DNS records tell the internet where to send traffic for your domain — whether that’s a website, an email inbox, or another connected service. This article walks you through adding, editing, and deleting DNS records in your Hover account, and includes a reference for the most common record types you’ll encounter.
How DNS records work
Think of DNS records as the wiring behind the walls of a house. Your domain name is like the address on the front door, but without the right wiring in place behind the scenes, none of your services — website, email, and so on — will actually work. If a website or email address connected to your domain stops working, checking the DNS records is often the first troubleshooting step.
Note: You can only manage a domain's DNS records through Hover if the domain is using Hover's nameservers. If your domain points to nameservers from another provider, you'll need to manage DNS through that provider instead. See Changing your domain nameservers to check or update where your domain points.
Before you begin
- Confirm your nameservers. Make sure your domain is using Hover's nameservers (ns1.hover.com and ns2.hover.com) — DNS records can only be managed through Hover if it is. See Changing your domain nameservers.
- Gather the record details. Have the specific values you need on hand, such as an IP address, mail server, or verification text, usually provided by the service you're connecting (your website builder, email provider, and so on).
- Know the record type you need. Review the record type reference below if you're not sure whether you need an A, CNAME, MX, TXT, or SRV record.
Step 1: Add a DNS record
- Sign in to your Hover control panel using your chosen method of two-factor authentication (2FA).
- From the domain's Overview page, click the DNS section.
- Click Add a record.
- Select the record type and enter the values provided by your service provider (see the reference table below for what each field means).
- Save the record.
Step 2: Delete a DNS record
- From the DNS section, select the checkbox next to each record you want to remove.
- Click the Bulk edit drop-down menu, then select Delete.
- Click Delete again to confirm and remove the selected records.
Warning: Deleting a DNS record can immediately disconnect the service tied to it, such as email delivery or a website. Only delete records you're sure you no longer need.
Common DNS record types
A/AAAA records
An A record points a hostname to an IPv4 address; an AAAA record does the same for an IPv6 address. Use this record type to point your domain at your web host, or to create a subdomain that points directly to an IP address. Hover's default A record value is 216.40.34.41.
Field | Value |
|---|---|
Type | A/AAAA |
Hostname | preferred subdomain, or @ for the root domain |
IP address | the A/AAAA IP address provided by your host |
Note: If you're prompted to enter your full domain as the hostname, use the @ symbol instead — it represents your root domain.
CNAME records
A CNAME (Canonical Name) record points one hostname to another hostname, rather than to an IP address directly.
Field | Value |
|---|---|
Type | CNAME |
Hostname | preferred subdomain |
Target Name | the web address you're pointing to |
Note: Hover cannot support a CNAME record on the root domain (@) — CNAME records must be set on a subdomain.
MX records
An MX (Mail Exchange) record tells the internet which mail server should receive email for your domain.
Field | Value |
|---|---|
Type | MX |
Hostname | preferred subdomain, or @ for the root domain |
Priority | 10, or as provided by your mail provider |
Mail Server | provided by your mail provider |
TTL | 15 minutes (default) |
TXT records
A TXT record attaches a block of text to a hostname — commonly used for domain verification or email security (SPF/DKIM) values.
Field | Value |
|---|---|
Type | TXT |
Hostname | preferred subdomain, or @ for the root domain |
Content | provided by the specific service or provider |
Note: Hover supports TXT record keys up to 1048 bits by default; longer keys (2048-bit or higher) may cause an error when saving the record.
SRV records
An SRV (Service) record specifies where a particular service can be reached, including the protocol and port.
Field | Value |
|---|---|
Type | SRV |
Priority | provided by the specific service or provider |
Weight | provided by the specific service or provider |
Port | provided by the specific service or provider |
Server | provided by the specific service or provider |
Note: Hover also asks for a Service name and Protocol (typically TCP or UDP) when creating an SRV record — both are provided by whichever service requires the record.
Next steps
- Confirm your changes took effect. DNS changes can take up to 24–48 hours to fully propagate across the internet.
- Learn more about how DNS works. See How does DNS work? for an explainer on DNS terminology.
- Set up domain forwarding or private nameservers. See Managing domain forwarding or Connecting your domain using private nameservers (Glue records).
Questions? Contact Hover Support.
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