DNS location and how to add a DNS entry

Managing DNS records is essential for ensuring that your domain points to the correct services and functions smoothly. This guide consolidates the steps for creating a DNS Zone, verifying DNS operation, and managing DNS entries within Staq to keep your website accessible and performing optimally.

Creating a DNS Zone (before GoLive or after GoLive process)

Follow these steps to move your DNS management to Staq by creating a DNS Zone:

Navigate to the DNS Zone:

• Log in to your Staq account.
• Go to the Staq Panel of the relevant website by clicking on its Website ID from the Websites Table.
• Click on DNS Zone under the Domains section.

Create a New DNS Zone:

• Click Create New DNS Zone.
• Enter your domain name in the provided field and click Manage DNS Records.
• Staq will automatically import your existing DNS records. Review these to ensure accuracy.
• Click the Create DNS Zone button to finalize the setup.

Creating DNS Zone during GoLive process

Step 1 – Creating DNS

During the GoLive Process, select Staq DNS (Powered by AWS Route53), followed by clicking Create New DNS Zone:

Enter your domain name and click Manage DNS Records:

Step 2 – Auto-migration of DNS Records

Staq uses common entries and will import commonly used DNS records across for you automatically. Please check to see if it has captured all DNS entries. If not, click Add New Record to add additional DNS entries.

A neat and simple feature is to select Auto set all A records to point to the website IP address. It will automatically configure your A records to point to Staq’s servers without you changing the DNS entries.

Once done, click Create DNS Zone:

Step 3 – Changing your NS records

You’ll be prompted to switch over the NS records to Staq DNS which is powered by AWS Route53, a premium DNS solution by Amazon.

Once done, click Check Nameservers in order to see if the DNS propagation has occurred.

Once confirmed, click Continue to Go Live.

Once completed, click Continue to GoLive and follow the prompts in the GoLive process.

Accessing NS Records

Once a DNS Zone is created in Staq, the system generates the necessary NS records. These records can be added to your domain registrar’s settings to point your domain to Staq’s DNS.

1. Navigate to the DNS Zone in the Staq Panel for your site.
2. Locate the NS records in the DNS Zone interface.
3. Copy these NS records and update them in your domain registrar’s dashboard.

For more detailed instructions on creating DNS Zones and locating NS records, see this guide: DNS Location and How to Add a DNS Entry.

Verification

Verify whether your DNS is operating out of Staq:

1. Go to the website’s Staq Panel and click on DNS Zone.
2. Click the purple button labeled Check Nameservers.
3. Review the results:
   • If you see a green tick with the message Nameservers have been propagated successfully, your DNS is operating out of Staq.
   • If you see a warning stating Your NS records have not been propagated yet…, your DNS is not yet pointing to Staq.

Adding a DNS Entry

To add a new DNS entry:

1. In the Staq Panel, navigate to DNS Zone.
2. Click Add New Record.
3. Select the record type (e.g., A, CNAME, MX) and enter the required details.
4. Click Save.

Editing an Existing DNS Entry

If you need to modify an existing DNS entry:

1. In the DNS Zone, locate the record you want to edit.
2. Click the menu icon next to the record and select Edit.
3. Update the required details and click Save.

Adding an A Record

To point your domain or subdomain to Staq without changing your nameservers:

1. In the DNS Zone, locate the IP address of your site provided during the GoLive process.
2. Add this IP as an A record in your third-party DNS management tool.

Limitations

If you wish to add an NS record to a sub domain, our support team needs to do this manually. You can see this guide on NS record for a sub domain.

We currently do not support the ability to add SOA or CAA entries inside Staq DNS. If you need this added, please reach out to our support team and we can look at adding this entry for you.

Conclusion

By following these steps, you can seamlessly create and manage DNS Zones and records in Staq. This ensures your domain is correctly configured and optimally supports your website’s functionality. If you encounter any issues, feel free to contact Staq support for assistance.