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

Configuring your DNS settings

^{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 ID like @alice:example.com instead of @alice:matrix.example.com.

To use such an ID, 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.

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

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