You've registered a domain and set up hosting — now you need to connect them. There are two main methods: changing nameservers or updating A records. The right approach depends on your setup.
Method 1: Change Nameservers (Recommended for New Setups)
This is the most common method when moving to a new host. Your hosting provider gives you two nameservers (e.g. ns1.yourhost.com and ns2.yourhost.com).
- Log in to your domain registrar.
- Go to your domain's DNS or Nameserver settings.
- Replace the existing nameservers with those provided by your host.
- Save. Allow up to 48 hours for propagation.
When to use: Moving all services (website, email) to a new hosting provider.
Method 2: Update the A Record (Recommended for Partial Moves)
If you only want to change where the website points while keeping email and other settings unchanged, update just the A record.
- Find your new hosting server's IP address (your host will provide this).
- Log in to your current DNS provider or registrar.
- Find the A record for
@(root domain) andwww. - Update both to the new IP address.
- Save. Changes propagate in 1–24 hours depending on TTL.
When to use: Keeping your DNS provider (e.g. Cloudflare) but changing hosting servers.
Method 3: CNAME to a Hosted Service
If you're using a hosted platform (Shopify, Squarespace, GitHub Pages), they typically ask you to add a CNAME record for www pointing to their hostname.
Verifying the Connection
After making changes, use our DNS Lookup tool to verify the A record is returning the correct IP. Allow time for propagation before concluding something is wrong.
Common Mistakes
- Changing nameservers but expecting existing A records from the old provider to still work
- Only updating the root domain A record and forgetting
www - Not waiting long enough for DNS propagation