Overview
This article explains how to point your domain to your hosting account by configuring the required DNS records in the Plesk control panel.
To connect your domain to your hosting service, you generally need to configure an A record for the root domain and a CNAME or A record for the www subdomain.
Prerequisites
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Access to your domain's DNS management panel.
-
Your hosting server's IP address.
-
Access to Plesk, if DNS is managed through Plesk.
Required DNS Records
The following DNS records are commonly used to point a domain to your hosting account.
| Record Type | Host/Name | Value | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | @ |
Your hosting IP address | Points the root domain to your hosting |
| CNAME | www |
your-domain.com |
Points the www subdomain to your root domain |
Example: If your domain is example.com and your hosting IP address is 192.0.2.10, configure the records as follows:
| Type | Host/Name | Value |
|---|---|---|
| A | @ |
192.0.2.10 |
| CNAME | www |
example.com |
Note: The IP address above is an example only. Please use the actual IP address provided for your hosting account.
Steps to Configure DNS Records in Plesk
1. Log in to Plesk
Open your Plesk login URL and sign in using your credentials.
2. Navigate to DNS Settings
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Go to Websites & Domains.
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Locate the domain you want to point to your hosting.
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Click DNS Settings.
3. Add or Update the A Record
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Locate the existing A record for the root domain (
@or the domain name). -
Edit the record and enter your hosting IP address.
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If the record does not exist, click Add Record and select A.
-
Enter the required hostname and IP address.
-
Save the changes.
4. Add or Update the WWW Record
To point www.your-domain.com to your root domain:
-
Check whether a
wwwrecord already exists. -
Edit the existing record or click Add Record.
-
Select CNAME as the record type.
-
Enter
wwwas the hostname. -
Enter your root domain (e.g.,
example.com) as the canonical name. -
Save the changes.
Alternatively, you can use an A record for www pointing directly to your hosting IP address.
5. Apply DNS Changes
After adding or updating the records:
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Review the DNS entries to ensure the values are correct.
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Click Update, if available, to apply the DNS zone changes.
Please note that DNS changes made in Plesk will take effect only if your domain is using the DNS service managed by Plesk.
Important Notes
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If your domain is using external nameservers, update the DNS records with the provider managing your active DNS zone.
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If you want to point your domain by changing nameservers, use the nameservers provided by your hosting provider instead of manually configuring DNS records at the current DNS provider.
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Before modifying existing DNS records, keep a backup of the current DNS zone.
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Do not delete existing MX, SPF, DKIM, or other email-related records, as this may interrupt your email service.
-
DNS propagation may take a few minutes to several hours, depending on TTL and DNS caching.
Verification
Once the DNS records have been updated, you can verify them using online DNS lookup tools or the following commands:
Check the root domain A record:
nslookup -type=A example.com
Check the www record:
nslookup -type=CNAME www.example.com
Replace example.com with your actual domain name.
Once the DNS records resolve to the correct hosting IP address, allow time for DNS changes to propagate before testing your website.
Conclusion
To point your domain to your hosting account, configure the root domain's A record with your hosting IP address and create a CNAME or A record for the www subdomain. Ensure that the changes are made wherever your domain's active DNS is managed.
