Introduction

When you purchase a game server with us, by default, you connect using your IP Address and Port. I.e. 12.345.678.9:0987.

Something we also offer are domains. When you purchase a domain, you can use DNS to join your server with a more friendly and clean format. I.e. play.mydomain.gg and sometimes your domain:port such as play.mydomain.gg:0987 depending on what your game supports.

What this looks like at face-value

When a player wants to join a server, this type of use-case for a domain can be really user-friendly. Here are some examples. The below examples use the game Minecraft, but this isn’t restricted to just one game, all games support this. (There may be a couple exceptions to classic titles or games without SRV implementation)

Connecting to a Minecraft server using a sub-domain (or domain) and without a port

Example using a sub-domain and no port

Connecting to a Minecraft server using a sub-domain and with a port

Example using a sub-domain and a port

Connecting to a Minecraft server using a domain and with a port

Example using a domain and a port

Connecting to a Minecraft server using no domain

Example using no domain and a port (default)

Configuring DNS for your game server

Once you have purchased a domain, now its time to point it to your game server.

1. Login to your Billing Portal and bring up the dashboard
   
   

   Tip: If you have custom nameservers set, i.e. your DNS zone is with Cloudflare, you can follow these steps, however you would edit your records from that portal (Cloudflare) and not our Billing Portal.

   
   

2. Navigate to your domain and then to your DNS Management - Once you’re there follow the below guides on how to make the right records.
   
   

   Can’t see the ‘DNS Management’ button? We will only manage your DNS zone if your nameservers are set to us. If you have set your nameservers to Cloudflare for instance, you will need to change/add records on their website.

   
   

   

Setting up to use with the port

1. Once you are in the DNS Management area you can create the records you want. In this case, we will follow this CNAME example.

2. Click the + button
   
   

   
   
   

   
   

3. A new row should appear in your DNS zone table
   
   

   
   
   

   
   

4. If you want your players to type in following the CNAME example: mc.mydomainipurchased.au:25565, you would set:

   1. The hostname as mc.

   2. The address / content as the_ip_of_server. To get the IP address of your server, open the Game Panel and view your server. - Still not sure? Learn how to get your server IP by clicking here.

   3. Click the dropdown box and pick CNAME

   4. Lastly set the TTL to 3600 or 1440, whichever is fine.

5. You should now have a record that looks like this - below
   
   

   
   
   

   
   

6. Click the ✅ box to save the changes.

7. Use a tool like https://www.whatsmydns.net/#CNAME/ to see if your DNS changes have propagated. Adjusting DNS zones can take minutes and in rare cases, hours.

   1. Another test you can do is open command prompt on your computer and type ping mc.mydomainipurchased.au -t this should ping back to your server’s IP address

8. Once the changes have propagated, you can try and join your server like this section is showing you.

Setting up to use without the port

Create the A record

1. Once you are in the DNS Management area you can create the records you want. In this case, we will follow this SRV example.

2. Click the + button

   
   

   
   
   

   
   

3. A new row should appear in your DNS zone table, you may need to adjust the ‘type’ column dropdown box to A
   
   

   
   
   

   
   

4. If you want your players to type in following: mc.mydomainipurchased.au, you would set:

   1. The hostname as mc.

   2. Address / Content - the_ip_of_server

   3. TTL - 14400

Create the SRV record

1. Click the + button

   
   

   
   
   

   
   

2. A new row should appear in your DNS zone table, you may need to adjust the ‘type’ column dropdown box from A to SRV as shown below
   
   

   
   
   

3. Now for the SRV record set the following parameters:

   1. The hostname as _minecraft._tcp.

   2. Weight - 1 (Used for load balancing)

   3. Port - the_port_of_server - Learn how to get your server port by clicking here.

   4. Target - mc.mydomainipurchased.au

   5. Set the TTL to 3600 or 1440, whichever is fine.

   6. Priority - 1 (lower the number, higher the priority)

4. You should now have two records that looks like this - below
   
   

   
   
   

5. Click the green checkmark buttons to save your records once you are happy with them.

6. Wait for the DNS changes to propagate across the internet. These usually take minutes now days but sometimes can take an hour or more in rare cases.

7. Click the ✅ box to save the changes.

8. Use a tool like https://www.whatsmydns.net/#CNAME/ to see if your DNS changes have propagated. Adjusting DNS zones can take minutes and in rare cases, hours.

9. Once the changes have propagated, you can try and join your server like this section is showing you.

End

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