What are nameservers? How to find your assigned values
Nameservers answer DNS questions for your domain, telling visitors which records to use for websites, email and other services.
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Overview
Nameservers answer DNS questions for your domain, telling visitors which records to use for websites, email and other services.
To find your current delegation, check the domain registrar account or a public DNS NS lookup. To find the values you should use after a move, open the destination DNS provider's account instructions for that exact domain or zone. GoDaddy and Namecheap do not have one universal pair that is correct for every customer; never copy sample ns1/ns2 values from a tutorial.
Before changing delegation, recreate the full DNS zone: A/AAAA or CNAME website records, MX mail records, TXT verification, SPF, DKIM and DMARC. Nameservers can be separate from both registrar and web host. Cached answers can persist until their TTL expires, so test website and email and leave old services available during the change. DNS delegation does not itself copy website files or mailboxes.
What is DNS hosting?
DNS hosting is the service of managing the DNS (Domain Name System) records for your domain. DNS records tell the internet where to find your website, where to deliver your email, and how to verify your domain with various services. DNS hosting is often provided by your domain registrar, your web host, or a dedicated DNS provider.
When someone types your domain name into a browser, the DNS system translates that domain into the IP address of your hosting server. This translation is handled by DNS servers that hold your domain's records. DNS hosting is the service of running those DNS servers and storing your records.
DNS records include A records (pointing to an IP address), CNAME records (pointing to another domain name), MX records (directing email to your mail server), TXT records (used for domain verification and security configurations like DKIM and SPF), and NS records (specifying which DNS servers are authoritative for your domain).
Cloudflare is one of the most popular third-party DNS hosting providers. Its free plan provides fast DNS resolution via its global anycast network, DDoS protection for DNS queries, and easy record management. Many domain owners point their nameservers to Cloudflare for DNS management even when hosting their site elsewhere.
Your domain registrar (GoDaddy, Namecheap, etc.) provides basic DNS hosting by default when you register a domain. Most hosting providers also offer DNS management for domains connected to their servers. The choice of DNS host can affect how quickly changes propagate and how resilient your DNS is to attacks.
What is NS hosting?
NS usually refers to nameservers: the DNS servers responsible for answering a domain's records.
A nameserver service does not store your website files or necessarily deliver your email. It publishes records such as A, AAAA, CNAME and MX that direct those services.
Use the exact assigned nameservers from the DNS provider. Before changing delegation, copy the whole zone, including mail and verification records, and allow time for cached answers to expire.
What is a hosted zone?
A hosted zone is a container for a domain's DNS records, commonly used in Amazon Route 53.
A public zone answers internet DNS queries when the domain is delegated to its assigned nameservers. A private zone answers within associated private networks; creating it does not publish a public website.
A zone is neither domain registration nor website storage. Copy records carefully, preserve email records, and use the nameservers assigned to that exact public zone rather than nameservers from a tutorial.
Common questions
What are nameservers? How to find your assigned values
Nameservers answer DNS questions for your domain, telling visitors which records to use for websites, email and other services.
What should I check next?
Before changing delegation, recreate the full DNS zone: A/AAAA or CNAME website records, MX mail records, TXT verification, SPF, DKIM and DMARC. Nameservers can be separate from both registrar and web host. Cached answers can persist until their TTL expires, so test website and email and leave old services available during the change. DNS delegation does not itself copy website files or mailboxes.
Is DNS hosting the same as web hosting?
No. DNS hosting manages the records that point your domain to your website. Web hosting stores and serves your website's files. You need both, but they can be provided by different services.
Do I need a separate DNS host?
Not necessarily. Your domain registrar and web host both typically provide DNS hosting. A separate DNS provider like Cloudflare can improve performance, reliability, and security, and is free to use.
How do I change my DNS host?
Update the nameservers for your domain at your domain registrar to point to your new DNS provider. The nameserver change propagates globally within a few hours to 48 hours.
What is NS hosting?
NS usually refers to nameservers: the DNS servers responsible for answering a domain's records.
What is a hosted zone?
A hosted zone is a container for a domain's DNS records, commonly used in Amazon Route 53.