Updating nameservers and DNS: the basics

Nameservers and DNS records work together to connect your domain to your website and email. Knowing which one to change saves time and avoids accidental outages.

Nameservers versus DNS records

• Nameservers decide which DNS service is in charge of your domain. They are set at the registrar.
• DNS records, such as A, CNAME, MX and TXT, live in that DNS service and map your domain and subdomains to the servers for your website, email and other services.

Changing nameservers moves control of every record at once to a different DNS service. Changing a single record affects only that entry. If you only need to point your website somewhere new while keeping email as it is, editing records is usually the safer choice.

Changing nameservers for a domain in your account

1. Open Domains and select the domain. The domain must be Active for the form to be available.
2. In the Nameservers section, enter the new values. Nameserver 1 and Nameserver 2 are required; Nameserver 3 and Nameserver 4 are optional.
3. Choose Save nameservers.

Each change is listed under Recent changes on the domain page. It shows Pending while our team applies it, then Applied. Enter hostnames exactly as your DNS provider gives them, such as ns1.example-dns.com, without "http://" or a trailing dot.

Domains registered elsewhere

If your domain is registered with another company, change the nameservers in that registrar's control panel. The concept is the same, though the menu may be called "DNS", "Nameservers" or "Domain settings".

Before you change anything

• Record the current values so you can switch back quickly.
• Recreate your records first. Make sure the new DNS service already contains the records for your website and, especially, your email (MX, SPF and any verification TXT records).
• Expect a delay. Nameserver changes are cached across the internet and can take up to 48 hours to reach everyone.

Where to edit individual records

Individual DNS records are managed in the DNS service your nameservers point to. For managed hosting, that is usually the DNS area of your hosting control panel. If you use a third-party DNS provider, edit them there. If you are not sure which service is in charge, or you need records set up on our side, open a ticket with the domain name and the records you need. See Understanding DNS records.