DNS & Glossary

AAAA record (IPv6 Address record)

The IPv6 counterpart of the A record: it maps a hostname to a 128-bit IPv6 address, enabling dual-stack connectivity for modern networks.

What it stores

An AAAA record maps a name to a 128-bit IPv6 address. Publishing both A and AAAA records makes a host dual-stack, so IPv6-capable clients can connect natively while IPv4-only clients still work.

ZONE FILE
example.com.   300   IN   AAAA   2606:2800:220:1:248:1893:25c8:1946

Why it matters

  • IPv6 adoption is high on mobile networks; a missing AAAA forces those users through slower IPv4 paths.
  • Dual-stack improves reach and future-proofs the service.

Common mistakes

  • Publishing an AAAA record that points at a host not actually listening on IPv6, causing timeouts for IPv6 clients.
  • Omitting IPv6 entirely on infrastructure that supports it.

How WebInspect checks this

  • The Network Inspector reports AAAA records and warns when a domain has no IPv6 address.