How can I point my website/domain to Elitehost when using external DNS?
If you are using an external DNS provider to manage your domain, you can point your website and/or emails to Elitehost by updating your DNS records. These steps cover DNS updates for website and email functionality, including SPF records for emails sent from your website (e.g., contact forms).
Locate the server IP address
Your hosting details are available in the Elitehost Client Area:
Log in to the Elitehost Client Area.
Navigate to Services → My Services.
Click Manage next to the hosting service you wish to point your domain to.
On the Service Information section in the left sidebar, the IP will be displayed next to the (i) icon, eg 164.160.91.40
Alternatively, you can locate the "Server IP address" address in the "Hosting Account Details" email.
Access Your External DNS Provider
Log in to the account where your domain is managed (e.g., GoDaddy, Cloudflare, Namecheap).
Update Your DNS Records
To point your website to Elitehost - update the A and CNAME records in your DNS provider’s dashboard:
A Record:
Host: @ or your domain e.g. exampledomain.co.za
Value: The Server IP Address from your Elitehost hosting account.
TTL: Default or 3600 seconds (recommended).
CNAME Record:
Host: www
Value: Your domain name e.g. exampledomain.co.za
TTL: Default.
To point email services to Elitehost - update the MX record and SPF record.
If you are using an external email provider, ensure email routing is set to remote, refer to this article: How do I configure email routing in cPanel?
MX Records (Optional):
Host: @ or your domain e.g. exampledomain.co.za
Value: The server hostname provided in your “Hosting Account Details” email, eg cp60-jhb.za-dns.com
Priority: 1
Add an SPF Record (Optional)
If your website sends emails (e.g., contact form submissions) or you’re using Elitehost’s email services, add an SPF record to improve email deliverability and avoid your messages being marked as spam.
Record Type: TXT
Host: @ or your domain e.g. exampledomain.co.za
Value: v=spf1 include:spf.zamailgate.com ~all
TTL: Default or 3600 seconds.
We also recommend copying the DKIM and DMARC TXT records from our cPanel -> DNS Zone Editor to improve your email deliverability.
Save Your Changes
After making the updates, save your changes in your DNS provider’s dashboard. It can take up to 24-48 hours for DNS propagation to complete globally.
Tip: Most DNS providers support the @ symbol to simplify pointing to the root domain. Check your provider’s documentation if you’re unsure.
After updating your DNS records:
Use tools like DNS Checker to confirm your A and CNAME records are pointing to Elitehost.
Send a test email to verify email functionality, especially if you updated SPF or MX records.
If you prefer, you can update your domain to use Elitehost’s nameservers instead of manually configuring the DNS.
Update your nameservers to the following:
• ns3.za-dns.com
• ns5.za-dns.com
Once the nameservers are updated, you can manage the DNS Zone in cPanel -> DNS Zone Editor.
If you need assistance with any of these steps, feel free to reach out to our support team or email helpdesk@elitehost.co.za.
Configure external DNS to point to Elitehost
Locate the server IP address
Your hosting details are available in the Elitehost Client Area:
Log in to the Elitehost Client Area.
Navigate to Services → My Services.
Click Manage next to the hosting service you wish to point your domain to.
On the Service Information section in the left sidebar, the IP will be displayed next to the (i) icon, eg 164.160.91.40
Alternatively, you can locate the "Server IP address" address in the "Hosting Account Details" email.
Access Your External DNS Provider
Log in to the account where your domain is managed (e.g., GoDaddy, Cloudflare, Namecheap).
Update Your DNS Records
To point your website to Elitehost - update the A and CNAME records in your DNS provider’s dashboard:
A Record:
Host: @ or your domain e.g. exampledomain.co.za
Value: The Server IP Address from your Elitehost hosting account.
TTL: Default or 3600 seconds (recommended).
CNAME Record:
Host: www
Value: Your domain name e.g. exampledomain.co.za
TTL: Default.
To point email services to Elitehost - update the MX record and SPF record.
If you are using an external email provider, ensure email routing is set to remote, refer to this article: How do I configure email routing in cPanel?
MX Records (Optional):
Host: @ or your domain e.g. exampledomain.co.za
Value: The server hostname provided in your “Hosting Account Details” email, eg cp60-jhb.za-dns.com
Priority: 1
Add an SPF Record (Optional)
If your website sends emails (e.g., contact form submissions) or you’re using Elitehost’s email services, add an SPF record to improve email deliverability and avoid your messages being marked as spam.
Record Type: TXT
Host: @ or your domain e.g. exampledomain.co.za
Value: v=spf1 include:spf.zamailgate.com ~all
TTL: Default or 3600 seconds.
We also recommend copying the DKIM and DMARC TXT records from our cPanel -> DNS Zone Editor to improve your email deliverability.
Save Your Changes
After making the updates, save your changes in your DNS provider’s dashboard. It can take up to 24-48 hours for DNS propagation to complete globally.
Tip: Most DNS providers support the @ symbol to simplify pointing to the root domain. Check your provider’s documentation if you’re unsure.
Testing and Verifying DNS Changes
After updating your DNS records:
Use tools like DNS Checker to confirm your A and CNAME records are pointing to Elitehost.
Send a test email to verify email functionality, especially if you updated SPF or MX records.
Using our Nameservers
If you prefer, you can update your domain to use Elitehost’s nameservers instead of manually configuring the DNS.
Update your nameservers to the following:
• ns3.za-dns.com
• ns5.za-dns.com
Once the nameservers are updated, you can manage the DNS Zone in cPanel -> DNS Zone Editor.
If you need assistance with any of these steps, feel free to reach out to our support team or email helpdesk@elitehost.co.za.
Updated on: 23/11/2024
Thank you!