Wildcard subdomain dns record
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By understanding what wildcard records are, how to use them, and the benefits they offer, you’ll be well-equipped to implement them in your domain configuration when appropriate.
Remember to consider the various use cases for wildcard records, such as dynamic subdomains for SaaS applications, load balancing, multilingual websites, and temporary subdomains for marketing campaigns.
Wildcard DNS Record is specified by using a "*" as the leftmost label (part) of a domain name, e.g. In other words, it acts as a catch-all for any subdomain that hasn’t been explicitly defined in your DNS configuration.
The primary purpose of using DNS Wildcard Records is to simplify DNS management and reduce the need to create individual records for every single subdomain.
Imagine you’re running a website with hundreds or even thousands of subdomains.
In other words, with *.yourdomain.com wildcard record, it won’t matter whether someone accesses your site through ww.yourdomain.com or wwwwww.yourdomain.com.
How to create a Wildcard record? This can help you manage email more effectively and ensure that no important messages are lost due to misspelled email addresses.
How To Set Up a Wildcard DNS Record
To start using DNS Wildcard Records, you’ll first need to choose a DNS provider that supports them.
By setting up multiple wildcard A or AAAA records with different IP addresses, you can distribute traffic among several servers, improving the performance and availability of your website or application.
Multilingual Websites
Multilingual websites are another great example. Remember that DNS changes can take anywhere from a few minutes to 48 hours to propagate fully.
The process varies slightly depending on your DNS provider, but the general idea is the same. Here is an illustration:
$ dig random-subdomain.example.com
If the commands return the same IP address as the domain's wildcard entry ("*.example.com"), the wildcard record is active and functioning as intended.
Alternatively, you can use an online tool, like the ClouDNS Free DNS tool, which can provide similar results by querying a non-existent subdomain.
Remember, wildcard DNS setups may vary, and testing with various non-existent subdomains can provide more comprehensive insights.
Wildcard DNS record Benefits
The main benefits that come with implementing wildcard DNS records include the following:
- Simplified Management: These DNS records make subdomain management more efficient by directing all unspecified subdomains to a single destination, reducing the need to create individual DNS records for each subdomain.
- Scalability: Perfect for environments where new subdomains are added regularly, wildcard records simplify the process by automatically handling DNS resolution, making it easier to scale up without constant manual adjustments.
- Consistent User Experience: Wildcard records allow for the creation of default pages or content for unconfigured subdomains, ensuring a consistent user experience throughout the domain and improving brand consistency.
How to start managing Wildcard DNS records for your domain name?
- Open a Free account from here - it is free forever
- Verify your e-mail address
- Log in to your control panel
- Create a new DNS zone from the CREATE ZONE button - read more here
- Add or modify the Wildcard DNS records you need as it is described in this article
Support of Wildcard records
ClouDNS provides full support for Wildcard DNS records for all our DNS services, including the listed below.
Navigate to the Domains Section:
->Click on Subdomains/Domains.
3. You can use online DNS lookup tools to check if the wildcard record has propagated successfully.
By following these steps, you’ll be well on your way to leveraging the power of DNS Wildcard Records to simplify your domain management tasks and improve your website’s overall functionality.
Common Uses for DNS Wildcard Records
Dynamic Subdomains for SaaS Applications
DNS Wildcard Records can be particularly useful in a variety of scenarios, and understanding these common use cases will help you determine when to employ them effectively.
He also has extensive experience managing and optimizing servers, managing dozens of servers for both Potent Pages and other clients.
Tags: DNSHostingservers
Setting up a wildcard domain allows you to manage multiple subdomains with a single configuration. Our Technical Support team is online for you 24/7 via live chat and tickets.
FAQ
Question: Is a Wildcard DNS record a bad practice?
It is specified by using an asterisk () as a placeholder for any subdomain.
Answer: Wildcard records don't override existing records. Another issue might be that the wildcard record is interfering with existing records. This type of record allows all subdomains to share the same set of web content with a single DNS entry.
The Wildcard Record has the following look in your ClouDNS Control Panel:
| Host | Type | Points to: | TTL |
| *.hostname.com | A | ip.of.your.website | 1 Hour |
| *.hostname.com | AAAA | ipv6:of:your:web::site | 1 Hour |
| *.hostname.com | MX | your.mx.server | 1 Hour |
| *.hostname.com | TXT | TXT Record | 1 Hour |
| *.hostname.com | CNAME | example.com | 1 Hour |
| *.hostname.com | ALIAS | example.com | 1 Hour |
| *.hostname.com | WR | http://example.com | 1 Hour |
Why do you need a Wildcard record?
Let us explain it again, the wildcard DNS record is a kind of record that answers DNS requests for subdomains you haven't already defined.
By employing best practices and being aware of potential risks, you can make the most of DNS Wildcard Records while maintaining a secure and organized domain configuration.
Now that you’re familiar with DNS Wildcard Records and their advantages, go ahead and explore how they can help you streamline your DNS management and enhance your website or application’s functionality.
And while wildcard records can save time and effort, avoid relying on them excessively. This approach simplifies your DNS management and provides a seamless user experience.
Temporary Subdomains
Finally, consider using wildcard records for temporary subdomains in marketing campaigns. They won’t match the domain apex (example.com) or nested subdomains like “sub.sub.example.com.”
Additionally, they can’t be used with certain record types like NS or SOA.
Despite these limitations, DNS Wildcard Records are a valuable tool that can help you manage your domain’s subdomains with ease.
Benefits of Using DNS Wildcard Records
By using DNS Wildcard Records, you can enjoy several benefits that streamline your DNS management tasks.
They’re Simpler
For starters, they help you simplify your DNS configuration by reducing the number of individual records you need to create and maintain.
This is particularly useful for applications that need to handle dynamic subdomain creation or manage numerous subdomains efficiently. This saves time and effort, and can be especially useful when dealing with dynamic subdomains, such as in a SaaS application or a website with multiple language options.
So, by understanding and implementing DNS Wildcard Records, you can make your life as a DNS administrator much easier.
Understanding DNS Wildcard Records
To fully grasp DNS Wildcard Records, let’s first take a look at the syntax.