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Set DNS with IONOS

Connect an IONOS API key once. MainPath writes A and CNAME records into your zone.

On this page

If your domain lives at IONOS, you no longer have to copy records by hand. You store an API key under Connections; once a project has domains, MainPath writes the records into the matching zone.

Manual DNS is still possible. See Configure a DNS record.

API key in IONOS

This uses the Hosting DNS API (api.hosting.ionos.com), not IONOS Cloud and not the Data Center Designer. A Cloud token from the DCD will not work here.

  1. Sign in to your IONOS account (customer number, email, or domain).
  2. Open the Developer Hub and enable API access once (accept the terms).
  3. Under API Keys create a new key.
  4. Copy the public prefix and secret. In MainPath you enter them as a single line prefix.secret (joined with a dot). IONOS often shows the two parts separately; do not paste them with a space or a line break.

Without API access enabled on the account, IONOS rejects the key even when prefix and secret look correct.

Connection in MainPath

  1. Open Connections and Add connection.
  2. Under DNS, choose the IONOS tile.
  3. Paste the API key and save. MainPath checks whether the key is valid and which zones it can see.

Several IONOS connections in one organization are allowed. If a hostname matches more than one zone, MainPath uses the most specific one (shop.example.com before example.com).

What is written

MainPath uses the same hosts you see under Domains.

  • Records are only written when a real server address already exists.
  • Existing records of the same type are updated; the whole zone is never replaced.
  • Changes usually show up quickly.
flowchart LR
  org["IONOS connection"]
  domains["Domains in MainPath"]
  zone["IONOS zone"]
  server["Your server"]
  org --> zone
  domains -->|"A / CNAME"| zone
  zone --> server

After you save a project, MainPath tries to align missing or mismatched records. You can see the check status in the domain overview.

SSL via DNS-01 (optional)

If Let’s Encrypt cannot reach the server (no public HTTP/443, firewall, internal IP), open this connection’s details and tick the affected domains. MainPath then writes the _acme-challenge TXT record into this zone. Unticked domains keep the existing TLS-ALPN challenge on the server.

Troubleshooting

  • Invalid key: Check the prefix.secret format (one dot, no spaces), enable API access in the IONOS account, and update the connection. A token from IONOS Cloud / DCD is the wrong type.
  • No record in IONOS: The domain is not in a zone this key can see. Check the account or zone name.
  • Zone visible, domain unreachable: The zone exists at IONOS, but the domain’s nameservers point elsewhere. MainPath flags this in the IONOS details and on Domains. Point the nameservers at the registrar to IONOS (ns*.ui-dns.*).
  • Status in MainPath still red: DNS often takes a few minutes, or the server does not have a known address yet.

See also