Home > Empowering Tips > What’s an A Record? A Simple Guide to Your Website’s Internet Address
If you’re managing a website or considering setting one up for your business, you may have come across the term “A record”. While it might sound technical, understanding it is simpler than you think and could save you time and effort when working with your domain or website hosting provider. Let’s break it down in straightforward terms.
The Basics of an A Record
An A record, short for “Address Record”, is a crucial part of the Domain Name System (DNS).
Think of DNS as the internet’s phonebook. When someone types your website’s name (e.g., www.yourbusiness.com) into their browser, DNS helps them find the correct “address” of your website on the internet.
This is where the A record comes in. It connects your domain name to the specific IP address of the server where your website is hosted. An IP address is like the GPS coordinates of your website’s home on the internet. Without an A record, people wouldn’t be able to find your website.
How It Works
When someone visits your website, their device asks the DNS for the corresponding IP address of your domain name. The A record provides that IP address, allowing their browser to connect to your website’s server and load your site.
For example:
- Your domain name: www.yourbusiness.com
- Your A record points to: 35.198.196.77 (an example of an IP address)
Once the browser knows the IP address, it can load the content of your website for the user.
Why It Matters for Your Business
- Ensures Your Website is Accessible: Without a correct A record, your domain won’t connect to your website’s hosting server, and visitors won’t be able to find your site.
- Improves Troubleshooting: If there are issues with your website not loading, checking the A record is one of the first steps. Ensuring it points to the right IP address can resolve many connectivity issues.
- Facilitates Changes: If you switch hosting providers, updating the A record allows your domain to point to the new server. This ensures a smooth transition with minimal downtime.
Managing Your A Records
Most business owners don’t need to manage A records daily. However, there are times when you might need to update or verify them, such as:
- Moving to a new web hosting provider.
- Setting up a new website.
- When troubleshooting website connectivity issues.
In Lookafter system, you can access and manage you’re a records via the Manage DNS section.
Wrapping Up
Understanding A records at a basic level helps you make better decisions about your online presence and communicate more effectively with your technical support team. Just remember: while you don’t need to be an expert in A records, knowing they exist and their importance to your website’s accessibility is valuable for any business owner in today’s digital world.
Have questions about updating A records or managing your domain settings? Write to us to get the assistance you need.