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I'm having a bit of trouble with the set up of my domain. What I'm trying to do is use my domain www.mydomain.com so my web server is linked to that (name servers I'm guessing) then I also need gmail (using mx settings?) plus ontop of that I need to set up a subdomain so for example www.store.mydomain.com and then use the subdomain for shopify.

Do I need to manage these domain settings in cPanel or my Godaddy domain dns settings?

Can you please help with the set up/steps I need to do to ensure all of this runs perfectly? Thanks!

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  • If you have registered your domain name but not transferred the SOA to your host, then you manage your DNS records with your registrar. It is very common that the registrar is the SOA. However, some hosts instruct you to change the NS (name server) entries to theirs. Check with GoDaddy DNS control panel and see if you see a SOA record. If you do, then that is where you want to add and change your records. Cheers!!
    – closetnoc
    Commented Mar 9, 2017 at 17:07

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Your website needs the following to get it up and running

  1. Domain registrar
  2. DNS host
  3. Web host

Most people realize that they need the domain registrar and the web host, but get fuzzy on the DNS host. This is confusing that there are DNS settings at both the registrar and the DNS host. Registrars can all offer DNS hosting (and web hosting).

You have three options for DNS hosting:

  1. Godaddy throws in DNS hosting for free with domain registration.
  2. Because your cPanel has DNS settings, it sounds like your web host throws in DNS hosting for free with the web hosting package
  3. Use a third party DNS host.

The way that it works is that the domain registrar has settings for the name server (NS) records. Those settings should point to the DNS host. The DNS host then has settings for adding hosting ip addresses, subdomains, and mail records.

If you choose to use Godaddy, your NS records at Godaddy should be something like NS22.DOMAINCONTROL.COM. (Godaddy prefills those in for you). You then edit the records in the Godaddy interface and ignore your cPanel.

If you choose to use your web host, you need to change the NS records at Godaddy. Your cPanel should tell you what the NS records should be. Log into Godaddy and change the NS records. Then add all your other settings in cPanel. The advantage of using your web host for DNS is that cPanel may configure the records for your website automatically for you.

A third party works similarly. Update the NS records in Godaddy to what the DNS host tells you, and then update your DNS records at the third party and ignore cPanel.

It sounds like you will need at least the following records:

  • example.com (no subdomain record) A record pointing to the IP address of your server
  • www.example.com A record pointing to the IP address of your server
  • store.example.com A record pointing to the IP address of shopify or a CNAME record to shopify
  • www.store.example.com same as store
  • MX record pointing to gmail

Your web host, shopify, and Gmail should all tell you values to enter into your records.

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