CNAME issue

[Sharksfan]

Okay so...I have a CNAME issue I think

I bought a domain on namecheap and have the DNS set up elsewhere. On the host I added a CNAME record with the alias as www (no dot) and the server name as @ which is valid in every example I've seen on here and elsewhere.

Does that take time to propogate? It shouldn't according to my understanding.

Also - just to be clear- you do NOT need the dot when you put the alias in for CNAME records, right?

 

[kblessinggr]

If you have the DNS setup elsewhere:
1) Where is the DNS you setup?
2) What are the nameservers you assigned to the domain in Namecheap?

Far as the dot, it depends on what your DNS software is. If its something like everydns.com you enter the entire hostname to define a cname, or subdomain A record. But if its something like WHM/Cpanel's DNS entry, for a subdomain/cname you simply type that portion ie: www , with no dot pointing to either the IP address as an A record, or the domain.com. (dot on end) cname. Then course in some like Godaddy and namecheap's built in DNS you got the use of @.

 

[Sharksfan]

***facepalm***

Thanks kblessinggr....turns out it was probably simpler than that...

I'm only admitting this so other newbs won't make the same mistake.

Okay, so...it turns out you ALSO need an "A" record...which I SHOULD have known...considering I've done this before.

Easy target - flame away.

 

[kblessinggr]

I'm not gona flame you, but simply state, that your primary hostname (ie: domain-com without any alias on it) does indeed need an A record, in order to use a CNAME for it.

Otherwise you can have www.domain-com with an A record to an IP, but then have domain.com completely blank (meaning without www. it does not resolve). So technically you don't need an A record for the base domain, but its a good idea to do so

If you want everything to come to you, you can use a wild card * to an A record, course for that to be useful you'll need to configure your webserver's record to expect a *.domain-com or you'll either get 404 or some cpanel welcome screen when it doesn't match the base or www.