A record or CNAME? Connect your .at domain correctly

1. Start with instructions for your own domain

To connect a website to a .at address, first open the domain settings at your website service. Add the address you want to use and find the DNS instructions displayed for it. Establish whether they apply to the main domain, www or another subdomain. General instructions from someone else's project may contain different targets. You need the values for your own project. Keep the current website unchanged until you understand which records should be replaced. Changing nameservers is not automatically necessary just to adjust an individual DNS record. Prepare the intended change before opening the editing form.

2. Read type, host, target and TTL separately

Write the supplied fields beside each other: type, host or name, target or value, and TTL. The host identifies the address you are setting up; the website service supplies the target. A CNAME target takes a hostname, not a complete web address starting with https:// or a path such as /start. Do not swap your own domain with the supplied target either. Use the recommended TTL if the form supports it. Ask for clarification when instructions are ambiguous instead of trying a similar-looking value. A screenshot without credentials can help you compare the individual fields carefully.

• The record type and target must match.
• Check each host separately, even when the targets look similar.
• Do not delete unfamiliar records to make room.

3. Two examples to read, not to copy

Instructions showing type A, host @ and value 192.0.2.10 would describe an address record for the main domain. Instructions showing type CNAME, host www and target website-service.example would make www an alias of that hostname. Both values here are deliberately documentation examples: the IPv4 address belongs to a reserved documentation range, and .example is a reserved example ending. They cannot connect a real website. Replace them with the actual values issued for your project. When copying, also check for leading or trailing spaces. Afterwards, compare what the form saved with your original notes rather than assuming the paste was correct.

4. Plan the main domain and www individually

Our DNS form uses @ for the main domain without www. The www address is a separate host. A working www record therefore does not automatically configure the main domain. A classic CNAME cannot share its name with ordinary other DNS data, while the zone root already requires other records. Our form consequently does not allow a CNAME at @. If your service requests one there, ask for an alternative suitable for the main domain. Do not remove NS or SOA records to accommodate it. Also decide at the website service which address visitors should see and how the other address will redirect.

5. Save the existing configuration first

Before editing, note the affected records and the active nameservers. If your domain uses external custom nameservers, make the change there; editing a different DNS zone will not control the public answer. With our default nameservers, DNS management is available in the domain area of your account. Check whether the host already has a record. In particular, do not add an A record beside a CNAME at the same name. Keep unrelated mail and verification entries. Connecting a website is no reason to empty the whole zone. If you are unsure what a record does, an inventory is more useful than several quick changes.

• Note previous values in case you need to restore them.
• Preserve MX and TXT records used by other services.
• Edit only the hosts specifically identified in the instructions.

6. Check three things after saving

First read the saved record again: do its type, host and target match? Then check the public DNS answer for that exact name and record type. Cached answers can still show an earlier value; repeated changes make diagnosis harder to follow. Record the change time and previous TTL. Next open the website with and without www, if you have configured both addresses. Finally check HTTPS and domain confirmation at the website service. DNS alone does not activate its project or a certificate. If the address already reaches the correct target but displays a placeholder, first check that the domain is assigned to the right website project.

7. What does the domain with DNS management cost?

For a new Austrian project, a standard .at domain at atdomain.at costs €12.99 total price for the first year. Renewal currently costs €15.99 total price per additional year. DNS management with our default nameservers and the use of custom nameservers are supported. Website hosting and email mailboxes are separate services that we do not currently sell. Allow for their setup and possible charges at your chosen service. An A record or CNAME does not replace that service. If you already own the domain, www does not require another domain registration; you configure a host beneath the address you already have.

8. Your checklist before trying again

If the connection still fails, do not randomly switch between A and CNAME. Compare your three starting points: the current instructions, the saved record and the public answer. Useful information for a support request includes the affected public address, expected record type, time of the change and exact error message. Never share passwords, API keys or secret verification tokens. You can follow your request as a ticket in your account. These details help establish whether to investigate the DNS entry, an old cached response or the website setup. Keep your notes until you have checked the final connection.