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CNAME changes don't work

FIXED
mchignett
Newbie
Posts: 4
Thanks: 2
Registered: ‎27-09-2017

CNAME changes don't work

I'm trying to move my domain (hignett.net) for email etc. to google suite, but I'm having difficulties setting up the CNAME record to prove that I own the domain. The MX records seem to work fine.

I've tried a few things, as you can see from below, but nothing seems to work.

 

gv-5nzmi2qf4t6fdi.dv.googlehosted.com  a                 212.159.9.91 

hignett.net                                              a                 212.159.9.91 

hignett.net.                                             a                 212.159.9.91   

                                                              mx        1    aspmx.l.google.com.   

                                                              mx        5    alt1.aspmx.l.google.com.   

                                                              mx        5    alt2.aspmx.l.google.com.   

                                                              mx        10  alt3.aspmx.l.google.com.   

                                                              mx        10  alt4.aspmx.l.google.com. 

k6op643h6awx                                        cname        gv-5nzmi2qf4t6fdi.dv.googlehosted.com. 

home                                                      cname        hignett.net 

k6op643h6awx                                        cname        gv-5nzmi2qf4t6fdi.dv.googlehosted.com. 

gv-5nzmi2qf4t6fdi.dv.googlehosted.com.  cname        212.159.9.91 

 

Email and domain host settings are both set to Other. The strange thing is, the MX records are working - so why not the CNAME? That would suggest that the changes have been picked up... but for some reason not the CNAME ones, so I think there is a configuration error here. Do CNAME changes take longer to commit? There's no TTL anywhere in the UI, so its hard to tell if I need to wait longer...

 

I'm not an expert in DNS, so any help is much appreciated!

 

 

Thanks!

7 REPLIES 7
spraxyt
Resting Legend
Posts: 10,063
Thanks: 674
Fixes: 75
Registered: ‎06-04-2007

Re: CNAME changes don't work

Note: Ensure you put a dot at the end of all Fully Qualified Domain Names you enter into DNS. Without this the system will add your domain name (potentially again) and the record will not work.

In addition to the MX records (which are working) you need

hignett.net.    a       212.159.9.91
hignett.net.    a       212.159.8.91
k6op643h6awx    cname   gv-5nzmi2qf4t6fdi.dv.googlehosted.com.

I've assumed the domain verification strings you posted are correct.

However, I've a feeling Plusnet's DNS accepts only a restricted list of subdomain names. Additional ones (eg the k6op... string) can be added but that would have to be requested.

@bobpullen is this correct?

David
bobpullen
Community Gaffer
Community Gaffer
Posts: 16,869
Thanks: 4,950
Fixes: 315
Registered: ‎04-04-2007

Re: CNAME changes don't work

Yes, you're right, there's a few qualifying 'dots' missing from the OP's records. @mchignett, you're also trying to point a CNAME to an IP address. You can't do that. IP pointers need creating as A records.

It's definitely possible to point to GSuite because I've done it before using our DNS platform.

Bob Pullen
Plusnet Product Team
If I've been helpful then please give thanks ⤵

mchignett
Newbie
Posts: 4
Thanks: 2
Registered: ‎27-09-2017

Re: CNAME changes don't work

Thanks for taking the time to help me out, @spraxyt. I'm a little confused by your table - do I need two identical A records for hignett.net? Should I be concerned that the

gv-5nzmi2qf4t6fdi.dv.googlehosted.com

 doesn't have a DNS entry? Should I create one myself (that seems a bit odd - I don't own that domain!)

 

I've removed all the entries that I think were wrong (missing dots). I'll see whether it gets picked up tomorrow morning...

 

Thanks once again for your help!

 

Martin

spraxyt
Resting Legend
Posts: 10,063
Thanks: 674
Fixes: 75
Registered: ‎06-04-2007

Re: CNAME changes don't work

@mchignett The two hignett.net A records are not identical, their third octets differ. It requires two because there are two load balancers directing requests to different clusters of servers. However if you've submitted the DNS change without the second one I suggest letting it go through as it stands - it will work for verification purposes. Submitting multiple updates can screw up the records. If all is well overnight you could add the additional A record tomorrow.

You don't need to worry about the CHAME target gv-5nz... not resolving to a real IP. Google will look for a DNS CNAME record for

k6op643h6awx.hignett.net

and should find it points to gv-5nz... . Since they provided the strings that is sufficient to confirm you have control of the hignett.net domain, ie you own it. They won't be delving deeper. The googlehosted.com domain will be theirs.

David
mchignett
Newbie
Posts: 4
Thanks: 2
Registered: ‎27-09-2017

Re: CNAME changes don't work

@spraxyt OK, so yesterday evening I did a cleanup - and accidentally removed the 2nd hignett.net. Probably not that big a deal, under the circumstances. I've added it again this morning, with the correct IP and my DNS table now looks like this:

 

hignett.net.  	a  	  	212.159.9.91 
hignett.net.  	a  	  	212.159.8.91 
  	        mx  	1       aspmx.l.google.com. 
  	        mx  	5       alt1.aspmx.l.google.com. 
  	        mx  	5  	alt2.aspmx.l.google.com. 
  	        mx  	10  	alt3.aspmx.l.google.com. 
  	        mx  	10  	alt4.aspmx.l.google.com. 
k6op643h6awx  	cname  	  	gv-5nzmi2qf4t6fdi.dv.googlehosted.com. 

If I understand everything correctly (unlikely - DNS is surely one of the Dark Arts!), this should now mean my CNAME record will be picked up the next time local caches expire? I checked again this morning, and there was no sign of the CNAME record when I check with mxtools. I must be doing something wrong still...

 

Thanks for your continued help!

 

Martin

spraxyt
Resting Legend
Posts: 10,063
Thanks: 674
Fixes: 75
Registered: ‎06-04-2007

Re: CNAME changes don't work

Fix

Those are correct and last night's update (with the single A record) seems successful Thumbs_Up

C:\>nslookup -type=cname k6op643h6awx.hignett.net
Non-authoritative answer:
k6op643h6awx.hignett.net  canonical name = gv-5nzmi2qf4t6fdi.dv.googlehosted.com

The MX records are also there. The additional A record needs to be added for resilience, though I doubt google check for those. The A records are there so browsing to hignett.net will go to your website on homepages though nothing seems to be set up there.

David
mchignett
Newbie
Posts: 4
Thanks: 2
Registered: ‎27-09-2017

Re: CNAME changes don't work

Great! That works. I've no idea why MXTools wasn't showing the CNAME record, but who cares - Google is happy and so am I!

 

Martin