matrix-docker-ansible-deploy/docs/configuring-dns.md

Configuring your DNS settings

^{⚡️Quick start | Prerequisites > Configuring your DNS settings > Getting the playbook > Configuring the playbook > Installing}

To set up Matrix on your domain, you'd need to do some DNS configuration.

DNS setting for server delegation (optional)

In the sample vars.yml (examples/vars.yml), we recommend to use a short user identifier like @<username>:example.com.

To use such an identifier, you don't need to install anything on the actual example.com server. Instead, you need to instruct the Matrix network that Matrix services for example.com are redirected over to matrix.example.com. This redirection is also known as "delegation".

As we discuss in Server Delegation, server delegation can be configured in either of these ways:

• Setting up a /.well-known/matrix/server file on the base domain (example.com)
• Setting up a _matrix._tcp DNS SRV record

For simplicity reasons, this playbook recommends you to set up server delegation via a /.well-known/matrix/server file, instead of using a DNS SRV record.

If you choose the recommended method (file-based delegation), you do not need to configure the DNS record to enable server delegation. You will need to add a necessary configuration later, when you finalize the installation after installing and starting Matrix services.

On the other hand, if you choose this method (setting up a DNS SRV record), you need to configure the additional DNS record as well as adjust SSL certificate handling. Take a look at this documentation for more information: Server Delegation via a DNS SRV record (advanced)

DNS settings for services enabled by default

To serve the base domain (example.com) and Element Web with the default subdomain, adjust DNS records as below.

Type	Host	Priority	Weight	Port	Target
A	matrix	-	-	-	matrix-server-IP
CNAME	element	-	-	-	matrix.example.com

As the table illustrates, you need to create 2 subdomains (matrix.example.com and element.example.com) and point both of them to your server's IP address (DNS A record or CNAME record is fine).

The element.example.com subdomain is necessary, because this playbook installs the Element Web client for you by default. If you'd rather instruct the playbook not to install Element Web (matrix_client_element_enabled: false when Configuring the playbook later), feel free to skip the element.example.com DNS record.

Be mindful as to how long it will take for the DNS records to propagate.

If you are using Cloudflare DNS, make sure to disable the proxy and set all records to DNS only. Otherwise, fetching certificates will fail.

DNS settings for optional services/features

For other services which may need subdomain settings, see the table below and configure the DNS (CNAME) records accordingly.

Used by component	Type	Host	Priority	Weight	Port	Target
Dimension integration server	CNAME	dimension	-	-	-	matrix.example.com
Jitsi video-conferencing platform	CNAME	jitsi	-	-	-	matrix.example.com
Prometheus/Grafana monitoring system	CNAME	stats	-	-	-	matrix.example.com
Go-NEB bot	CNAME	goneb	-	-	-	matrix.example.com
Sygnal push notification gateway	CNAME	sygnal	-	-	-	matrix.example.com
ntfy push notifications server	CNAME	ntfy	-	-	-	matrix.example.com
Etherpad collaborative text editor	CNAME	etherpad	-	-	-	matrix.example.com
Hydrogen web client	CNAME	hydrogen	-	-	-	matrix.example.com
Cinny web client	CNAME	cinny	-	-	-	matrix.example.com
SchildiChat Web client	CNAME	schildichat	-	-	-	matrix.example.com
wsproxy sms bridge	CNAME	wsproxy	-	-	-	matrix.example.com
Buscarron helpdesk bot	CNAME	buscarron	-	-	-	matrix.example.com
rageshake bug report server	CNAME	rageshake	-	-	-	matrix.example.com
ma1sd identity server	SRV	_matrix-identity._tcp	10	0	443	matrix.example.com
Postmoogle/Email2Matrix email bridges	MX	matrix	10	0	-	matrix.example.com
Postmoogle email bridge	TXT	matrix	-	-	-	v=spf1 ip4:matrix-server-IP -all
Postmoogle email bridge	TXT	_dmarc.matrix	-	-	-	v=DMARC1; p=quarantine;
Postmoogle email bridge	TXT	postmoogle._domainkey.matrix	-	-	-	get it from !pm dkim

SRV record for ma1sd

To make ma1sd enable its federation features, you need to set up a _matrix-identity._tcp SRV record. Don't confuse this with the _matrix._tcp SRV record for server delegation. See the table above and this section for values which need to be specified.

When setting up a SRV record, if you are asked for a service and protocol instead of a hostname split the host value from the table where the period is. For example use service as _matrix-identity and protocol as _tcp.

MX and TXT records for Postmoogle

To make Postmoogle enable its email sending features, you need to configure MX and TXT (SPF, DMARC, and DKIM) records. See the table above for values which need to be specified.

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▶️ When you're done with the DNS configuration and ready to proceed, continue with Getting the playbook.