Where DNS sits in the chain
When a visitor types your domain, DNS translates it into a server IP before traffic ever reaches your DMIT instance. Misconfigured DNS is one of the most common causes of "site not loading". This guide covers record types, TTL, verification and common pitfalls.
Common record types
| Type | Purpose | Example |
|---|---|---|
| A | domain → IPv4 address | @ → 45.88.xx.xx |
| AAAA | domain → IPv6 address | @ → 2a0b:xx::1 |
| CNAME | alias to another domain | www → example.com |
| MX | mail routing | @ → mail.example.com |
| TXT | SPF/DKIM/site verification | v=spf1 ... |
| NS | authoritative name servers | @ → ns1.cloudflare.com |
DMIT instances ship with IPv4 and a /64 IPv6 prefix (see IPv6 Setup Guide) — add both A and AAAA records.
Basic setup steps
- Open DNS management at your registrar or DNS provider
- Add an A record:
@to the DMIT instance's IPv4 address - Add an AAAA record:
@to the instance's IPv6 address - Add a CNAME for
wwwto the apex, or its own A/AAAA records - Wait for propagation — minutes to hours depending on TTL and caches
Choosing a TTL
- Steady state: 3600–86400s for fewer lookups and better cache hits
- Before migration: drop TTL to 300s 24–48h ahead so you can switch back fast (see Migration Guide)
- After migration stabilises: raise TTL again
Verifying resolution
# A record
dig +short example.com A
# AAAA record
dig +short example.com AAAA
# compare against public resolvers
dig @1.1.1.1 example.com +short
# full resolution chain
dig example.com +traceChanged the record but dig shows the old value? Resolver caches haven't expired — wait out the TTL or verify via 1.1.1.1 / 8.8.8.8.
Common issues
DNS resolves but site won't load?
DNS only finds the door. Then check: firewall allows 80/443, Nginx is listening, certificate matches the domain (see Troubleshooting Guide).
Email lands in spam or fails to send?
Complete MX, SPF (TXT) and DKIM (TXT) records; port 25 is often blocked on cloud servers — use a third-party SMTP service instead.
Should I enable CDN proxy?
With Cloudflare proxy on, public DNS resolves to edge IPs rather than your origin — that's expected (see Cloudflare CDN Setup).
Related articles
IPv6 Setup Guide, HTTPS/SSL Setup, WordPress Deployment Guide.
Data checked: 2026-08-18.