What this check shows
A CNAME record makes one hostname an alias of another hostname. It is commonly used for CDNs, SaaS verification, hosted applications and service migrations.
DNSRadar compares the canonical target returned by each resolver so you can detect an old target, a missing alias or inconsistent provider configuration.
When to use it
- CDN and SaaS onboarding
- Changing an application hostname
- Verifying third-party service aliases
- Diagnosing stale CNAME targets
How to read the result
- The target is a hostname and must resolve through its own A or AAAA records.
- A CNAME normally cannot coexist with other record types at the same owner name.
- Different targets across resolvers usually indicate cached data or inconsistent authoritative servers.
Command examples
Use these dig commands when you need to compare DNSRadar with a terminal check or collect evidence for a DNS provider.
dig www.example.com CNAME +short
dig @1.1.1.1 www.example.com CNAME
dig www.example.com A +traceTroubleshooting focus
Use this page when a hostname points to a CDN, SaaS platform, hosted application or verification endpoint. CNAME issues often look like web or TLS failures, but the root cause may be an old alias, a missing target or a target hostname that does not resolve correctly.
Practical examples
- Check www.example.com after moving from one CDN or hosting provider to another.
- Verify a SaaS onboarding CNAME before marking domain verification as complete.
- Compare resolvers when only some visitors still reach an old platform.
- After changing a CNAME, check the target hostname's A and AAAA records separately.
Common mistakes
Putting CNAME beside other records at the same name
A CNAME owner name normally cannot also publish A, MX, TXT or other data.
Using CNAME at the zone apex
The root of a zone needs SOA and NS records, so apex aliases usually require ALIAS or ANAME provider behavior.
Stopping at the alias result
A correct CNAME target can still fail if the target's A, AAAA, TLS or HTTP routing is wrong.
Leaving stale provider targets
Old CDN or SaaS targets can keep serving outdated routes after a migration.
Questions
Can a root domain use a CNAME?
Traditional DNS rules do not allow a CNAME at the zone apex when other required records exist; some providers offer ALIAS or ANAME behavior instead.
Why does the CNAME resolve but the website fail?
The target may resolve correctly while TLS, HTTP routing or the target service itself is misconfigured.