Connect Your Own Domain to Your Game Server

Do you want to make your game server reachable not at yourserver.game-serverhosting.de, but under your own domain (e.g. play.yourdomain.com or yourdomain.com)? This guide walks you through the process step by step: ownership verification, the right DNS record type, and the optional SRV record for connecting without a port.

Overview: three DNS records (two required, one optional)

You create these records at your own DNS provider (e.g. Cloudflare, Namecheap, IONOS, Strato). In the dashboard under “Own Domain”, you’ll find the exact values to copy.

Step 1: Ownership verification via TXT record

To prevent anyone from pointing domains they don’t own to our servers, we require ownership verification. Create this TXT record:

Name:  _gsh-verify.yourdomain.com
Type:  TXT
Value: gsh-verify=<your-individual-token>

You’ll find the exact token in the dashboard — copy it exactly as shown. Subdomains in the domain (e.g. play) are included too: in that case, the name is _gsh-verify.play.yourdomain.com.

Step 2: Point to the server — CNAME or A record

Now you connect your domain to the server. Which record type is correct depends on whether you’re using a subdomain or an apex domain.

Subdomain (recommended): CNAME

Point a subdomain like play.yourdomain.com to your server via CNAME:

Name:   play.yourdomain.com
Type:   CNAME
Target: yourserver.game-serverhosting.de

Important: DNS-only / grey cloud! If your DNS provider is Cloudflare, the orange cloud (proxy) MUST be disabled — set it to grey (“DNS only”). The Cloudflare proxy is intended for HTTP/HTTPS and blocks your server’s raw game TCP/UDP traffic. With the proxy enabled, your server is not reachable.

Apex domain (without subdomain): A record

According to RFC 1034, an apex domain (also “root domain”, e.g. yourdomain.com without www or play in front) cannot have a CNAME. Use an A record pointing directly to your server’s IP address instead:

Name:  yourdomain.com
Type:  A
Value: <IP address of your server>

You’ll find the IP in the dashboard. Note: if your server later moves to another node, you’ll need to update this A record — a subdomain with CNAME, on the other hand, follows automatically. The same applies here: DNS-only, no proxy.

Step 3 (optional, Minecraft only): SRV record for connecting without a port

Minecraft Java clients connect to the default port 25565 without an SRV record. If your server runs on a different port, your players would have to enter yourdomain.com:25584. With an SRV record, entering the port is no longer needed:

Name:  _minecraft._tcp.yourdomain.com
Type:  SRV
Value: 0 5 <Port> <Target>

Example for port 25584 with target yourserver.game-serverhosting.de:

0 5 25584 yourserver.game-serverhosting.de

The four values mean: priority (0), weight (5), port, target hostname.

No conflict with the apex domain: Unlike a CNAME, an SRV record does not conflict with the A record of an apex domain. Both records (A on yourdomain.com and SRV on _minecraft._tcp.yourdomain.com) can exist in the same zone without problems — the RFC 1034 restriction only applies to CNAME.

The SRV record is located in your own zone and cannot be verified by us — it is purely optional and does not affect domain verification.

Step 4: Wait for verification

Once the TXT and CNAME/A record are set, we check your domain automatically every 2 minutes. You don’t need to click anything — the dashboard polls in the background and changes the status from “Pending” to “Verified” as soon as both records are detected correctly.

Depending on the provider, DNS changes can take a few minutes up to an hour to propagate worldwide. Waiting is normal.

Connecting without an SRV record

If you haven’t set an SRV record, you and your players simply connect using the domain plus port:

yourdomain.com:25584

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is my server not reachable after setting the CNAME? By far the most common cause: the Cloudflare proxy is still enabled (orange cloud). Set the record to “DNS only” (grey cloud). The proxy blocks game traffic.

Why doesn’t the CNAME carry over to the SRV record? DNS records are not inherited hierarchically. _minecraft._tcp.yourdomain.com is its own entry and must be created separately — even if yourdomain.com already points via CNAME/A.

Can I use an apex domain AND an SRV record at the same time? Yes. A record (apex) and SRV record coexist without conflict. Only CNAME is forbidden on apex domains.

Do I really have to enter the port? Only without an SRV record. With SRV, Minecraft Java clients automatically connect on the correct port — players only enter yourdomain.com.