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Understanding DNS Records (A, CNAME, MX, TXT)

Domains2 min readUpdated 28 Jun 2026

DNS can sound intimidating, but the core idea is simple. This guide demystifies the most common record types so you can manage your domain with confidence.

What DNS is

DNS (Domain Name System) is the internet's address book. It translates a human-friendly name like yoursite.com into the numeric IP address computers use to find your server. DNS records are the individual entries that tell the internet where different services live.

The main record types

  • A record: Points a domain or subdomain to an IPv4 address. This is what sends visitors to your website.
  • CNAME record: Points one name to another name (an alias). Often used for www so it follows your root domain.
  • MX record: Directs email to the right mail servers. Without correct MX records, email will not arrive.
  • TXT record: Stores text used for verification and email security, such as SPF and domain ownership checks.

Example records

; Type   Name    Value                 TTL
A        @       203.0.113.10          3600
CNAME    www     yoursite.com          3600
MX       @       mail.yoursite.com     3600  (priority 10)
TXT      @       "v=spf1 include:hostbox.me ~all"   3600

What TTL means

TTL (Time To Live) tells the internet how long to cache a record, in seconds. A lower TTL means changes spread faster but slightly increases lookups. A common value is 3600 (one hour).

Planning a change? Lower the TTL a day in advance so your update takes effect quickly when you make it.

Managing records in Hostbox

Every Hostbox domain comes with Hostbox DNS built in, hosted on our own nameservers (ns1.hostbox.me and ns2.hostbox.me). There is nothing to set up — open your domain and edit records right away.

1
Open your domain

Go to Domains in the Hostbox dashboard and open your domain.

2
Find DNS Records

Scroll to the DNS Records section under Hostbox DNS.

3
Add or edit a record

Choose the type (A, AAAA, CNAME, MX, TXT, or Redirect), fill in the values, and save.

Hostbox DNS also supports Redirect records (forward a domain to any URL) and Hostbox Shield, a one-click switch that routes a record through our global CDN with built-in DDoS protection. See Manage your DNS with Hostbox DNS for the full walkthrough.

Prefer to use your own Cloudflare account? Hostbox also offers a one-click Cloudflare integration as an alternative. Questions about a specific record? We are happy to help at Support.

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