How to Manage DNS Records in cPanel
Once your domain is pointed to Unisolva's nameservers, all DNS records for your domain are managed through cPanel's Zone Editor. This article explains the most common DNS record types and how to add, edit, or delete them.
Prerequisites
- Your domain must be pointing to Unisolva's nameservers (ns1.totalsolvex.com / ns2.totalsolvex.com)
- Access to cPanel at yourdomain.com/cpanel
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???? Note If your domain is using Cloudflare nameservers or another external DNS provider, you must manage DNS records in that provider's dashboard - not in cPanel. DNS records in cPanel only take effect when Unisolva's nameservers are authoritative. |
DNS Record Types - Quick Reference
|
Record |
Full Name |
What It Does |
|
A |
Address |
Maps your domain name to an IPv4 address (e.g. yourdomain.com → 192.0.2.1) |
|
AAAA |
IPv6 Address |
Maps your domain to an IPv6 address |
|
CNAME |
Canonical Name |
Creates an alias - points one domain/subdomain to another (e.g. www → yourdomain.com) |
|
MX |
Mail Exchanger |
Tells other mail servers where to send email for your domain. Required for email hosting. |
|
TXT |
Text |
Stores arbitrary text - used for SPF, DKIM, DMARC, and domain verification by Google, Microsoft, etc. |
|
NS |
Nameserver |
Defines which nameservers are authoritative for your domain. Changing NS delegates DNS control. |
|
SRV |
Service |
Specifies host and port for specific services - used by Microsoft 365, VoIP, and some game servers. |
|
CAA |
Certification Authority |
Restricts which Certificate Authorities are allowed to issue SSL certificates for your domain. |
Opening the Zone Editor
- Log in to cPanel at yourdomain.com/cpanel
- Scroll to the Domains section and click Zone Editor
- Your domains are listed - click Manage next to the domain you want to edit
- The DNS zone for your domain opens, showing all existing records
Adding a New DNS Record
- In Zone Editor, click Add Record (or the + Add Record button)
- Select the record Type from the dropdown (A, CNAME, MX, TXT, etc.)
- Fill in the required fields - these vary by record type (see examples below)
- Click Save Record
Adding an A Record (pointing a subdomain to an IP)
- Name: the subdomain (e.g. "shop" for shop.yourdomain.com). Use @ for the root domain.
- TTL: leave at default (14400 seconds) unless you need faster propagation
- Type: A
- Record (value): the IPv4 address to point to (e.g. 192.0.2.100)
Adding a CNAME Record (alias)
- Name: the subdomain to alias (e.g. "www" for www.yourdomain.com)
- Type: CNAME
- Record (value): the destination hostname - must end with a dot (e.g. yourdomain.com.)
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???? Note A CNAME record cannot be set on the root domain (@). Use an A record for the root. Most setups have: @ → A record pointing to the server IP, www → CNAME pointing to @. |
Adding an MX Record (email routing)
- Name: @ (applies to the root domain - all email @yourdomain.com)
- Type: MX
- Priority: lower number = higher priority (e.g. 10 for primary, 20 for backup)
- Record (value): the mail server hostname (e.g. mail.yourdomain.com or Google/Microsoft's mail server)
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⚠️ Warning Changing MX records will redirect all incoming email for your domain. If you are migrating email providers, ensure the new mail server is fully set up before changing MX records to avoid losing incoming emails during the transition. |
Adding a TXT Record (SPF, DKIM, domain verification)
- Name: @ for root domain, or a specific subdomain/selector for DKIM
- Type: TXT
- Record (value): the text string provided by the service requiring the record (e.g. Google site verification, SPF policy, DKIM key)
|
???? Tip When adding SPF, wrap the value in quotes if required by the service providing it. Example SPF value: "v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com ~all" |
Editing an Existing Record
- In Zone Editor, find the record you want to change in the list
- Click Edit next to the record
- Modify the value as needed
- Click Save Record
Deleting a DNS Record
- In Zone Editor, find the record to delete
- Click Delete next to it
- Confirm the deletion
|
⚠️ Warning Deleting a critical record (such as an MX record or A record for your root domain) will break email delivery or take your website offline. Double-check what each record does before deleting it. |
Resetting DNS to Default
If you have made changes that have broken your DNS configuration, you can reset the zone to its default state:
- In Zone Editor, click Manage next to your domain
- Look for a Reset DNS Zone option (if available)
- Alternatively, open a support ticket at my.unisolva.com - the team can restore your DNS zone to its default Unisolva configuration
Related Articles
- How to Connect Your Domain to Unisolva Hosting
- Understanding Nameservers and DNS Propagation
- Understanding SPF, DKIM, and DMARC - Email Authentication Explained (Email Hosting category)
