How to point a domain at a VPS

The two ways, and when each is right

Connecting a domain to a server is one DNS record. The real decision is where that record lives:

• Move the zone to us — point the domain's nameservers at our DNS and manage every record next to the server it serves. Right when you want one panel and one invoice for the whole stack.
• Leave DNS where it is — add a single A record at your current DNS host pointing at the server's IP. Right when the domain carries a working mail setup or someone else manages it and you don't want to touch anything.

Both end the same way: the name resolves to your VPS. Neither is "more correct".

Option A — move the zone to IntoClouds

Set the nameservers shown in the panel at your registrar. DNS caches expire at different times; check A, AAAA, MX and TXT records after the change.

In the panel, Domains → Connect existing domain. Two things happen:

• Review all DNS records before changing nameservers. Automatic discovery may miss records; keep a copy of the current zone and check website and email after the switch.

Option B — one A record at your current DNS host

Copy the server's public IP from the panel (Servers → your server), then at your current DNS host add:

• A record, name @, value <server-ip>;
• A record, name www, same IP (or a CNAME to the apex) if you want the www variant to work.

Keep the TTL low (300–600s) while you're testing so mistakes cost minutes, not hours. Raise it later if you like.

Verify it actually worked

dig +short yourdomain.com (or an online DNS checker) should return the server's IP. Then open the domain in a browser — if the server runs a site on port 80 (say, one-click WordPress), it appears. If you get the old site, your resolver is still caching; give the TTL time to expire before debugging anything else.

Serving mail from this domain too? Set up mailboxes on your own domain — with the zone hosted here, the mail records are added for you.