DNS A Records
2 min read
What is an A record?
An A record (Address record) is the most basic type of DNS record. It maps your domain name to an IP address — the actual server where your website lives.
When someone visits yoursite.com, the browser looks up the A record to find out which server to connect to.
How SiteGlowUp handles A records
When you migrate your DNS to SiteGlowUp, we don't use traditional A records. Instead, we use CNAME records that point to your CloudFront distribution (a global content delivery network). This means:
- Your site is served from data centers worldwide, not a single server
- Visitors get faster load times regardless of their location
- If one data center has issues, traffic automatically routes elsewhere
- You don't need to worry about IP addresses changing
Do I need to set up A records manually?
No. SiteGlowUp handles all DNS configuration automatically when you migrate your domain. The records are created as part of the migration process.
If you have an existing A record pointing to your old hosting, it will be replaced with the appropriate record pointing to your new SiteGlowUp site.
What about subdomains?
If you have subdomains (like blog.yoursite.com or shop.yoursite.com) that point to other services, those records are detected during the DNS scan and preserved. We only change what needs to change.
Common scenarios
"I pointed my domain but nothing changed"
DNS changes take time to propagate. Check your dashboard's DNS status indicator. If it's still pending after 48 hours, reach out to support.
"My old site is still showing"
Clear your browser cache or try an incognito window. Your browser might be caching the old DNS lookup.
"I need to point a subdomain somewhere else"
Open the DNS section of your dashboard and click Add DNS Record. Pick the record type (A, CNAME, TXT, MX, AAAA, CAA, or SRV), enter the name and value, and save. The record appears in Route53 immediately and shows up in your DNS health dashboard. See Adding DNS Records for a full walkthrough.