How Do I Create A Record in DNS Server 2016?

To create a DNS record in Windows Server 2016, follow these steps:

1. Open DNS Manager: From the Windows desktop, open the Start menu. Navigate to "Windows Administrative Tools" and select "DNS."

2. Connect to the DNS Server: In the DNS Manager console tree, connect to the specific DNS server you want to manage.

3. Expand the Forward Lookup Zone (or Reverse Lookup Zone if appropriate): Expand the DNS server, then expand either "Forward Lookup Zones" (for mapping names to IP addresses) or "Reverse Lookup Zones" (for mapping IP addresses to names), depending on the type of record you're creating.

4. Select the Zone: Choose the specific zone where you want to add the new record. This zone is often named after your domain (e.g., "example.com").

5. Create the New Record: Right-click within the zone and select "Other New Records..." (or "New Record..." if you're creating a common record type like an A record or CNAME).

6. Choose the Record Type: Select the type of DNS record you wish to create from the list. Common options include:

   • A (Host) Record: Maps a hostname to an IPv4 address.
   • AAAA (Host) Record: Maps a hostname to an IPv6 address.
   • CNAME (Alias) Record: Creates an alias for another hostname.
   • MX (Mail Exchanger) Record: Specifies a mail server for the domain.
   • TXT (Text) Record: Contains arbitrary text, often used for verification or SPF records.
   • SRV (Service) Record: Locates servers for specific services.
   • PTR (Pointer) Record: Maps an IP address to a hostname (used in Reverse Lookup Zones).

7. Configure the Record: After selecting the record type, a dialog box will appear where you can enter the specific details for the record. The required information varies based on the record type. For example:

   • A Record: You'll need to specify the hostname (e.g., "www") and the IPv4 address (e.g., "192.168.1.100").
   • CNAME Record: You'll need to specify the alias name (e.g., "blog") and the fully qualified domain name of the target host (e.g., "webserver.example.com").
   • MX Record: You'll need to specify the mail server's hostname and the preference value (lower numbers indicate higher priority).

8. Create the Record: Once you've entered all the necessary information, click "Create Record" (or "OK" depending on the record type).

9. Verify the Record (Optional): After creating the record, you can use tools like nslookup or dig (if available) from the command line to verify that the record is resolving correctly. You can also use online DNS lookup tools.

Example: Creating an A Record

Let's say you want to create an A record for www.example.com that points to the IP address 192.168.1.200.

1. Open DNS Manager.
2. Connect to your DNS server.
3. Expand "Forward Lookup Zones" and select the example.com zone.
4. Right-click in the zone and select "New Host (A or AAAA)..."
5. In the "Name (uses parent domain name if blank)" field, enter www.
6. In the "IP address" field, enter 192.168.1.200.
7. Click "Add Host".
8. Click "Done".

Now, when someone tries to access www.example.com, their computer will be directed to the server at 192.168.1.200.