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DCHost / Practical guide

How to change nameservers: DNS migration checklist

A nameserver answers DNS queries for your domain. Changing nameservers gives that task to a different DNS service. It does not move website files, mailboxes or the domain registration.

If you only need to connect the website to new hosting, updating A/AAAA records may be enough. Follow the order below when you need to change the DNS provider itself.

Visual guideRecords first, nameservers next

Prepare the new DNS service before changing the domain’s delegation.

  1. Old DNS list

    Save every website, email and verification record.

  2. New DNS list

    Create the required records at the new provider.

  3. Check readiness

    Verify the new server’s answers and the DNSSEC transition.

  4. Change nameservers

    Save the new server addresses in the domain registration account.

This does not move website files, mailboxes or the domain registration.

Before you start​

  1. Confirm that you can sign in to the account where the domain is registered.
  2. Check access to the current DNS records and the new DNS service.
  3. Obtain the new nameservers from the details for your own service. Do not copy another customer's screenshot.
  4. Keep the old DNS service running until every migration check is complete.

What is a DNS zone? It is the set of A, MX, TXT and other records for your domain. Save the complete set in the next step.

1. Save the current DNS zone​

Where? In the management panel for the DNS service currently in use.

  1. Download the zone if the panel has an export option.
  2. Otherwise, list every record's name, type, value and TTL. TTL is how long an answer may be cached.
  3. Check every group below. Saving only the home page's A record is not enough.
Record groupInformation to preserve
WebsiteA, AAAA and CNAME records for the root domain, www and other subdomains
EmailMX targets and priorities, SPF, DKIM selectors and DMARC
External servicesOwnership verification TXT records and any SRV records in use
Certificates and DNS securityCAA rules, DNSSEC status and any DS record at the registrar

If the old hosting account also provides DNS, ask whether cancelling hosting will stop DNS. Your mailboxes may be elsewhere while their DNS records still depend on the old hosting account.

2. Prepare the new zone before switching​

Where? In the new DNS provider's panel. Do not change nameservers yet.

  1. Add your domain to the new DNS service.
  2. Copy the required records from the saved list. If the panel appends the domain automatically, check for duplicated names.
  3. If the website is moving, put the new IP only in web records. If email stays where it is, preserve working MX, SPF, DKIM and DMARC records.
  4. Compare both lists record by record. Do not blindly replace the new provider's SOA and NS records with old values; they describe the zone's administration. Follow the provider's import instructions.

Does the new server answer? If the provider has published the zone and your computer has dig, query it directly. Replace ns1.example.net with an assigned new nameserver and example.com with your domain:

dig @ns1.example.net example.com SOA +norecurse
dig @ns1.example.net example.com A +norecurse
dig @ns1.example.net example.com MX +norecurse

These commands ask the selected server questions; they do not change settings. Look for status: NOERROR (no query error), aa (authoritative answer) and the expected records. Check the other assigned nameservers too. Records appearing in a panel do not prove every server is ready. If the provider activates a zone only after the nameserver change, agree that sequence with it; do not ignore missing or incorrect answers.

If DNSSEC is enabled: DNSSEC checks signatures on DNS answers. The DS record in your domain account helps verify that signature. An old DS record that does not match the new provider's key can make the domain fail. Do not delete a DNSSEC key or DS record as an experiment. Use a migration method supported by both providers.

3. Update nameservers at the domain registrar​

Visual guideThree checks before saving

A DNS move affects the website, email and signature verification together.

  • Website

    A, AAAA and www records should point to the intended server.

  • Working email

    Preserve MX and email authentication records in the new zone.

  • DNSSEC

    If DNSSEC is enabled, the domain account's DS record must match the new DNS signing setup.

Do not delete DNSSEC / DS records as an experiment; plan the transition with the providers.

Where? In the account at the company where the domain is registered. This may differ from your hosting panel.

  1. Find the domain and open its nameserver management. The menu name varies by registrar.
  2. Save the current nameserver addresses separately.
  3. Enter every nameserver supplied by the new provider.
  4. Check their spelling and save.

This delegates DNS responsibility to the new servers. Adding an arbitrary NS row in cPanel Zone Editor is a different action. You do not need to transfer the registration or buy the domain again.

4. Observe the transition​

  1. If your computer has dig, run these read-only queries. Replace example.com with your domain:
dig NS example.com +short
dig A example.com +short
dig MX example.com +short
dig TXT example.com +short
  1. Compare NS answers with the new provider's addresses and other records with your prepared targets.
  2. Open the root domain, www and other important subdomains in a browser. Check HTTPS access.
  3. Send email to an external account and receive its reply.
  4. If you use a service such as Google Workspace, check that its administration screen still recognises your domain.

Caches keep previously learned DNS answers for a while, so networks can temporarily see different results. Lowering an A record's TTL does not immediately clear old caches of the nameserver delegation.

Expected result​

NS lookups should show the new DNS provider, while website and email records should return the intended destinations. Do not retire the old service merely because the home page opens on your computer; email and other subdomains must also pass their checks.

Common errors and rollback​

The website works but email does not: Check missing MX/TXT records in the new zone and DNS resolution for the MX target. A nameserver change alone does not require recreating mailboxes.

DNS queries return SERVFAIL: A DNSSEC mismatch or an authoritative DNS issue is possible. Share the domain and time of the error with support; do not assume it is only propagation delay.

You need to restore the old nameservers: If the old DNS zone is still running, restore the saved nameservers. The DNSSEC/DS arrangement must also match that service. Rollback is affected by caches and cannot be assumed to complete instantly.

Official references​