When you connect a domain, C Building first looks at where the domain's DNS is, that is, its nameservers. You add the records wherever the DNS is, which isn't necessarily where you bought the domain. For example, a domain bought at Gandi with its DNS on Cloudflare gets its records at Cloudflare.
The records to add (type, name, value) are the ones listed on the card when you connect the domain, so this guide gives no fixed values. Use the record types exactly as the card shows them; if a name already has an old record, edit or delete it first, then add what the card lists.
When this guide applies
Only when the domain's nameservers are *.gandi.net (Gandi LiveDNS, for example ns-253-c.gandi.net). Records can be edited at Gandi only while the domain uses Gandi LiveDNS nameservers; if they belong to another company, add the records there.
Adding the records at Gandi
- Log in to Gandi (admin.gandi.net) and select "Domain" in the menu on the left.
- Select your domain, then the "DNS Records" tab.
- If a name on the card (for example "@") already has an A record, change it to the card's value with the pencil icon or delete it with the trash icon. If the card's "www" record is an A record and "www" has a CNAME record at Gandi, delete that CNAME.
- Select "Add" for each record on the card: choose its type, leave "name" empty for the domain itself (@) or type "www", put its value in "value", and select "Create".
- Repeat "Add" for every record on the card.
Good to know
- Gandi uses an empty "name" for the domain itself (@).
- If the card has a CNAME record, Gandi requires a dot at the end of its value (for example host.example.com.).
How long it takes
Usually up to 3 hours, sometimes up to 72 hours.
These steps follow Gandi's documentation: Link domain to website, DNS records, CNAME record.
Once the records are in, C Building checks them automatically. There's no need to come back and let us know.
Want C Building to manage your DNS? Change the nameservers
Adding the records above is enough to connect the website; you don't need to change the nameservers. Do this part only if you choose to let C Building manage this domain's DNS instead. Nameservers are changed where you bought the domain (the registrar), so this part is for domains bought at Gandi.
Once the nameservers change, the DNS records kept at Gandi stop working. Move email and any other records to C Building first, or email may stop arriving: see Before you change nameservers: email records, DNSSEC and registrar extras.
- Log in to Gandi and select "Domain" in the menu on the left.
- Select your domain, then the "Nameservers" tab.
- Select "Change", then "External".
- Enter C Building's nameservers, ns1.cbuilding.net, ns2.cbuilding.net, ns3.cbuilding.net and ns4.cbuilding.net, and select "Save".
Leaving Gandi LiveDNS also turns off Gandi Premium DNS for the domain. Some extensions (.it, .de, .dk, .lu) run a registry check on new nameservers, and a failed check can put the domain on hold. It takes 12 to 24 hours.
These steps follow Gandi's documentation: Changing nameservers.
Once they're changed, C Building checks automatically too. There's no need to come back and let us know.