Connecting a Custom Domain to Your Server
How to point a custom domain or subdomain to your game server using DNS A records and SRV records.
Connecting a Custom Domain to Your Server
Give your server a professional look with a custom domain like play.yourdomain.com instead of a raw IP address.
What You Need
- A registered domain name (from Namecheap, Cloudflare, GoDaddy, etc.)
- Your server's IP address and port (found in your AMP or WISP panel)
- Access to your domain's DNS settings
Method 1: A Record (Simple)
An A record maps a hostname directly to an IP address. This works for games that use default ports or where players enter the port manually.
- Log into your domain registrar's DNS management
- Create a new A Record:
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Type | A |
| Name | play (or mc, dayz, etc.) |
| Value | Your server IP (e.g., 45.35.XX.XX) |
| TTL | 300 (5 minutes) |
- Wait for DNS propagation (usually 5-15 minutes, up to 48 hours)
- Players can now connect using
play.yourdomain.com:PORT
Method 2: SRV Record (Recommended for Minecraft)
SRV records let you specify both the IP and port, so players don't need to type the port number. This is especially useful for Minecraft.
- First, create an A Record pointing to your server IP (see Method 1)
- Then create an SRV Record:
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Type | SRV |
| Name | _minecraft._tcp.play |
| Priority | 0 |
| Weight | 5 |
| Port | Your server port (e.g., 25565) |
| Target | play.yourdomain.com |
| TTL | 300 |
- Minecraft players can now connect with just
play.yourdomain.com— no port needed
SRV Record Format for Other Games
The SRV record naming convention is _service._protocol.hostname:
_minecraft._tcp.play.yourdomain.com → Minecraft
_ts3._udp.voice.yourdomain.com → TeamSpeak 3
_arma3._udp.play.yourdomain.com → ARMA 3
Note: Not all games support SRV records. Minecraft is the most common use case. For other games, an A record with the port entered manually is usually the way to go.
Cloudflare Users
If you use Cloudflare for DNS:
- Disable the proxy (orange cloud) for your game server records — set it to DNS only (grey cloud)
- Cloudflare's proxy only supports HTTP/HTTPS traffic, not game server protocols
- SRV records are automatically DNS-only
Verifying Your Setup
Test that your domain resolves correctly:
# Check A record
nslookup play.yourdomain.com
# Check SRV record (Windows)
nslookup -type=SRV _minecraft._tcp.play.yourdomain.com
# Check SRV record (Linux/Mac)
dig SRV _minecraft._tcp.play.yourdomain.com
Troubleshooting
- Domain not resolving? — DNS propagation can take up to 48 hours. Try flushing your local DNS cache:
ipconfig /flushdns(Windows) orsudo dscacheutil -flushcache(Mac) - Connection refused? — Make sure the IP and port are correct in your DNS records
- Cloudflare issues? — Ensure the proxy is disabled (grey cloud) for game server records