How to Add CNAME Record ?

A CNAME Record (Canonical Name Record) points one domain name or subdomain to another domain name instead of an IP address. It is commonly used for aliases such as www, blog, or connecting third-party services.

Example:
www.yourdomain.com → yourdomain.com

What a CNAME Record Is Used For

Use a CNAME record when you want to:

Point www to your main domain
Connect subdomains to another hostname
Use services like Shopify, Blogger, GitHub Pages, or SaaS tools
Simplify DNS management when the target IP may change

Before You Start

Make sure you have:

Your domain name
The destination hostname provided by your hosting/service provider
Access to your DNS management panel

Example target hostnames:

yourdomain.com

ghs.googlehosted.com

shops.myplatform.com

How to Add a CNAME Record at Govaio

Log in to your Govaio client area
Go to Domains
Select the domain you want to manage
Open DNS Management or Manage DNS Zone
Click Add Record
Choose CNAME Record
Enter the details below:

Example for www

Field	Value
Type	CNAME
Name / Host	www
Points To / Value	yourdomain.com
TTL	Default / 3600

Example for blog

Field	Value
Type	CNAME
Name / Host	blog
Points To / Value	target.example.com
TTL	Default / 3600

Click Save Changes

Example CNAME Records

Type	Host	Value
CNAME	www	yourdomain.com
CNAME	blog	target.example.com
CNAME	shop	stores.platform.com

Important Notes

A CNAME must point to a hostname, not an IP address
Do not use CNAME for the root domain (yourdomain.com) unless your DNS provider specifically supports ALIAS/ANAME flattening
The same hostname should not usually have both a CNAME and other records (A, MX, TXT) at the same time
Changes may require DNS propagation time

How Long Does It Take?

DNS changes usually begin quickly, but full propagation may take:

A few minutes to begin
Up to 24 hours globally
Sometimes faster depending on TTL

Common Problems

Subdomain Not Working

Possible reasons:

Wrong target hostname entered
Existing conflicting DNS record on same host
DNS propagation still in progress

www Not Opening

Possible reasons:

Main domain not configured correctly
Incorrect CNAME target
SSL certificate not installed for www

Best Practice

Common setup:

yourdomain.com → A Record to server IP

www.yourdomain.com → CNAME to yourdomain.com

This keeps management simple if the server IP changes later.

Need Help?

If you are unsure which CNAME value to use, contact support@govaio.com with:

Your domain name
Service provider name
CNAME details provided

Govaio Support will help you configure the record correctly.