How to Add/Modify an A Record Across Popular DNS Hosts

Some services, such as CPVLab, require you to update the "A" record for a DNS zone. If you're using Hostwinds or another company for DNS hosting services, the following information should prove helpful in successfully updating your DNS zone appropriately.

General Procedure

If your Authoritative Nameserver provider where your nameservers are pointed to is not listed below, the general idea is summarized below:

1. Log into your account, where you'll be editing your DNS zone
2. Locate DNS management tools
3. Select the domain you're updating
4. Create the "A" record entry as appropriate for the domain

In most cases, changing an existing A record rather than adding a new record should be the same, except you'd see information for the record you're changing already populated. You'd change this information rather than add a new A record.

Your DNS information, such as your A record, is held and managed by your Authoritative Nameserver provider. In most cases, this is a web hosting provider such as Hostwinds, although you can always perform a WHOIS lookup on your domain name to confirm where your nameservers are pointed to so that you can make the necessary changes to your DNS.

How to manage an "A" record if your registered domain is with Hostwinds

1. Log into your Hostwinds account and navigate to domains >> my domains.
2. Select the wrench icon next to the domain you wish to add or edit the "A" record of.
3. You should now see an option on the left to "Modify DNS".
4. Selecting Add Record here will add any records you may need to include, including an "A" record of your domain.
5. If you already have the "A"  record created, you should see it among all of the current DNS.  You can edit any of the displayed fields, then select Save Changes when done.

How to add or edit an  "A" record in cPanel

1. If you use cPanel, you can manage records by navigating to the Domains section and selecting Zone Editor.
2. You will be presented with a screen displaying all domains within the cPanel service.
3. Select Manage. This will show a list of all the records associated with the selected domain will be displayed.  You will be able to "Add Record" towards the top or "edit" a record under manage on the right.

cPanel also offers advanced zone editor and simple zone editor, which will allow the adding or editing of "A" records as well.

Add "A" Record for Specific Registrars

Unless otherwise indicated, settings such as TTL (Time To Live) should be OK to leave as the default setting. However, before changing your DNS, we suggest lowering the TTL to 300 if your Nameserver provider allows that and waiting until the TTL has expired before making any DNS changes to reduce DNS propagation times.

1&1

1. Log into your 1&1 account, using your domain name
2. Click on Manage Domains
3. Click on the dropdown listing your domain and click on Edit DNS Settings
4. In Advanced DNS Settings, change the radio button for IP address (A Record) to Other IP Address
   In the box for IPv4 Address, enter the IP address of your service with us
5. Click Save

Bluehost

1. Log into your Bluehost Control Panel
2. In the Domains section, click on DNS Zone Editor
3. Select the domain you're working with
4. In the Add DNS Record area, enter the hostname (if any) in the Host Record field.
5. In the Type field, select A, and in the Points To field, enter the IP address of your service with us.
6. Click Add Record.

Domain.com

1. Log into Domain.com DomainCentral
2. Select the domain you're working with
3. Click the + icon left of the domain name you're working with (A domain settings box should appear)
4. Click on the DNS tab.
5. Click on the Modify drop-down box and select A Record
6. Please enter your domain or hostname for the Host, and enter the IP address of your service with us for the IP Address
7. Click Add

Dyn.com

1. Log into your Dyn account
2. Click on My Zones/Domains
3. Click on Dyn Standard DNS for the domain that you wish to update
4. Scroll down to Add DNS Record
5. Enter the hostname under Host and the IP under Data.

eNom

1. Log in to your eNom account
2. Select the domain name you're working with
3. Scroll down and click on Host Records
4. If you're using the domain name as your hostname, use the line for the@host name. Otherwise, type the hostname in the Host Name text box.
5. In the Address text box, enter the IP address of your services with us
6. Click Save

FastDomain

1. Log into your FastDomain Control Panel
2. In the Domains section, click on DNS Zone Editor. Select the domain you're working with
3. In the Add DNS Record area, enter the hostname (if any) in the Host Record field.
4. In the Type field, select A, and in the Points To field, enter the IP address of your service with us.
5. Click Add Record

GoDaddy

1. Log into your GoDaddy Account Manager
2. Click Manage next to Domains. Select the domain name that you're working with. Select the DNS Zone File tab
3. Select Add Record
4. Change the Record Type to A
5. If you're setting the A record for the domain itself, type @ into the Host Name field, otherwise enter the hostname you're working with
6. In the blank for Points to IP Address, enter the IP address of your service with us. Click Save Changes.

HostGator

1. Log into your HostGator cPanel account
2. Click on Simple DNS Zone Editor
3. In the Add an A Record section, enter the hostname in the Name blank and the IP address of your services with us in the Address blank.
4. There is also a video tutorial for steps 2 and 3

Hover

1. Log into your Hover account
2. Skip this step if you only have one domain
3. Click on the domain you're working with
4. Click the DNS tab
5. Click the Add New button and select A for the Record Type. Then, in the Hostname field, enter the hostname you wish to use or @ for the domain name.
6. For the Value field, enter the IP address of your services with us
7. Click Save

Name.com

1. Log into your Name.com account
2. Click on Domains, then My Domains, then on the domain name you're working with. This should take you to the domain manager for that domain.
3. In the Type field, select A, enter the hostname you're adding in the Host field, or leave this blank if you're working with the domain name itself.
4. Enter the IP address for your services with us under Answer
5. Click Add Record

Network Solutions

1. Log into your Network Solutions account and access your DNS Manager Settings.
2. Scroll to the IP Address/A Records section and click Add/Edit
3. The Host column will be for the hostname or @ if you're working with just the domain
4. Enter the IP for your services with us in the Numeric IP Address column
5. Click Continue

Public Domain Registry

1. Log into your Public Domain Registry Control Panel
2. Search for the domain you're working with, and select DNS Service
3. Click on Manage DNS, then click Add A Record
4. The hostname field should contain your hostname with the domain name (such as example.com or host.example.com)
5. Destination IPv4 Address should contain the IP address of your service with us.

Register.com

1. Log into your Register.com Account Manager
2. Click on the domain name you're working with, then click on Advanced Technical Settings.
3. Click on Edit IP Address Records
4. In the IP Address text box, enter the IP address of your services with us
5. Click Continue
6. Click Continue again

Extra Considerations

DNS changes may or may not immediately occur. Generally speaking, most sites use a TTL (Time To Live) of a few hours. However, in extreme cases or cases where the nameservers have also recently changed, it may take up to 72 hours to take effect.