KNOWLEDGE / GUIDE
Make DNS changes with care
Understand common records, preserve email routing and plan a safe rollback.
Find the active DNS provider
First identify where your domain’s authoritative DNS is managed. The registrar, website host and email provider can be different companies. Editing an inactive copy of a DNS zone may not change what visitors see.
Know what a record does
An A record maps a name to an IPv4 address; a CNAME makes one name an alias of another name. MX records identify the servers that receive mail for a domain. Follow your provider’s instructions for the exact record names and values rather than guessing.
Record the current settings
Before editing, save the existing records and their time-to-live values in a secure place. Confirm the intended replacement and a rollback plan. A website change should not overwrite mail-routing or email-authentication records unless the email provider has instructed you to change them.
Verify both website and mail
Changes can take time to appear because DNS answers are cached. Check the website from more than one network and test incoming and outgoing email if mail-related records changed. If the result is unexpected, contact the responsible DNS or mail provider before making additional changes.
Further reading
These external guides describe the underlying tools. Available features and procedures can differ by provider.
For help with your own service, contact HostingLawn support.
