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Set Up a Custom Domain for Your Minecraft Server

Point your own domain at your Lodgichost server with A and SRV DNS records in about eight minutes.

By Lodgichost Team · Last updated: August 19, 2026

Your Lodgichost server is reachable at a hostname such as server.lodgichost.pro plus an external port for Java Edition. A custom domain lets players join play.example.com instead of memorising a hostname and port. It works through DNS records in your registrar's zone that point the domain at your server's IP. Java Edition supports two approaches: an A record when the hostname is used directly, or an SRV record for _minecraft._tcp that also carries the port. Bedrock Edition connects over UDP and needs an A record as the reliable baseline, since official Bedrock clients ignore SRV. Changes propagate within minutes to a few hours.

What You Need Before You Start

Gather these three pieces before opening your DNS panel. The section on a typical registrar such as Namecheap, Cloudflare, GoDaddy or OVH is called DNS Management, Advanced DNS or DNS Zone. Every record you add is just a mapping from a name to an IP address or another name; editing DNS cannot break the server, and you can delete a record later.

Your server hostname and external port from the Lodgichost panel, for example server.lodgichost.pro and 25565.
The public IP address of your server, listed next to the hostname. Use this IP in every A record.
DNS editing rights for the domain, which you have if you bought it from a registrar or manage its zone at a DNS provider.

Option A: A Record for Java Edition

An A record maps a hostname to an IPv4 address. It is the simplest option and works whenever players can type a port, or when your server runs on the default Java port 25565. Create the record with the host portion of your domain and your server's IP. If you later change servers, update the value to the new IP.

Type:  A
Host:  play
Value: 203.0.113.42
TTL:   300

Option B: SRV Record for Java Edition

An SRV record lets Java players connect to play.example.com without typing a port, even when the game port is not 25565. The client looks up _minecraft._tcp.play.example.com, reads the target hostname and port from the answer, and connects there. The target must be a hostname with its own A record, so confirm that server.lodgichost.pro resolves before testing. Use one approach per subdomain, never both. Enter the target without a trailing dot; some panels add it automatically.

Type:    SRV
Host:    _minecraft._tcp.play
Target:  server.lodgichost.pro
Port:    25565
TTL:     300

Bedrock Edition: A Record Plus Optional SRV

Bedrock Edition runs on UDP and the default port is 19132. Official Bedrock clients on Windows 10/11, consoles and mobile do not resolve SRV records, so an A record pointing at your server IP is the only reliable setup. Players join by typing the hostname and, if the port is not 19132, the port as well. Third-party launchers sometimes honour a Bedrock SRV record, so adding one does not hurt, but do not rely on it.

Type:  A
Host:  bedrock
Value: 203.0.113.42
TTL:   300

Type:    SRV   (optional, ignored by official clients)
Host:    _minecraft._udp.bedrock
Target:  bedrock.example.com
Port:    19132

Default Bedrock port is 19132 over UDP. If yours differs, players add :port in the client.
Some panels merge the service and protocol into one Host field, so you type _minecraft._udp.bedrock as shown.
Because official clients ignore SRV, always test with the plain hostname:port first.

Wait for Propagation and Verify

DNS changes spread from your provider's authoritative nameservers to resolvers worldwide. Lowering the TTL to 300 before a planned change speeds things up; the new value usually appears within minutes to a few hours. Check the record from the outside instead of trusting your own resolver, because your router or operating system may still return the old cached answer.

dig SRV _minecraft._tcp.play.example.com +short
nslookup -type=SRV _minecraft._tcp.play.example.com
nslookup play.example.com

On Windows run nslookup -type=SRV _minecraft._tcp.play.example.com; on Linux or macOS use dig SRV _minecraft._tcp.play.example.com +short.
If the answer still shows an old port or IP, flush your resolver with ipconfig /flushdns on Windows or wait out the old TTL.
Do not ping play.example.com when you use an SRV record. The subdomain itself has no A record, which is expected.

Troubleshooting

Players get 'Can't connect to server' — The A record points at the wrong IP or the change has not propagated. Re-check the IP in the panel and wait out the old TTL.
Java still asks for a port despite the SRV record — The record name must be exactly _minecraft._tcp.play.example.com with the underscores, and the target must be a hostname with its own A record, not a raw IP.
nslookup shows the record but the game cannot reach it — Compare the SRV port with the external port in the panel; they must match, then restart the game.
Bedrock players cannot join — Official Bedrock clients ignore SRV records, so they must use the A record hostname with the correct UDP port, 19132 by default.

FAQ

Do I need both an A record and an SRV record?

For Java Edition, one or the other per subdomain. The SRV target must be a hostname with its own A record. Bedrock requires the A record; official clients ignore SRV.

Does a custom domain hide my server's IP address?

No. A domain is only a name; the A record still points directly at your server's public IP, which any DNS lookup reveals. Use a proxy if you want to hide it.

What exactly does the SRV record do?

It tells Java clients which hostname and port to use for _minecraft._tcp.<your-subdomain>. That is how players connect to play.example.com without typing a port, even on a non-default port.

How long does DNS propagation take?

Usually minutes to a few hours, bounded by the previous record's TTL and each resolver's cache. A TTL of 300 set before a planned change shortens the wait.

Can one domain serve both Java and Bedrock players?

Yes, with separate subdomains, play.example.com for Java and bedrock.example.com for Bedrock. Match each SRV port and Bedrock UDP port to the value in the panel.

Related Guides

Getting Started — Find your hostname, external port and IP in the Lodgichost control panel.
Remote Admin with RCON — Run console commands over TCP once players are connecting to your new domain.
DDoS Protection — A custom domain does not hide your IP; understand what actually does.