Domain forwarding vs DNS: what actually changes?

Changing a DNS record and creating a redirect are two different parts of connecting an old domain. Confusing them can leave a domain pointing at the right server while visitors still reach the wrong place.

Consider a visitor opening https://old.example.com/pricing. DNS helps the browser find the server for old.example.com. The server then handles the request for /pricing. A redirect response supplies a new URL for the browser to visit.

What belongs in DNS

An A record points a hostname at an IPv4 address. An AAAA record serves the corresponding IPv6 role. A CNAME makes one hostname an alias of another hostname. None of those record values contains a page path such as /pricing.

Cloudflare's DNS record reference explains the record types. Your provider's form may look different, so follow its naming conventions when entering records.

What belongs in RedirectDuck

The redirect rule contains the source address, destination URL and response code. It also controls whether the matched path and incoming query parameters are carried forward.

For example:

Source:       old.example.com/pricing
Destination:  https://example.com/plans
Status code:  301

The DNS record sends requests to the edge. This rule tells that edge what to do with the pricing path. Putting the new website's hostname into DNS alone does not create this URL mapping.

Connect the root domain and www deliberately

Add the domain in RedirectDuck and use the DNS values shown for its selected zone. Copy the current values from the application rather than an old tutorial.

If visitors use both example.com and www.example.com, configure and test both names. A working root-domain address is not proof that the www record is correct. Other subdomains also need their own DNS setup and an appropriate rule.

After saving the records, run domain verification. Test an actual old URL as well: verification checks DNS, while the request checks the visitor's route through the service.

Keep email and other services in the plan

Inventory the existing records before editing them. A domain used for website redirects may still receive email or identify another service. Preserve the mail provider's MX and authentication records.

Also check what those records depend on. For example, if a mail hostname shares an address you are changing, retaining the MX record alone may not preserve delivery. Confirm the expected setup with the mail provider.

Check each layer separately

If a redirect does not work, inspect the hostname's DNS, the domain's verification state and the matching rule in that order. Then test HTTPS and the final destination.

The domain migration checklist provides the broader sequence. Keep a copy of the original DNS configuration alongside your URL mapping so you can tell exactly what changed.