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Use an A record to point a game hostname such as play.example.com to your server’s public IPv4 address. Add an SRV record only when the game client supports SRV discovery and the server listens on a port other than the client’s normal default. The SRV record publishes the service, protocol, port and target hostname; it does not replace the target hostname’s A or AAAA record.
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Create the records at the DNS provider that is authoritative for your domain, verify both lookups, and then test from outside your local network. DNS cannot open a firewall, create a router port-forward, start a stopped game process or correct an outdated public IP.
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What the two record types do
A record: hostname to IPv4 address
An A record maps a hostname to one or more IPv4 addresses. For a game server, the player-facing name might be play.example.com; the value is the server’s current public IPv4 address. Many DNS editors ask for a name, address, TTL and proxy status. In a zone for example.com, the name field is often entered as play, because the provider appends the zone name.
An A record is sufficient when the client uses its default port for that hostname, or when the player is willing to enter a port separately. It does not tell a client which game service is available or which non-default port to use.
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SRV record: service to host and port
An SRV record publishes a service endpoint. Its owner name follows the form _service._protocol.hostname. For a Minecraft Java-style service, the provider-facing owner is commonly _minecraft._tcp.play; the fully qualified DNS name is usually _minecraft._tcp.play.example.com. Some control panels expose separate fields for service (_minecraft), protocol (_tcp) and name (play).
The record contains four meaningful values:
- Priority: which destination should be preferred when several records exist. Lower numbers have preference;
0is common for a single destination. - Weight: a relative distribution value among records with the same priority. A single server commonly uses
0. - Port: the actual port on which the game process listens.
- Target: a hostname, such as
play.example.com, that has an A or AAAA record.
RFC 2782 defines this service-discovery model. Its purpose is to let administrators move services between hosts or maintain primary and backup destinations without changing the service name that users enter. An SRV target should be a hostname with address records, not an IP address typed directly into the target field.
Decide whether you need A only or A plus SRV
| Question | A record only | A plus SRV |
|---|---|---|
| Does the client query the relevant SRV name? | Works for clients that do not support SRV, because they resolve the hostname directly. | Works only when the client implements the game’s SRV convention, such as _minecraft._tcp. |
| Is the server on the client’s normal port? | Usually enough; the hostname resolves and the client supplies its default. | Optional unless you want explicit service discovery. |
| Is the listener on a custom port? | Players generally must enter the hostname and port, if the game permits that syntax. | Publishes the custom port so an SRV-aware client can connect using the hostname alone. |
| What does a player share? | A hostname, plus a port when required. | Normally just the hostname, provided the client honors SRV. |
| Operational complexity | One record to maintain. | Two records must remain consistent: the A or AAAA record for the target and the SRV record for the service. |
Check the game’s protocol documentation before relying on SRV. The _minecraft._tcp naming convention is for Minecraft-style clients; another game may use a different service name, protocol, or no SRV support at all. If the client ignores SRV, the record can be perfectly valid and still have no effect on joining.
Prerequisites before editing DNS
- Authority: access to the DNS provider that is authoritative for the domain. Editing records at a registrar that is not hosting the active zone will not change public DNS.
- Stable endpoint information: the server’s current public IPv4 address, and an IPv6 address if you intend to publish AAAA.
- Listening service: the game process must be bound to the intended port on the server.
- Network path: a firewall rule and, for a server behind a router, a port-forward from the public interface to the private host.
- Client behavior: confirmation that the game queries SRV and the exact service/protocol labels it expects.
Do not use a private address such as 192.168.x.x or 10.x.x.x in a public A record. Players on the internet cannot route to those addresses. If your public address changes, an old A record sends users to the wrong location until it is updated.
Step-by-step: add the A record
- Open the authoritative DNS editor. Sign in to the provider listed by your domain’s active nameservers. Open the DNS records page and choose Add record. Cloudflare’s documented sequence is DNS Records → Add record → choose a type → complete the fields → save; other providers use similar labels.
- Select A. Do not select CNAME for the server’s address record unless you have a specific hostname indirection design. An A record is the direct IPv4 mapping needed here.
- Enter the host name. Use
playwhen the desired public name isplay.example.com, unless the editor explicitly requires the full name. Some interfaces reject a duplicated zone suffix, so check the preview of the resulting FQDN. - Enter the public IPv4 address. Use the address assigned to the server’s internet connection, not the machine’s LAN address. If the server is hosted by a provider, copy the public address from that service’s network panel.
- Set TTL. A shorter TTL makes planned address changes visible sooner but causes more frequent resolver queries. A longer TTL reduces queries and can leave old answers cached longer. Keep the provider’s default unless you have a reason to coordinate a move.
- Set proxy status appropriately. If the editor offers a proxy toggle, use direct DNS resolution unless that proxy explicitly supports the game’s transport and port. An HTTP-oriented proxy cannot transparently carry arbitrary game traffic. A proxied-looking hostname can resolve successfully while the game connection still fails.
- Save the record. The resulting entry should read conceptually as
play.example.com A public-ipv4.
Step-by-step: add the SRV record
- Confirm the exact service and protocol. For a Minecraft Java-style setup, use service
_minecraftand protocol_tcp. Do not remove the leading underscores. A different game may require different labels. - Choose SRV in the same DNS editor. If the provider presents separate fields, fill service, protocol and name individually. If it presents one name field, enter
_minecraft._tcp.playfor theexample.comzone. The final owner should be_minecraft._tcp.play.example.com. - Enter priority. Use
0for a single server unless the game or your provider specifies another value. If you publish several destinations, lower priority values are tried before higher ones. - Enter weight. Use
0for one destination. Weight is used to distribute selection among records sharing the same priority; it is not a substitute for a load balancer or health check. - Enter the actual game port. This is the port configured in the server process and exposed through the firewall and router. Do not enter the DNS port, the management panel port or a private-only port.
- Enter a hostname as the target. Use
play.example.comor another hostname that has an A or AAAA record. Keep the target within the address-record design so the client can resolve it. Avoid entering an IP literal in the SRV target field. - Save and inspect the generated name. A common mistake is accidentally creating
_minecraft._tcp.play.example.com.example.comby typing the zone twice. The editor’s full-name preview reveals this immediately.
A conceptual single-server entry therefore looks like this:
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_minecraft._tcp.play.example.com. SRV 0 0 <game-port> play.example.com.The angle-bracket text is a variable: replace it with the port your server actually listens on. Keep the trailing dots if your provider displays fully qualified names; many web editors add them automatically.
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Suppose the public hostname is play.example.com, the server’s public IPv4 address is 198.51.100.42 (an example documentation address), and the game listens on a custom port. The DNS zone would contain:
| Record | Name or owner | Value | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | play |
198.51.100.42 |
Resolves the player-facing hostname to the server’s IPv4 endpoint. |
| SRV | _minecraft._tcp.play |
Priority 0, weight 0, the configured game port, target play.example.com |
Tells an SRV-aware client which port and target to use. |
The example address is not a value to copy into your zone. Replace it with the server’s real public address. If you publish IPv6 as well, add an AAAA record for the target hostname; the SRV record itself still points to the hostname.
Verify DNS before testing the game
Query both records from a machine outside the server’s LAN when possible. The commands below use common tools; Windows users can run the equivalent nslookup queries.
Check the A record
dig +short A play.example.comThe response should contain the expected public IPv4 address and no obsolete address. To check IPv6, run:
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dig +short AAAA play.example.comAn empty AAAA response is normal if you do not operate IPv6. A stale or unexpected address indicates an incorrect zone, an old record, caching, or an address that has changed since the record was created.
Check the SRV record
dig +short SRV _minecraft._tcp.play.example.comThe answer contains priority, weight, port and target, in that order. Confirm that the port matches the game configuration and that the target is the intended hostname. If the response is empty, inspect the owner name and whether the provider requires service and protocol in separate fields.
Query a specific resolver
When one network shows the new answer and another does not, query a public or organizational resolver explicitly with dig @resolver-address or the resolver’s equivalent. Different answers during a change are usually a caching issue rather than proof that the record syntax is wrong.
Test connectivity from outside the LAN
- Start the game server and confirm it reports that it is listening on the intended interface and port.
- Verify the host firewall permits the game protocol and port on the correct network profile.
- If the server is behind a router, forward the public game port to the server’s private address. Forwarding the DNS port alone does not publish the game.
- Disconnect the test client from the server’s Wi-Fi and use a different network, such as cellular data or a remote machine. Testing from inside the same LAN can succeed through local routing even when internet forwarding is broken.
- Join using the hostname. For an SRV-aware client, enter only
play.example.com; for an SRV-unaware client or an A-only design, use the game’s documented hostname-and-port format.
A successful DNS lookup proves only that a name resolves. The final connection still depends on routing, firewall rules, NAT behavior and a running process.
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The hostname resolves to the wrong address
Check that you edited the active authoritative zone and that the A record name was not duplicated. Compare the public address shown by your hosting or internet provider with the A answer. If your connection uses a changing address, configure a trustworthy update mechanism or revise the record whenever the address changes. Lowering TTL after the mistake does not instantly erase answers already cached by resolvers.
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The SRV lookup returns no answer
Look for missing underscores, reversed service and protocol fields, a typo in the host portion, or a provider that appended the zone twice. Query the complete owner name, not only play.example.com. Confirm that the record was saved in the same authoritative zone as the A record.
The SRV answer is present, but the client still asks for a port
The client may not implement SRV, may use a different service label, or may support SRV only for a particular edition or platform. In that case, give players the explicit port or use the game’s documented discovery method. A standards-compliant DNS answer cannot force an application to perform a lookup it does not support.
The SRV target resolves, but joining times out
Verify that the target’s A or AAAA answer is correct, then test the actual game port from outside the LAN. Inspect the server process, host firewall, router forwarding rule and any upstream firewall. Check that the forwarding destination has not changed and that the game is listening on the same port entered in SRV.
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Only IPv4 or only IPv6 players fail
Compare A and AAAA responses separately. An incorrect AAAA record can cause an IPv6-capable client to try an unreachable path even when IPv4 works. Remove or correct an address record for an address you do not operate, or make the IPv6 firewall and routing path functional before publishing it.
A proxy setting breaks the game connection
Switch the DNS entry to the provider’s direct or DNS-only mode unless its proxy product specifically supports the game’s protocol and transport. A proxy that handles web requests can still return valid DNS while refusing the game’s TCP or UDP session.
TTL, caching and the timing of changes
TTL tells recursive resolvers how long an answer may be cached. It is not a guaranteed global propagation timer. Some resolvers retain data until their cache policy permits refresh, and clients or operating systems may cache results separately. After changing an A or SRV record, query the authoritative server and several independent resolvers, then allow existing caches to expire before concluding that every player should see the new value.
For a planned server move, reduce TTL before the move, wait through the previous cache period, change the address or SRV target, and restore a longer TTL after verification. This procedure reduces—but cannot eliminate—the period during which different players receive different answers.
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An A record covers IPv4. Publish an AAAA record for the same target hostname only when the server has a routable IPv6 address and you have configured IPv6 firewall rules. SRV points to the hostname and lets the resolver obtain A, AAAA, or both. The game client chooses according to its own connection behavior; DNS does not translate between address families.
Choosing a DNS provider for a game hostname
Most authoritative DNS services can create A and SRV records, but their interfaces and operational features differ. Evaluate the following before moving a zone:
| Capability | Why it matters | What to confirm |
|---|---|---|
| A and SRV field support | You need service, protocol, priority, weight, port and target fields without unsupported workarounds. | Whether SRV is available on your plan and whether names are entered as a full FQDN or split fields. |
| TTL controls | TTL affects how quickly address changes are noticed and how often resolvers query the zone. | Minimum and maximum TTL values, automatic TTL behavior and whether records can use different TTLs. |
| DNSSEC | Signing protects the authenticity of DNS answers when validators support it. | Whether DNSSEC is available, who manages the DS record, and how key-rollover procedures work. |
| API or dynamic updates | Useful when a residential or hosted address changes and the A record must be updated automatically. | Authentication method, update scope, logging and rate limits. |
| Proxy modes | Some providers offer traffic proxies that are not compatible with arbitrary game protocols. | Whether direct DNS mode is available and which transports and ports a proxy actually supports. |
| Resolver behavior | Provider-side processing can affect how quickly edits appear at authoritative servers. | Published propagation guidance and authoritative query results after a save. |
Changing providers does not make a closed port reachable. It changes who answers DNS queries; the server, router and firewall still determine whether a game session can pass.
Quick Recap
Maintenance checklist
- Keep the A record synchronized with the server’s current public IPv4 address.
- Keep an AAAA record only for a working, routable IPv6 path.
- Ensure the SRV target remains a hostname with a valid A or AAAA record.
- Update the SRV port whenever the game configuration changes.
- After every DNS edit, query A, AAAA and SRV separately.
- Test from an external network rather than assuming a local-LAN test represents internet reachability.
- Document the service and protocol labels so a future administrator does not replace
_minecraft._tcpwith a generic or misspelled name. - Review proxy status after provider migrations or interface changes.
Quick decision path
- If players use a default-port client and the game has no SRV support, publish an A record and make the normal port reachable.
- If the client supports SRV and the server uses a custom port, publish both the A or AAAA record for the target and the correctly named SRV record.
- If SRV discovery is uncertain, keep the A record, test the client, and distribute the explicit port until the game documentation confirms the service name.
- If DNS tests pass but joining fails, stop editing records and investigate the process, firewall, NAT and external reachability.
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