AAAA records for .at domains: connect IPv6 correctly

1. Separate the name from its connection targets

Visitors still use the same domain name. A and AAAA are different DNS types for its address mapping: A contains an IPv4 address, while AAAA contains an IPv6 address. The name alone does not establish which connections your website service supports. A .at ending does not require you to add an address record just in case. First open the setup instructions for your own website project and record the requirements for the exact address. If the website already works, do not edit its records merely to make the DNS list look more complete. What matters is that the destinations you publish are prepared for your domain.

2. First establish whether your service supplies an IPv6 address

If the instructions are unclear, ask whether IPv6 is available for your project and which address you should publish. An address from another project, your router or an arbitrary server is not a substitute. An AAAA record does not activate a web service at the destination. If the instructions require a CNAME for a particular hostname instead, follow that plan; do not simply add A or AAAA records alongside it at the same name. Establish whether the instructions concern the main domain, www or another subdomain. This avoids advertising an unchecked extra connection before the website itself is ready.

3. Prepare the destination for the correct hostname

Have the website service confirm that your project should be reachable through the intended IPv6 target. The technical team checks the server assignment, reachability and configuration for your domain, among other things. A matching DNS value alone does not confirm that setup. Also record what you expect to see: the same website, a particular redirect or a separate project on a subdomain. The main domain and www can have different requirements. Changing an address should not accidentally send visitors to an old website. Document the confirmed destination configuration before comparing your DNS entry with it, and clarify any discrepancy first.

4. Enter only the confirmed address in the active zone

Save the previous values and check the active nameservers first. With our default nameservers, edit DNS in your atdomain.at account; with custom nameservers, use their management service. Choose AAAA and the affected host; our interface uses @ for the main domain. The value field takes the plain IPv6 address from the instructions, without https://, a path or a port. The DNS form checks address formatting, but not whether your website project is ready at that destination. After saving, compare the type, host and complete value with the instructions again. Preserve unrelated mail and verification records.

5. One successful browser visit does not test both paths

For a name with several addresses, software can attempt different connections. Techniques such as Happy Eyeballs aim to reduce delays when choosing between IPv4 and IPv6. An ordinary page visit can therefore work while one path still has a problem. Ask the technical team to test IPv4 and IPv6 separately for the same hostname. Trying another network is a useful extra check, but does not prove that it automatically used the other address family. Record which path was actually tested and what response arrived. Do not rely on every device treating an incorrect entry in the same way.

• Record the exact hostname and expected website.
• Have the public A and AAAA answers checked separately.
• Compare documented IPv4 and IPv6 connection results.

6. Check HTTPS and the website content as well

During the connection tests, check the certificate for the requested hostname and the page actually served. For a web address using a domain name, the TLS identity must match that name. A successful DNS lookup does not confirm valid HTTPS or the correct website content. If only one path shows a placeholder, check the assignment at the website service. Stop at a certificate warning and resolve the configuration instead of bypassing it. Use the intended web address: opening a bare IP address can select a different server context and involve different certificate requirements. Record the exact observation for each connection path.

7. Correct discrepancies one understood step at a time

If A and AAAA show different or outdated destinations, compare both with the current instructions first. Ask the website service which target should be replaced or withdrawn. Do not delete every AAAA record in the zone; other hostnames may need theirs. Document an agreed correction with the previous value and time, then check again. Cached answers can still show the earlier setup. Avoid promising a fixed number of minutes for every visitor, and do not edit more values after each test. Useful support details include the affected address, record type, change time and a redacted error message; keep access credentials private.

8. Plan the domain and website service as separate tasks

A standard new .at address at atdomain.at currently costs €12.99 total price for the first year; renewal costs €15.99 total price for each additional year. DNS management with the default nameservers and custom nameservers are supported. Plan hosting and email mailboxes separately. Establish whether your website service provides IPv6 during its setup; buying the domain does not create a ready-to-use web server. An existing domain does not need another registration because you add AAAA. After successful checks, retain the confirmed targets and responsibilities. Review IPv4 and IPv6 again during a later website move so an old connection path does not remain unnoticed.