---
title: What is DNS?
sidebarTitle: What is DNS?
description: Nameservers, DNS records, TTL, and propagation — explained for people connecting a domain to Reloop.
---
> For the complete documentation index, see [llms-docs.txt](/llms-docs.txt) or the site index [llms.txt](/llms.txt). Full docs corpus: [llms-full-docs.txt](/llms-full-docs.txt). Prefer markdown URLs (append `.md`) for agent consumption. Product skill: [skill.md](/skill.md).


**DNS** (Domain Name System) is the internet’s phone book. When someone sends mail to `hello@acme.com` or opens `acme.com`, computers ask DNS: “Where should this go?” and “Is this sender allowed?”

For Reloop, DNS is how you **prove you own the domain** and **authorize Reloop to send mail** on your behalf.

## Nameservers

**Nameservers** are the servers that hold your domain’s DNS zone.

Example:

```
ada.ns.cloudflare.com
bob.ns.cloudflare.com
```

Whoever runs those nameservers is your **DNS host** — that is where you add Reloop’s records. Often that is the same company as your registrar, but not always (see [Registrar vs DNS host](/docs/guides/connect-domain/registrar-vs-dns-host)).

## DNS records

A **record** is one instruction in your zone. Reloop asks for several types:

| Type | Role for Reloop |
| --- | --- |
| **TXT** | SPF, DKIM public key, DMARC policy, ownership checks |
| **MX** | Where inbound mail is delivered (only if you enable receiving) |
| **CNAME** | Click/open tracking host (e.g. `link.acme.com` → Reloop) |

Each record has roughly:

- **Host / Name** — which name the record applies to (`@`, `reloop._domainkey`, `link`, …)
- **Type** — TXT, MX, CNAME, …
- **Value / Points to / Content** — the data Reloop shows in the dashboard
- **TTL** — how long resolvers may cache the answer (Auto / 300 / 3600 are common)

Copy these **exactly** from Reloop. A missing character in a DKIM key breaks verification.

## How Reloop uses DNS

```
You add domain in Reloop
        ↓
Reloop generates records (SPF, DKIM, DMARC, …)
        ↓
You publish them at your DNS host (auto or manual)
        ↓
Reloop looks up public DNS worldwide
        ↓
If records match → domain becomes active
```

## Propagation

After you save a record, the internet does not update instantly everywhere. Caches honor **TTL**. Most providers update in minutes; worst case up to ~48–72 hours. Details: [DNS propagation](/docs/guides/connect-domain/verification/propagation).

## You do not need to memorize this

In practice:

1. Open the domain in [Reloop](https://reloop.sh/dashboard/domain)
2. Use Auto-populate **or** copy each row into your DNS panel
3. Click **Verify**

For a field-by-field map of Reloop’s records, see [DNS records explained](/docs/guides/connect-domain/dns-records-explained).