to another domain.
Areas of Use: It is used to redirect subdomains to the main domain or for integration with third-party services.
Example:
www.example.com → example.com
Importance: When the IP address changes, you just need to update the destination record.
Detailed InformationFunction: Specifies to which mail servers the e-mail traffic will be directed.
Areas of Use: Used to configure email services (Gmail, Microsoft 365, your own mail server, etc.)
Example:
example.com → 10 mail.example.com
Importance: It is critical for the proper functioning of your email service.
Detailed InformationFunction: Adds text information to your domain name.
Areas of Use: Email verification records such as SPF, DKIM, DMARC, verifying domain ownership.
Example:
example.com → "v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com ~all"
Importance: It is required for email security and integration with various services.
Detailed InformationFunction: Specifies the DNS servers for your domain.
Areas of Use: It determines which servers control the DNS management of your domain name.
Example:
example.com → ns1.example-dns.com
example.com → ns2.example-dns.com
Importance: To change your DNS service provider, you need to update NS records.
Detailed InformationDomain name → IPv4
Domain → IPv6
Domain name → Domain name
Domain name → Mail server
Field name → Text
Domain name → Nameserver
IP → Domain name
service location
TTL is the value that specifies how long a DNS record will be kept in the cache. It is usually expressed in seconds:
Note: Lower TTL values allow faster updates but place more load on DNS servers.
An A record (Address Record) points a domain or subdomain to an IPv4 address. It is used to indicate where your website or any internet service is hosted.
Log in to the control panel of your domain provider or DNS service provider (Cloudflare, Route 53, DigitalOcean, etc.).
This section is often named something like "DNS Management," "DNS Settings," or "Domain Settings."
There's usually a button like "Add Record," "Create DNS Record," or "+."
Select record "A" from the drop-down menu.
This field specifies the part of the full domain or subdomain you want to create:
Enter the IPv4 address of your web server or service (for example 192.0.2.1).
The Time To Live (TTL) value specifies how long this DNS record will be stored in DNS caches. For a standard installation, a value of 3600 (1 hours) or 86400 (1 days) is usually appropriate.
Create record A by clicking the "Save", "Add" or "Create" button.
| Name/Host | Genre | Value/Target | TTL |
|---|---|---|---|
| @ | A | 192.0.2.1 | 3600 |
| www | A | 192.0.2.1 | 3600 |
| blog | A | 192.0.2.2 | 3600 |
| A | 192.0.2.3 | 3600 |
| A Record | AAAA Registration |
|---|---|
| Used for IPv4 addresses | Used for IPv6 addresses |
| 32-bit address (e.g. 192.0.2.1) | 128-bit address (e.g. 2001:0db8:85a3:0000:0000:8a2e:0370:7334) |
| More commonly used | Its use is increasing |
| Compatible with all systems | Compatible with modern systems |
A CNAME (Canonical Name) record is a DNS record that points one domain name to another domain name. It is generally used to point subdomains to the main domain or an external service.
Log in to the control panel of your domain provider or DNS service provider (Cloudflare, Route 53, DigitalOcean, etc.).
This section is often called "DNS Management", "DNS Settings" or "Domain Settings".
There's usually a button like "Add Record," "Create DNS Record," or "+."
Select "CNAME" from the drop-down menu.
Enter the name of the subdomain you want to redirect to. For example:
Some DNS providers may require the full domain name (like www.example.com), while others may only ask for the subdomain (like www).
Enter the target domain you want to forward to. For example:
The target should usually be a fully qualified domain name (FQDN).
The Time To Live (TTL) value specifies how long this DNS record will be stored in caches. Usually a value of 3600 (1 hours) or 86400 (1 days is sufficient.
Create the CNAME record by clicking the "Save", "Add" or "Create" button.
| Name/Host | Genre | Value/Target | TTL |
|---|---|---|---|
| www | CNAME | example.com | 3600 |
| blog | CNAME | example.com | 3600 |
| CNAME | mail.provider.com | 3600 | |
| shop | CNAME | mystore.shopify.com | 3600 |
| CNAME Record | A Record |
|---|---|
| Redirects domain name to domain name | Redirects domain name to IP address |
| Automatically updates when target IP changes | Manual update required when target IP changes |
| Cannot be used on root domain (example.com) | Can be used on root domain |
| Creates more overhead for DNS lookups | Requires fewer DNS lookups |
MX (Mail Exchange) record is the DNS record that determines which mail servers the e-mail traffic coming to a domain name will be directed to. This type of registration is critical for the proper functioning of your email service.
Log in to the control panel of your domain provider or DNS service provider (Cloudflare, Route 53, DigitalOcean, etc.).
This section is often called "DNS Management", "DNS Settings" or "Domain Settings".
There's usually a button like "Add Record," "Create DNS Record," or "+."
Select "MX" from the drop-down menu.
Generally, if you will be receiving email for your primary domain, you can leave this field with "@" or blank (may vary by provider). If you are configuring email for a specific subdomain (e.g. mail.example.com), you can enter that subdomain.
Mail Server: Enter the mail server address given to you by your email service provider (e.g. "aspmx.l.google.com" - for Gmail).
Priority: When there is more than one MX record, the server with the lower priority value is used first. These numbers are usually between 0-100 :
Generally, the value 3600 (1 hours or 86400 (1 days is preferred.
Create the MX record by clicking the "Save", "Add" or "Create" button.
Repeat these steps for each MX record requested by your email service provider.
| name | Genre | priority | Hedef |
|---|---|---|---|
| @ | MX | 1 | ASPMX.L.GOOGLE.COM |
| @ | MX | 5 | ALT1.ASPMX.L.GOOGLE.COM |
| @ | MX | 5 | ALT2.ASPMX.L.GOOGLE.COM |
| @ | MX | 10 | ALT3.ASPMX.L.GOOGLE.COM |
| @ | MX | 10 | ALT4.ASPMX.L.GOOGLE.COM |
| name | Genre | priority | Hedef |
|---|---|---|---|
| @ | MX | 0 | domain-com.mail.protection.outlook.com |
Note: Replace "domain-com" with your actual domain name and use a hyphen (-).
A TXT (Text) record is a versatile DNS record that contains text information associated with a domain name. These records are used to verify ownership of your domain name, increase email security, and provide information for various services.
Log in to the control panel of your domain provider or DNS service provider (Cloudflare, Route 53, DigitalOcean, etc.).
This section is often called "DNS Management", "DNS Settings" or "Domain Settings".
There's usually a button like "Add Record," "Create DNS Record," or "+."
Select "TXT" from the drop-down menu.
Specifies where to add the TXT record:
Note: The SPF record is usually added to the main domain (@), the DKIM record is added to a special selector (e.g. selector1._domainkey), and the DMARC record is added to the _dmarc subdomain.
Enter the contents of the TXT record. This content varies depending on the intended use:
These values are usually provided by the relevant service or platform.
Generally, the value 3600 (1 hours or 86400 (1 days is preferred.
Create the TXT record by clicking the "Save", "Add" or "Create" button.
| name | Genre | Value |
|---|---|---|
| @ | TXT | v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com include:_spf.example.com ip4:192.0.2.0/24 ~all |
| name | Genre | Value |
|---|---|---|
| _dmarc | TXT | v=DMARC1; p=quarantine; pct=100; rua=mailto:[email protected] |
Indicates which IP addresses or mail servers are authorized to send e-mail for your domain. A TXT record is created to indicate this.
By digitally signing emails, you give recipients the ability to verify that the email actually came from you and wasn't tampered with in transit. It uses a TXT record with a custom selector.
Working with SPF and DKIM, it sets policies for what to do when email verification fails. It is added as a TXT record in the "_dmarc" subdomain.
The NS (Name Server) record specifies the DNS servers of a domain name. This record determines which servers control the DNS management of your domain.
Log in to the control panel of your domain provider or DNS service provider (Cloudflare, Route 53, DigitalOcean, etc.).
This section is often called "DNS Management", "DNS Settings" or "Domain Settings".
There's usually a button like "Add Record," "Create DNS Record," or "+."
Select "NS" from the drop-down menu.
Enter the names of the NS servers you want to redirect. For example:
Some DNS providers may request the full domain name (such as example.com), while others may only request the subdomain (such as example-dns.com).
The Time To Live (TTL) value specifies how long this DNS record will be stored in caches. Usually a value of 3600 (1 hours) or 86400 (1 days is sufficient.
Create the NS record by clicking the "Save", "Add" or "Create" button.
| Name/Host | Genre | Value/Target | TTL |
|---|---|---|---|
| ns1 | NS | ns1.example-dns.com | 3600 |
| ns2 | NS | ns2.example-dns.com | 3600 |
| NS Registration | A Record |
|---|---|
| Changes DNS management | Changes DNS management |
| Changes your DNS service provider | Changes your DNS service provider |
| Manages your DNS servers | Manages your DNS servers |
| When changing your DNS servers, make sure the new records are working properly before deleting existing NS records | When changing your DNS servers, make sure the new records are working properly before deleting the existing A records |
Nameserver switching is the process of moving the DNS management of your domain from one provider to another. This process is necessary when you move your domain to a new hosting company or want to switch to a provider that offers more advanced DNS management services.
Before changing the nameserver, complete these steps:
To speed up the migration process, you can set the TTL values of all your DNS records to a low value (for example 300 seconds, i.e. 5 minutes, 24-48 hours before the change. In this way, the nameserver change propagates faster.
Log in to the control panel of the registrar (GoDaddy, Namecheap, Isimtescil, etc.) where you purchased your domain name.
Go to the page where your domain names are listed and select the relevant domain name. It is usually found in sections such as "Domain Names", "Domains" or "Domain Management".
On the domain detail page, look for a section such as "Nameserver", "DNS", "Name Servers" or similar. This section may usually be under the following headings:
Enter the nameserver addresses your new DNS provider gave you. Usually there are 2-4 nameserver addresses. For Cloudflare for example:
Or for Plesk:
Confirm the nameserver change by clicking the "Save", "Update" or "Apply Changes" button.
It usually takes 24-48 hours for the nameserver change to be propagated throughout the Internet. During this time, some users may see the new DNS settings while others may continue to see the old settings.
| Provider | Nameserver'lar |
|---|---|
| Cloudflare |
ns1.cloudflare.com ns2.cloudflare.com |
| GoDaddy |
ns17.domaincontrol.com ns18.domaincontrol.com |
| Namecheap |
dns1.registrar-servers.com dns2.registrar-servers.com |
| Google Domains |
ns-cloud-a1.googledomains.com ns-cloud-a2.googledomains.com ns-cloud-a3.googledomains.com ns-cloud-a4.googledomains.com |
| Changing Nameserver | Managing DNS Records |
|---|---|
| Transfers all DNS control to another provider | Edits records in current DNS provider |
| Configured in Registrar | Configured in DNS management panel |
| Propagation time is longer (24-48 hours) | Propagation of records is faster (based on TTL) |
| Can affect all DNS records | Only affects changed records |
DNS propagation is the process of spreading and updating changes made to DNS records throughout the internet. This process refers to the time it takes for the changes to reach all DNS servers on the internet and for the caches to be updated.
You make a change to your DNS management panel (for example, changing the IP address of an A record or adding a new MX record).
The change is first updated on your domain's authoritative DNS servers (your nameservers). This usually happens within a few minutes.
Recursive DNS servers, such as Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and other third-party DNS providers (Google, Cloudflare, etc.), retrieve new information from authoritative servers as they receive queries for your domain and as their caches expire.
Users' devices (computers, phones) and web browsers also store DNS records in their caches. These caches are also updated as they expire.
Propagation is complete when all DNS servers and clients are updated. This process usually varies depending on the TTL value, but can take on average 24-48 hours.
TTL determines how long a DNS record is kept in the cache. Lower TTL values (e.g. 300 seconds) result in faster propagation, higher values (e.g. 86400 seconds) result in slower propagation.
Some DNS providers may propagate changes more quickly. Large providers such as Cloudflare, Amazon Route 53 usually offer faster propagation.
The hierarchical structure of DNS servers on the Internet and the update policies of each server affect the propagation time.
DNS servers in different regions may update at different speeds. Therefore, users in some regions may see changes sooner, while others may see them later.
DNS change starts here
ISP DNS
Server
Third Party DNS
(Google, Cloudflare)
Corporate
DNS Server
End User
devices
mobile
Devices
company
networks
When all DNS servers and clients are updated
| TTL Value | Propagation Effect | Usage Scenario |
|---|---|---|
| 300s (5dk) | Very Fast | Urgent changes, crisis management |
| 1800s (30dk) | fast | Planned changes, transition processes |
| 3600s (1saat) | Orta | Standard changes |
| 86400s (1day) | slow | Stable records, records with little change |
DNS performance optimization ensures your domain loads faster, provides a better user experience, and is more resilient to DNS outages. A well-structured DNS system allows your website to reach your users faster and more reliably.
Not all DNS providers offer the same performance. Here are the features of a fast DNS provider:
Suggestion: Choose performance-oriented DNS providers such as Cloudflare, Amazon Route 53, Google Cloud DNS.
TTL determines how long DNS records are kept in the cache:
Balanced Approach: Use a higher TTL for stable records and a lower TTL for records that are subject to change.
Relying on a single DNS provider can cause your website to become inaccessible if that provider goes down.
Pro Type: Some enterprise providers offer automatic DNS synchronization.
CDN usage is directly related to DNS performance:
Suggestion: Consider CDN services like Cloudflare, Akamai, or AWS CloudFront.
DNS caching in HTML tells the browser to pre-resolve domain names to be used on the page:
<link rel="dns-prefetch" href="//cdn.example.com">
You can reduce loading times by using DNS caching for external resources on your page:
GeoDNS directs users to different servers based on their geographic location:
Not: Amazon Route 53, Cloudflare, and Google Cloud DNS offer advanced traffic routing features.
Continuous monitoring is important to see the impact of DNS optimization:
| Provider | Average Speed | Global Network | Additional Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cloudflare | Very Fast | 250+ Lokasyon | DDoS protection, Anycast, DNSSEC, CDN integration |
| Amazon Route 53 | fast | 50+ Region | GeoDNS, Health Checks, Traffic Flow Routing |
| Google Cloud DNS | fast | 30+ Region | High availability, GeoDNS, DNSSEC |
| Akamai DNS | fast | 100+ Lokasyon | Fast DNS, CDN integration, security |
<!-- Google Fonts for önbellekleme -->
<link rel="dns-prefetch" href="//fonts.googleapis.com">
<link rel="dns-prefetch" href="//fonts.gstatic.com">
<!-- CDN ve analitik kaynakları for -->
<link rel="dns-prefetch" href="//cdn.example.com">
<link rel="dns-prefetch" href="//www.google-analytics.com">
It typically takes 24-48 hours for changes to DNS records to propagate throughout the internet (propagation). This time may vary depending on TTL (Time To Live) values and caching policies of DNS servers. Lower TTL values (for example, 300 seconds) allow changes to propagate faster but place more load on DNS servers.
Lowering your TTL values 24-48 hours before making any significant changes may speed up the propagation process. During the propagation process, some users may see old DNS records while others may see new records.
An A record (Address Record) points a domain name directly to an IPv4 address, while a CNAME record (Canonical Name) points a domain name to another domain name.
| A Record | CNAME Record |
|---|---|
| Redirects domain name to IP address | Redirects domain name to another domain name |
| Manual update required when target IP changes | Automatically updates when target IP changes |
| Available on root domain (example.com) | Cannot be used on root domain |
| Example: example.com → 192.0.2.1 | Example: www.example.com → example.com |
To configure and secure your email service, you need to use these DNS records:
Your email provider (Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, Zoho Mail, etc.) provides detailed instructions on how to configure these records.
When you change your nameservers, you completely transfer the DNS management of your domain to the new DNS provider. In this case:
Therefore, before changing the nameserver make a backup of all your existing DNS records and pre-configure these records in the new provider. Some DNS providers (e.g. Cloudflare) may attempt to automatically scan and import your DNS records when adding your domain, but this may not always be %100 accurate or complete.
Creating a DNS record for subdomains (for example, blog.example.com, app.example.com) is the same as creating a regular DNS record. The only difference is that you enter the prefix of the subdomain in the "Name/Host" field when adding a record:
It is generally more advantageous to use CNAME records for subdomains because you do not have to update all subdomains one by one when the IP address of the main domain changes.
TTL (Time To Live) is the value that indicates how long a DNS record will be stored in the DNS resolvers' cache. This value is expressed in seconds and affects how quickly changes to DNS records propagate.
| TTL Value | Usage Scenario | Avantaj | Dezavantaj |
|---|---|---|---|
| 300s (5 minutes) | Records that are planned to be changed soon | rapid propagation | More load on DNS servers |
| 3600s (1 saat) | Standard use, balanced approach | Medium speed propagation | Changes propagate within 1 hours |
| 86400h (1 days) | Stable records that rarely change | Less load on DNS servers | slow propagation |
Suggestions:
The "DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN" error indicates that the browser could not find the entered domain name on the DNS servers. This error usually occurs in the following situations:
Solutions:
If your domain name has been newly registered or you have made changes to the DNS settings, it may take some time for the propagation process to complete.