Nameservers tell the internet which server answers for your domain. That's where it's decided where your website, email and every other service on the domain point. If you change nameservers, you change "who's in control" of the DNS records.

Which nameservers to use

Changing nameservers

1. Go to Domains → My Domains and click Manage on the domain.
2. The Nameservers card shows the current nameservers, as reported by the registry.
3. Enter the new ones in NS1 to NS5 (at least 2), or click Use default nameservers for ours.
4. Click Save Nameservers. You'll see that the nameservers were saved and receive a notification email.

Before changing: if your email runs at the old provider, changing nameservers will stop it until it's set up at the new one too. First create the email accounts and DNS records (MX, A etc.) at the new provider, and then change the nameservers. If you're not sure, ask us in a ticket before the change.

How long it takes (DNS propagation)

The change at the registry is immediate. But DNS servers around the world keep the old information in their memory (cache) for a while. So the change "spreads" gradually:

• Usually within 1-4 hours.
• In some cases up to 24, rarely 48 hours.
• Meanwhile, some visitors see the old server and some the new one. You may still see the old website while others see the new one.

To see the new version sooner on your computer: close and reopen your browser, try from your phone on mobile data (not your Wi-Fi), or check progress with a tool such as whatsmydns.net. We can't speed up propagation; it depends on internet providers.

Private nameservers (child nameservers)

If you have your own server or VPS and want nameservers with your own name, e.g. ns1.yourdomain.com, you first need to register them at the registry with their IP (glue records):

1. On the domain page, open the Private Nameservers card.
2. Under Action choose Register.
3. Enter the Nameserver (e.g. ns1.yourdomain.com) and your server's IP Address.
4. Click Submit. You'll see that the action completed. Repeat for ns2.
5. Once registered, enter them in the Nameservers card.

Modify changes an existing nameserver's IP (you enter the Current IP and New IP), and Delete removes it. The Your nameservers list shows those you've already registered. Your server must be set up to answer for the domain's DNS zone.

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