Practical guide
Connecting your domain to your website (DNS)
DNS is the directory of the internet: it tells browsers where to find your website and where to deliver your emails. Here is what each record means.
The records you need to know
- A: connects the domain to the IPv4 address of the server hosting the website.
- AAAA: the same thing for IPv6.
- CNAME: makes a subdomain (for example www) an alias of another name.
- MX: specifies the servers that receive your emails.
- TXT: holds verification and security information, such as SPF, DKIM and DMARC.
Where to change them
With the registrar where your domain is registered (OVH, Combell, one.com, Gandi…), in the DNS zone. You add or edit the records that your host gives you. In the Ouibel client area, the records to create are shown for each domain, along with their status.
How long does it take?
Often a few minutes, sometimes a few hours: this is propagation, caused by the caches of DNS servers. The HTTPS certificate is then created automatically as soon as the domain points to the right server.
Common mistakes
Forgetting the www, keeping an old A record that points elsewhere, deleting the MX records when you only want to move the website (emails are then no longer received), or duplicating an SPF record (only one is allowed per domain).
Frequently asked questions
In brief
Can I move my website without affecting my emails?
Yes: only edit the A/AAAA records (and the www) and leave the MX records as they are.
Can Ouibel do it for me?
Yes, if you give us access, or we can guide you step by step.
Going further
Also worth reading
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