Does TXT Record Name Matter?

[primexx]

Just a quick question I can't seem to find an answer to on google.

For TXT records, many things say to leave the Host name blank or use @, but sometimes it says something else as well. Like for DKIM it is "_domainkey" as the hostname.

What does the host name paramater do in TXT records? and does it actually matter to the outside what it is?

Thanks!

[The_Decryptor Veteran]

It depends on what you're using it for, things like DKIM/DNS-SD use the host name for finding out information, but otherwise it doesn't matter as it's supposed to be generic human readable information.

[Japlabot]

hostname is the subdomain. a blank field, an @ symbol is used to indicate that it is for the root domain (the domain itself without a subdomain)

For example, if you have a domain name TEST.COM:

If you put in a TXT record of ABC123 with "@" as the hostname, then a TXT query to TEST.COM would return ABC123.

If you put in a TXT record of ABC123 with "EXAMPLE" as the hostname, then a TXT query to TEST.COM would not return a value.

With the above example, a TXT query to EXAMPLE.TEST.COM would return ABC123.

You can also use the FQDN with a dot at the end instead of @, blank or the subdomain name by itself. Not all hosts support blanks on their DNS management systems.

What is correct depends on what you are using the TXT record for. Some add-on systems to your domain need TXT records to be entered a certain way for it to work correctly, such as DKIM. Better to implement it in the way required. If you don't have access to the hostname field, you could try creating a subdomain eg: _DOMAINKEY.TEST.COM (like you would for EXAMPLE.TEST.COM) and adding the TXT record to the "@" hostname of _DOMAINKEY.TEST.COM, or speaking with the host directly to see if they can manually add the records (a better option).

[primexx]

  On 02/01/2012 at 05:58, The_Decryptor said:

It depends on what you're using it for, things like DKIM/DNS-SD use the host name for finding out information, but otherwise it doesn't matter as it's supposed to be generic human readable information.

ah so for DKIM it does need to be the right name and value then... thanks for clarifying!

  On 02/01/2012 at 06:51, Simon- said:

What is correct depends on what you are using the TXT record for. Some add-on systems to your domain need TXT records to be entered a certain way for it to work correctly, such as DKIM. Better to implement it in the way required. If you don't have access to the hostname field, you could try creating a subdomain eg: _DOMAINKEY.TEST.COM (like you would for EXAMPLE.TEST.COM) and adding the TXT record to the "@" hostname of _DOMAINKEY.TEST.COM, or speaking with the host directly to see if they can manually add the records (a better option).

that's the problem I'm having. I will try this to see if it works!

edit: i've talked to the company and they've added the record, but it's not verifying over at google apps, so I suspect they got the name wrong.

[The_Decryptor Veteran]

Have they created the sub entries under the "_domainkey" entry? Like DNS-SD it's hierarchical.

[primexx]

I can't edit the host name with the form I have, so I don't actually know if they put it as "google._domainkey" like google says i should, or if they just used @. when i try to add a record myself the value actually cuts off at the first ; symbol, so I have to ask them to add it for me even if i try Simon's workaround. I suspect that they added the record to my main domain (with the @) because i see it when i do a DNS record lookup, but if like Simon says you're not supposed to see it on the main domain's lookup, then they've probably added it with the wrong host name.

edit: it looks like there's no mechanism for adding txt records to subdomains either. gonna have to see if support can do anything to fix it.

thanks Decryptor and Simon!