How to point domain to EC2

AwsHow-ToBeginner · 4 min read

How to Point Your Domain to an AWS EC2 Instance

To point a domain to an AWS EC2 instance, create an A record in your domain's DNS settings that maps your domain name to the EC2 instance's public IP address. Alternatively, use an Elastic IP for a static IP and update the DNS record accordingly.

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Syntax

When pointing a domain to an EC2 instance, you mainly work with DNS records. The key syntax is creating an A record that links your domain or subdomain to the EC2 instance's IP address.

Domain Name: The domain or subdomain you want to point (e.g., example.com or www.example.com).
Record Type: Use A for IPv4 addresses.
Value: The public IP address of your EC2 instance or an Elastic IP.
TTL: Time to live, how long DNS caches the record (usually 300 seconds is fine).

dns

example.com. 300 IN A 203.0.113.25

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Example

This example shows how to create an A record in AWS Route 53 to point www.example.com to an EC2 instance with a static Elastic IP 203.0.113.25.

hcl

resource "aws_route53_record" "www" {
  zone_id = "Z3P5QSUBK4POTI"  # Your hosted zone ID
  name    = "www"
  type    = "A"
  ttl     = 300
  records = ["203.0.113.25"]
}

Output

Creates an A record www.example.com pointing to 203.0.113.25 in Route 53

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Common Pitfalls

Using the EC2 public IP directly without Elastic IP: The public IP can change if the instance stops and starts, breaking your domain link.
Not waiting for DNS propagation: DNS changes can take minutes to hours to update worldwide.
Forgetting to open port 80/443 in EC2 security groups: Your website won’t be reachable if HTTP/HTTPS ports are blocked.
Incorrect DNS record type: Using CNAME for root domain instead of A record can cause issues.

dns

;; Wrong: Using EC2 dynamic IP without Elastic IP
example.com. 300 IN A 54.123.45.67

;; Right: Using Elastic IP
example.com. 300 IN A 203.0.113.25

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Quick Reference

Summary tips for pointing your domain to EC2:

Always use an Elastic IP for stable IP address.
Update your domain's DNS A record to the Elastic IP.
Open necessary ports (80 for HTTP, 443 for HTTPS) in EC2 security groups.
Use Route 53 or your DNS provider's console to manage DNS records.
Allow time for DNS changes to propagate (up to 48 hours, usually faster).

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Key Takeaways

Use an Elastic IP for your EC2 instance to keep a stable IP address.

Create an A record in your domain's DNS pointing to the Elastic IP.

Ensure EC2 security groups allow web traffic on ports 80 and 443.

DNS changes can take time to propagate; be patient after updates.

Use Route 53 or your DNS provider's dashboard to manage DNS records easily.