If I change only "A" record in DNS records will it affect to the other records(MX, TXT, etc.)?

Question

I want to change the "A" record in my GoDaddy account to point BlueHost IP address. I have emails in my GoDaddy account, and I don't want to loose them, only need to point the GoDaddy domain to BlueHost hosting. Will this affect to the Emails in my GoDaddy account? I need the Emails work as before, and I can't loose any Email(inbox etc.). My MX records points to google mail.

score 2 · Accepted Answer · edited Oct 07 '21 at 07:59

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An MX always points (RFC 1035, 3.3.9) to a hostname rather than an IP address. Then, according to RFC 2181, 10.3, that hostname should have an A record instead of CNAME. So

if MX points to self, which is also the fallback if there is no MX defined, changing A affects.
if MX points to anywhere else, which is the whole point why MX records were invented in the first place, then changing the A record doesn't affect.

Also, TXT and other additional RRs aren´t affected by changing A. But if you'd also like to add CNAME to the domain root, then everything gets ruined (RFC 1034, 3.6.2). Forget I even mentioned it.

edited Oct 07 '21 at 07:59

Community

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answered Apr 25 '17 at 11:48

Esa Jokinen

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There are 14 @CNAME records also in DNS zone. With this names: "calendar", "drive", "e", "email", "ftp", "imap", "mail", "mobilemail", "pda", "pop", "smpt", "webmail", "www", "_domainconnect" Will the "A" affect these records, or vice versa..? – VCF Apr 25 '17 at 18:31
The `CNAME`s are aliases. If the `CNAME` records are pointing to the changed root record e.g. `imap.example.com. IN CNAME example.com.`, it will. If they are pointing to somewhere else, e.g. `imap IN CNAME imap.secureserver.net.`, then not. – Esa Jokinen Apr 25 '17 at 19:01
Specifically `imap` is pointing to `imap.secureserver.net`, but e.g. `drive` `mail`, `calendar` are pointing to`ghs.googlehosted.com`. `mobilemail`, `pda` to `mobilemail-v01.prod.mesa1.secureserver.net`. `_domainconnect` points to `_domainconnect.gd.domaincontrol.com`, and `www` to `@`. is it ok? will there be any issues with email? – VCF Apr 26 '17 at 10:13
While it is good that you want to be certain about this, this could have already been **deducted** from the answer and the previous comment. Only `www` and `@` will be affected as `@ IN A` is changed and you have `www IN CNAME @`. Therefore, there shouldn't be any issues with your email. (However, I'd advice using separate `www A` instead of `www CNAME` as now you also have `www CNAME @ MX mail.example.com.` etc.) You should try to learn to _understand_ how DNS works instead of concentrating on the details in this particular case. I hope this have helped you in starting that journey. – Esa Jokinen Apr 26 '17 at 10:33
Thank you very much, you gave me very cognitive response and comments. – VCF Apr 26 '17 at 10:41

score 1 · Answer 2 · answered Apr 25 '17 at 10:40

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That depends. Does the MX point to the hostname? Then it will be affected. Does it point to the IP? Then it will continue to work.

answered Apr 25 '17 at 10:40

mzhaase

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The MX points to Google Mail. here is one of the MX records: alt1.aspmx.l.google.com (Priority: 20) – VCF Apr 25 '17 at 10:43
Then it will not be affected. – mzhaase Apr 25 '17 at 10:56
so the emails will work as they working now, and no inbox will lost from Godaddy email accounts, am I right? – VCF Apr 25 '17 at 11:06
Yes. The MX record is not affected by the A record, as long as it doesn't point to the A record. – mzhaase Apr 25 '17 at 11:09

score 0 · Answer 3 · answered Apr 25 '17 at 10:41

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No it wont affect any of other records, jus change A and restart DNS

answered Apr 25 '17 at 10:41

Jagannath Arumugam

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The MX Records are pointing to Google Mail. here is one of the records: alt1.aspmx.l.google.com (Priority: 20) – VCF Apr 25 '17 at 10:52

If I change only "A" record in DNS records will it affect to the other records(MX, TXT, etc.)?

3 Answers3