DNS Basics
What an A Record Does in DNS (With Examples)
The record type that tells the internet which server IP address a domain name actually points to, explained with root and www examples.
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An A record is a single host-to-IP mapping entry
IPv4
What an A record maps to (AAAA handles IPv6)
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Human support for DNS record questions
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DNS management included with hosting
In short
An A record is the DNS entry that maps a hostname (like a domain or a subdomain) directly to an IPv4 address, so that typing a domain name into a browser resolves to the numeric address of the server actually hosting the site. An AAAA record does the identical job for IPv6 addresses, which are longer and written in a different format.
A domain's root (yourdomain.com) almost always needs its own A record pointing straight at the hosting server's IP, since a root domain generally can't use a CNAME the way a subdomain can.
Every domain name is really just a human-friendly label standing in for a numeric IP address, and the A record is the piece of DNS that makes that substitution work. Without one pointing to the right server, a browser has no way to find where a website actually lives, no matter how correctly everything else on the domain is configured.
This guide breaks down exactly what an A record contains, how it differs from an AAAA record, and walks through the two most common examples a site owner will actually set — the root domain and the www subdomain — plus what typically goes wrong when one is missing or pointed at the wrong address.
What an A Record Actually Contains
An A record has three core parts: a host (which name it applies to, such as @ for the root domain, or a subdomain like shop), a value (the IPv4 address of the destination server, written as four numbers separated by dots), and a TTL (how long, in seconds, resolvers are allowed to cache that answer before checking again). Every DNS zone that's actually serving a live website needs at least one of these.
The 'A' stands for 'Address,' and the record's whole job is answering one question whenever a resolver asks it: for this exact hostname, what IP address should traffic be sent to? Nothing more sophisticated happens at this layer — routing, load balancing, and everything else happens downstream once traffic actually arrives at that address.
A Records vs. AAAA Records
An A record maps to an IPv4 address, the older and still far more common addressing format, written as something like 192.0.2.10. An AAAA record does the exact same mapping job but for IPv6, a much larger address space written in a longer hexadecimal format with colons, such as 2001:0db8:85a3::8a2e:0370:7334. IPv6 adoption keeps growing, but plenty of hosting setups still run comfortably on IPv4-only A records.
A domain can have both an A and an AAAA record for the same hostname at once, letting a resolver pick whichever address type the requesting device supports. If only an A record exists, IPv6-only clients rely on their network to translate the request, which works in most modern setups but is one more reason having both configured is the safer default when a server supports it.
Common Examples: Root Domain and www
The most typical A record setup covers two hosts: @ (representing the bare root domain, yourdomain.com) pointed at the server's IP, and often a separate www record — though www is frequently configured as a CNAME pointing at the root instead of a second A record, since that avoids having to update two records if the IP ever changes. Either approach works as long as both the bare domain and the www version resolve somewhere.
A subdomain used for something specific, like a staging site at staging.yourdomain.com or an app hosted on separate infrastructure at app.yourdomain.com, gets its own A record pointed at whatever server actually handles that subdomain — which may or may not be the same IP as the main site.
What Happens When an A Record Is Wrong or Missing
If the root domain has no A record at all, visitors typing the bare domain into a browser get a DNS error rather than reaching the site, even if www.yourdomain.com works perfectly through a separate CNAME. This is a surprisingly common gap after a migration, since it's easy to update one host and forget the other.
If the A record points to the wrong IP — the previous host's server, for instance, left unchanged after a migration — visitors reach the old server (which may show an outdated site, an error, or nothing at all) instead of the current one. Checking the A record's value directly against the new server's actual IP address is the fastest way to rule this out after any hosting change.
DNS Management That Doesn't Get in the Way
Hosting Cheap's control panel makes editing A records, checking their current value, and pointing a domain at the right server IP a straightforward task rather than a hunt through unfamiliar menus.
Free managed migration includes making sure the domain's A records point correctly at the new server from day one, so a migrated site doesn't end up with visitors quietly still landing on the old host.
- Simple A record editing through the cPanel-style panel
- Free managed migration that updates DNS pointing correctly
- 24/7 human support for DNS record troubleshooting
- Free auto-renewing SSL once the A record resolves to the right server
Why Hosting Cheap
What you get
Straightforward DNS Panel
Add, edit, or check A records without digging through a confusing interface.
Free Managed Migration
DNS records get pointed at the new server correctly as part of the move, not left for later.
24/7 Human Support
Get help if a domain's root or subdomain isn't resolving to the right IP.
Free Auto-Renewing SSL
Issued once the A record correctly points the domain at the hosting server.
Daily Backups
A safety net in place while DNS and hosting changes are being made.
Pure NVMe SSD + LiteSpeed
The server an A record points to is fast the moment traffic actually arrives.
How It Works
Get set up in a few steps
Find the server's IP address
Get the exact IPv4 address of the hosting account from the welcome email or control panel.
Set the A record for @ and any subdomains
Point the root domain, and any subdomain that needs its own entry, at that IP address.
Confirm it resolves correctly
Check the A record's live value with a DNS lookup tool before relying on it for production traffic.
Included
Everything you need, on every plan
- Root domain (@) has an A record pointing to the correct server IP
- www is either a CNAME to the root or its own correct A record, not both conflicting
- Any subdomain needing separate hosting has its own A record
- A record value matches the current hosting server's IP exactly
- AAAA record added alongside the A record if the server supports IPv6
- TTL lowered temporarily before a planned IP change
- A record rechecked after any migration to confirm it points to the new server
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
What is an A record used for in simple terms?
It's the DNS entry that tells the internet which server IP address a domain name should resolve to. Without one, a browser has no way to find where the website is actually hosted.
What's the difference between an A record and a CNAME?
An A record points a hostname directly at an IP address, while a CNAME points a hostname at another hostname instead, which then resolves further. A root domain generally needs an A record since it typically can't use a CNAME.
Do I need both an A record and an AAAA record?
Not strictly — an A record alone (IPv4 only) still works for the large majority of visitors. Adding an AAAA record for IPv6 is good practice if the hosting server supports it, but it isn't required for a site to function.
Why does my domain work with www but not without it?
This usually means the root domain (@) is missing its own A record while www is separately configured correctly, often via CNAME. Adding an A record for @ pointing at the same server resolves it.
How do I find my server's IP address to set an A record?
The hosting welcome email typically lists it, and it's also visible inside the control panel's account information section. Using the exact IP shown there avoids a mismatch.
Why did my site stop working after I changed my A record?
The most common cause is a typo in the IP address or the change simply not having propagated across DNS resolvers yet, which can take time depending on the record's TTL. Double-checking the value entered and waiting out the TTL usually resolves it.
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Get a server IP, a simple DNS panel, and free managed migration to make sure every A record is set correctly.
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