What Is SRV Record & How To Add SRV Record for A Domain In cPanel?

An SRV (Service) record is a type of DNS (Domain Name System) record used to define the location (i.e., the hostname and port number) of servers for specified services. SRV records are often used for services such as Microsoft Exchange, LDAP, SIP, XMPP (Jabber), and many more, allowing them to direct traffic to specific servers based on the service being requested.

An SRV record contains the following components:

Service: The symbolic name of the desired service (e.g., _sip for SIP services).

Protocol: The protocol of the service (e.g., _tcp or _udp).

Name: The domain name for which this SRV record is valid.

Priority: The priority of the target host; lower values mean more preferred.

Weight: A relative weight for records with the same priority; higher values are more preferred.

Port: The TCP or UDP port on which the service is to be found.

Target: The canonical hostname of the machine providing the service, ending in a dot.

Step-by-Step Guide on How to Add an SRV Record for a Domain in cPanel

To add an SRV record in cPanel, follow these steps:

Step 1: Log in to Your cPanel Account

1. Access the cPanel Login Page:

Open your web browser and navigate to your cPanel login page. This is usually https://yourdomain.com:2083 or https://yourdomain.com/cpanel.

2. Enter Your Credentials:

Input your cPanel username and password.

Click the Log in button to access your cPanel dashboard.

Step 2: Navigate to the DNS Zone Editor

Locate the DNS Zone Editor:

In the cPanel dashboard, scroll down to the Domains section.

Click on Zone Editor. This is where you can manage DNS records for your domain.

3. Select Your Domain:

Find the domain for which you want to add an SRV record and click the Manage button next to it.

Step 3: Add an SRV Record

1. Add Record:

On the DNS Zone Editor page, click the Add Record button, then choose Add SRV Record.

2. Configure the SRV Record:

Name: This will be a combination of the service and protocol. For example, _sip._tcp for a SIP service using TCP.

TTL (Time To Live): The amount of time in seconds that the record will be cached by DNS resolvers. The default is usually fine, but you can adjust it if needed.

Priority: Enter the priority of the target host. Lower values indicate higher priority.

Weight: Enter a relative weight for load balancing. Higher values will get more traffic if multiple SRV records have the same priority.

Port: Enter the port number on which the service is running (e.g., 5060 for SIP).

Target: Enter the target domain or hostname that the SRV record will point to. It should be a fully qualified domain name (FQDN) and end with a dot (.).

3. Example:

Name: _sip._tcp

TTL: 3600

Priority: 10

Weight: 60

Port: 5060

Target: sipserver.example.com.

4. Save the SRV Record:

After entering all the required details, click the Add Record button to save your SRV record.

Step 4: Verify the SRV Record

1. Confirm the Addition:

Once added, your new SRV record will appear in the list of DNS records for your domain in the Zone Editor.

2. Check DNS Propagation:

DNS changes may take some time to propagate across the internet. To verify that your SRV record has been added correctly, you can use tools like nslookup, dig, or online DNS lookup tools to check the status of your DNS records.

Example using nslookup:
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nslookup -type=SRV _sip._tcp.example.com

3. Troubleshoot if Needed:

If the SRV record is not appearing as expected, ensure that all details were entered correctly and that your DNS changes have propagated. You may also need to clear your DNS cache or use an incognito browser to avoid cached results.

Step 5: Test the Service

Test Connectivity:

Once the SRV record is live, test the specific service to ensure it directs traffic to the correct server and port as intended.

Monitor for Issues:

Keep an eye on the service to ensure that the SRV record is correctly routing traffic and that there are no unexpected issues.

Additional Tips

Wait for Propagation: Remember that DNS changes can take anywhere from a few minutes to 48 hours to fully propagate, depending on various factors such as DNS cache and TTL settings.

Use Correct Syntax: Ensure that the target hostname ends with a period (.) and is fully qualified to avoid errors.

Backup DNS Settings: Before making changes to your DNS, consider backing up your current settings to avoid potential issues.