Manage DNS records in the customer portal and Plesk
Published on July 10, 2026 8 min read
Manage DNS records yourself: in the customer portal with a DNS-only plan and in Plesk with a hosting plan. Learn to add A, MX and other records.
Your DNS records decide where your domain points: which server shows your website, where your email arrives and which checks on your domain add up. When you want to manage DNS records at LJPc, there are two ways to do it. With a DNS-only plan you handle everything in the customer portal. When a hosting plan comes with your domain, you manage the records in Plesk. This article explains both routes step by step, even if DNS is new to you.
What do DNS records do?
DNS stands for Domain Name System, the address book of the internet. It translates your domain name into the servers and services behind it. Each DNS record is one line in that address book, with a type, a name and a value (in the portal that value is called the content). These are the record types you will meet most often.
| Type | What you use it for | Example content |
|---|---|---|
| A record | Points a name to an IPv4 address, such as your website or server | 192.0.2.10 |
| AAAA record | Points a name to an IPv6 address | 2001:db8::1 |
| CNAME record | Points a name as an alias to another name | www to yourdomain.com |
| MX record | Sets which server receives email for your domain | mail.example.com, priority 10 |
| TXT record | Holds text for verification and email security, such as SPF, DKIM and DMARC | v=spf1 include:... |
| SRV record | Points a service to a host and port | target host with port 443 |
| NS record | Sets which nameservers are authoritative for your domain | ns1.ljpc.network |
In the portal you can also add a CAA record. It controls which certificate authorities may issue an SSL certificate for your domain. SOA records are handled by the system itself, so you do not need to, and cannot, edit them.
Do you manage DNS in the portal or in Plesk?
Where you manage your records depends on your plan:
- DNS-only plan (only your domain and DNS at LJPc, without website hosting): you manage the records directly in the customer portal.
- Hosting plan (your website runs on our servers): your domain uses a DNS zone in Plesk, so you manage the records in Plesk.
Not sure which applies? Open your domain in the portal (see the steps below) and look at the section with your DNS records. If it shows a notice that the records for this domain are managed in Plesk through your hosting subscription, then management goes through Plesk and you will find an Edit in Plesk button there. If you see an Add record button, you manage the DNS in the portal.
The same rule applies to both routes: your domain must use LJPc's nameservers (ns1.ljpc.network, ns2.ljpc.network and ns3.ljpc.network). Only then is our DNS authoritative and do your changes take effect. If your domain uses another party's nameservers, you manage the records there and not with us.
Manage DNS records in the customer portal
With a DNS-only plan you handle everything yourself in the portal. You get a clear list of records that you can add to and adjust.
Add a record
- Log in to the customer portal.
- Open the Services menu and choose Hosting and domain names.
- Go to the Domains tab and click the domain you want to change.
- On the domain page, scroll to the DNS records section.
- Click Add record.
- Under Type, choose the record type: A, AAAA, CNAME, MX, TXT, NS, SRV or CAA.
- Under Name, enter the name. Use
@for the main domain itself, or a subdomain such aswwworshop. - Under Content, enter the value, for example the IP address for an A record or the mail server for an MX record.
- Leave TTL at 3600 seconds (1 hour) or pick a value between 60 and 86400 seconds.
- Click Save.
Some record types ask for extra fields. For an MX record you enter a Priority, where a lower number takes precedence. For an SRV record you add Weight, Port and Target host. For a CAA record you choose Flags and a Tag (issue, issuewild or iodef).
Do not see any records yet, but there is an Add DNS hosting button? Click it to switch on DNS management for the domain. The portal then creates a zone with default A, AAAA, CNAME and NS records. After that you add your own records in the same way.
Edit or delete a record
Each record has an Edit and a Delete button next to it.
- Editing: click Edit, adjust the content, the TTL or the priority and click Save. You cannot change the type of an existing record. If you need a different type, delete the record and create a new one.
- Deleting: click Delete and confirm. Note: you cannot remove the NS records that point to LJPc's nameservers. Without those records your domain becomes detached from our DNS.
Manage DNS records in Plesk
When your website runs on a hosting plan from LJPc, you manage the DNS in Plesk. From the portal you are there in a few clicks.
- Log in to the customer portal and open your domain or your site.
- Click Log in to Plesk, or Edit in Plesk in the DNS section. Plesk opens in a new tab and you do not need to log in separately.
- In Plesk, go to Websites & Domains.
- Click DNS Settings.
- Click Add Record, choose the type and fill in the fields.
- Confirm with OK to save the record.
You edit an existing record by clicking its row. To delete one, tick the checkbox next to the record and click Remove. Plesk then processes the change automatically. It can take a while before it is active everywhere.
Common situations
Point your website to a different IP address
When you move your website to another server, you change the A record of your main domain to the new IPv4 address. If you also use IPv6, update the AAAA record as well. You often want to do the same for www, which is usually a CNAME to your main domain or an A record of its own. Lower the TTL a few hours in advance, so the change becomes visible everywhere sooner.
Create a subdomain
You create a subdomain such as shop.yourdomain.com with an extra record. If the subdomain points to an IP address, use an A record (or an AAAA record for IPv6) with shop as the name. If it points to another hostname, for example an external service, use a CNAME record with shop as the name and the target name as the content. Note that a CNAME cannot coexist with other records on the same name, and cannot sit on your main domain.
Set up external email with MX records
If your email runs through another party, such as Google Workspace or Microsoft 365, you set up that party's MX records. First remove the existing MX records, then add the new ones with the correct priority, where a lower number takes precedence. Also add the matching TXT records for SPF and, where needed, DKIM and DMARC, so your email arrives cleanly. You get the exact values from your email provider.
Keep TTL and propagation in mind
DNS changes are not active everywhere at once. Servers around the world keep records in their cache for a while, exactly as long as the TTL (Time To Live) says. After a change it can take up to 24 to 48 hours before everyone sees the new value, although it is often faster.
Know in advance that you are going to change something? Then lower the TTL a few hours earlier, for example to 300 seconds. You can read more about this in our article on DNS propagation. If something does not work as expected, have a look at troubleshooting DNS problems.
Cannot work it out? Feel free to contact support and we will be glad to help.
Frequently asked questions
Do I manage my DNS records in the portal or in Plesk?
That depends on your plan. With a DNS-only plan you manage the records directly in the customer portal. When a hosting plan comes with your domain, the domain uses a DNS zone in Plesk and you manage the records there. For such a domain the portal shows a notice that the DNS is managed in Plesk, with an Edit in Plesk button.
How do I point my domain to a different IP address?
Change the A record of your main domain to the new IPv4 address. If you also use IPv6, update the AAAA record too. Remember a record for www if you use it. Bear in mind that the change stays in caches for a while, set by the TTL, before everyone sees the new server.
How long does it take before a DNS change is active?
A change can be on its way for up to 24 to 48 hours, but it is often faster. How long it takes depends on the TTL that was set on the record before. If you lower the TTL a few hours before a planned change, the new value becomes visible everywhere sooner.
Can I put a CNAME on my main domain?
No. A CNAME on the main domain (the name @) is not allowed under the DNS rules, because other records already live there. Use an A record or AAAA record on your main domain. The portal blocks a CNAME on the main domain and shows a message when you try.
Which record types can I add in the portal?
You can add and adjust records of the type A, AAAA, CNAME, MX, TXT, NS, SRV and CAA. For MX you enter a priority, for SRV also a weight, port and target host, and for CAA a flag and a tag. The SOA record is managed by the system automatically.
Why do I not see a button to edit records?
Usually that is because your domain comes with a hosting plan. The DNS is then managed in Plesk and you use the Edit in Plesk button. If the domain has no DNS management yet, you see an Add DNS hosting button. If your domain's nameservers sit with another party, you manage the records there.