Knowledgebase

Managing DNS Records (Firstserv Guide – cPanel & Plesk)

DNS (Domain Name System) is what translates user-friendly domain names into the numerical IP addresses used by servers across the internet.

For example:

www.yourdomain.com → 123.123.123.123

Without DNS, you would need to remember IP addresses instead of simple domain names.

Common DNS Record Types

While there are many DNS record types, the most commonly used are:

A Record (Address)

• Points a domain or subdomain to an IP address
• Example:

  example.com → 123.123.123.123
  

CNAME Record (Alias)

• Points a domain/subdomain to another domain name
• Example:

  blog.example.com → example.com
  

MX Record (Mail Exchanger)

• Defines where email for your domain should be delivered
• Used for email services such as Firstserv mail, Google Workspace, or Microsoft 365

Managing DNS in cPanel

Accessing Zone Editor

1. Log in to cPanel
2. Go to Domains → Zone Editor

Quick Record Creation

You can quickly add common records using:

• ✅ + A Record
• ✅ + CNAME Record
• ✅ + MX Record

Important: Fully Qualified Domain Names (FQDNs)

When entering full domain names:

• Add a trailing dot (.)
• Or just enter the hostname (cPanel will append the domain automatically)

Examples

✅ Correct:

blog.example.com.

✅ Or simply:

blog

❌ Incorrect (no trailing dot):

blog.example.com

👉 May result in:

blog.example.com.example.com

Viewing & Managing Records

• Click Manage next to your domain
• View all DNS records in one place

Editing Records

• Click Edit next to any record
• Update values and save

Adding Other Record Types

• Click + Add Record
• Choose the required type (TXT, SRV, etc.)
• Enter the relevant details

Managing DNS in Plesk

Accessing DNS Settings

1. Log in to Plesk
2. Go to Websites & Domains
3. Select your domain
4. Click DNS Settings

Adding a Record

1. Click Add Record
2. Select the record type:
   • A
   • CNAME
   • MX
   • TXT, etc.
3. Enter the required values
4. Click OK / Save

Editing Records

• Click any existing record
• Modify the settings
• Save your changes

Removing Records

• Select the record
• Click Remove if no longer needed

Best Practices

• ✅ Double-check record values before saving
• ✅ Use correct record types for your setup
• ✅ Allow time for DNS propagation (up to 24 hours)
• ✅ Keep records organised and avoid duplicates

Summary

• DNS connects domain names to servers using records
• Common records include A, CNAME, and MX
• Manage DNS via:
  • cPanel → Zone Editor, or
  • Plesk → DNS Settings
• Always ensure entries are correctly formatted

Need Help?

If you’re unsure which DNS records to add or edit, the Firstserv support team is always happy to help you configure everything correctly.