Best way to add a DNS wildcard record for a domain

Question

What is the best way to add a DNS wildcard record for a domain?

I want example.net, www.example.net, a.b.c.www.example.net, ... going to one server.

Now I use:

example.net.    60  IN  A       1.2.3.4
*.example.net.  60  IN  CNAME   example.net.

Is it possible to do it simpler?

Solution

Either this, or a direct A record (saves one lookup) are the best options you have, yes.

*.example.net.  60  IN  A 1.2.3.4

Comments

[user9517]

What is wrong with what you're currently doing ?

[Watki02]

What benefit would you get by being "simpler"? (e.g. less records, less lookups, easier for an end-user) I can't tell what your measure of success is, and that looks pretty good.

[Scott Leadley]

Why would he want to get into the DNS service business for a domain with one server? What user or admin problem does it solve? Is is worth the effort? No down vote, but without further explanation, this seems like a solution in search of a problem.

[Richy B.]

It's how I've wildcarded all my development domains. Use DNSmasq and anything *.mydevelopment.tld will go to my development machine. He's obviously running some sort of DNS service (either on his machine for himself, on a server for others or on a third party DNS service): I've given one solution for two out of three possibilities.

[Nils Toedtmann]

You still need example.net. in there