Definitions of A names, C names and Domain namservers

Advice sought about how to direct my names to hosts

[Rienne]

Apologies in advance if this seems really too basic for words, but I have searched qiute a way back and cannot find an answer. I have run business for many years, but having sold those am now running a "one man band" again so need to do things myself these days!

I simply do not understand the difference between A records, CNames and repointing the Domain Nameserver.

I have mydomain(s).com registered. I do not intend to host with the company which registered the domain, just using their control panel.

For one of my sites mydomain1.com - I have

a) pointed the A record to an IP address 55.555.666.77
b) pointed www CNAME to xx1.abcde.nameserver.

This has worked. But I have not repointed the Domain Nameservers 1 and 2.

For site mydomain2, I have a different hoster who doesn't tell me their IP addresses, just that I should point the Namservers to xx2.abcdef.nameserver 1 and 2.

Apart from knowing that I should not just forward the URL, I don't know which option i should be using and would realy appreciate a straight primer in this.

Apologies once agan if this is a little basic.

many thanks in advance

[trader]

Apologies once again if this is a little basic.

Far from it being basic, the exact opposite extreme I feel is more applicable as to me (an admitted non-geek but I do run a very large number of websites) it all sounds quite difficult to understand and very complex. In fact, I have no idea what the issues are?

[jtara]

For one of my sites example.com - I have

a) pointed the A record to an IP address 55.555.666.77

Pointed WHICH A record? You can have any number of A records. I'm guessing you mean the A record for the root domain ("mydomain1.com")

b) pointed www CNAME to xx1.abcde.nameserver.

Why? Aren't you trying to point www to the same IP as mydomain.com? If so, you need to point it to "mydomain.com". What's xx1.abcde.nameserver? That's not even a valid domain name, since there's no "nameserver" TLD.

But I would just use another A record, rather than a CNAME. It makes a subtle, small difference, but an A record will give slightly faster resolution than a CNAME. CNAMEs are useful if you have a large number of domain names pointing to the same IP. They make it convenient if you ever change the IP address - you can then change it in one place, instead of in 10's or 100's of places. That counts-out 99% of us here (except the domainers and owners of keyword farms). There's really no need to ever use a CNAME.

This has worked. But I have not repointed the Domain Nameservers 1 and 2.

Assuming you are getting you DNS service from your register, there's no need to, and you shouldn't. You would only change these if you get your DNS service from a third-party or from your web hosting company.

I am confused as to why "this has worked", though. From what you have given us, I would expect www.mydomain.com not to work.