ALIAS records work similarly to CNAME records, with the main difference being that they are flattened (adjusted) so that they can be used with other DNS records.
A CNAME record is used only for subdomains, like www, and not for the root domain, which is typically represented by the @ symbol in the DNS zone. A CNAME on the root domain prevents adding other essential records, such as A, MX, TXT, among others, causing issues with the domain’s functionality. With an ALIAS record, however, this setup becomes possible.
This guide will help you manage your domain’s DNS if it points to MilesWeb.
How to add an ALIAS record?
In the root domain’s DNS zone, only one record can be added. If any ALIAS record already exists, either edit or remove it instead of creating a new one.
Enable MilesWeb CDN and create an alias record for your domain. Modify the domain’s A or AAAA records by fully disabling the CDN first to avoid glitches.
You can create the new ALIAS record by navigating to the domain’s DNS zone editor in mPanel. Choose the CNAME record type from the dropdown list:
Values
Enter the following values next:
- Use domain.tld, or the @ symbol, which is automatically appended by default, so you have to add it manually
- Viewers of this file can see comments and suggestions.
- ALIAS Target (Points to) – Enter the destination for the ALIAS record. You cannot use an IP address, such as 185.185.185.185, or a URL in the form of service.website.tld/home; it must be in the format of a domain or subdomain, for example, service.website.tld.
- Leave the default value of 14400 seconds if you don’t have a specific requirement.
- Click “Add Record” after updating all details. It will appear as CNAME ALIAS in the DNS zone.
- It takes around 24 hours globally to check applied changes in DNS zone.
How to Verify an ALIAS Record?
An ALIAS record works by flattening a CNAME to retrieve the IP address of the target domain. This allows your domain to point directly to that IP address.
Since it doesn’t appear as a traditional CNAME in DNS discovery tools, you can verify its resolution by examining the corresponding A or AAAA record of the target domain.
How to Check ALIAS Record Propagation?
To track the propagation of your ALIAS record:
- Open a DNS Checker tool in your browser.
- Enter your domain name in the search field.
- From the record type dropdown, select A record.
- Click Search to view the resolved IP address.
- This will show how the ALIAS record is resolving across different DNS servers globally.
Then, enter the target of the ALIAS record and check the A record.
If the ALIAS record is configured correctly, the IP address for both your domain and the ALIAS target should match.
