If you’re a business owner or manager, you’ve probably heard of “DNS” or been asked to make changes to it at some point. You might not fully understand what DNS is or why it’s important for your website. Don’t worry—you’re not alone! In this blog post, we’ll break down the key concepts behind DNS in simple terms and explain why it might be necessary to change or “redelegate” your DNS settings.
What Is DNS?
DNS stands for Domain Name System. Think of it as the internet’s phonebook. When you type a website’s name, like www.example.com, into your browser, DNS helps connect that name to the correct website by finding its address. Just like a phonebook matches a person’s name to their phone number, DNS matches your website name to the correct server (the computer where your website is hosted).
Some people mistakenly think that DNS stands for “Domain Name Servers.” This confusion happens because nameservers play an important role in DNS. However, DNS refers to the whole system of linking domain names to IP addresses, while nameservers are just a part of that process. So, to be clear: DNS is the Domain Name System, not Domain Name Servers.
Key Terms to Know
To understand DNS a little better, let’s go over a few important terms you’ll likely come across:
- Nameservers: Nameservers are like guides. When someone tries to visit your website, nameservers tell their computer where to go to find your website’s files. They act as the bridge between the website name (domain) and the server where your website is hosted. Sometimes people spell them as name servers instead of nameservers.For example, if your website is hosted by a company like Itomic, GoDaddy or Bluehost, they’ll often provide the nameservers that are linked to your hosting account.
- Zone Files: Zone files contain the essential records that map your domain name to specific services, like your website or email server. These files live on the nameserver and help control where traffic goes when someone tries to access your website or send you an email.Think of zone files as the instructions for your website’s traffic—they tell the internet how to reach your web pages or where to deliver emails addressed to your domain.
- Registrars: A domain registrar is a company where you purchase your domain name (like example.com). Some popular registrars include companies like GoDaddy, Namecheap, or Google Domains. When you buy your domain, it’s registered with a registrar, and you can manage your DNS settings through them.
- Redelegation: This is just a fancy way of saying you are changing your domain’s nameservers. Redelegating involves pointing your domain from one set of nameservers to another. For example, if you’ve decided to move your website from one hosting provider to another, you might need to redelegate your DNS to make sure your website visitors are sent to the new hosting server instead of the old one.
Why Would You Want to Change Your Nameservers?
There are a few common reasons why a business might need to redelegate their nameservers:
- Switching hosting providers: If you decide to move your website from one hosting company to another, you will need to change the nameservers to point to the new host’s servers. This ensures that when people visit your website, they see the version hosted on the new servers.
- Improved performance or security: Some companies choose to change nameservers to take advantage of better speed or security features. For instance, a service like Cloudflare offers additional security against threats like hackers, as well as features to improve website loading speed.
- Better email management: If you want to use a specific email service, like Google Workspace (formerly G Suite), you might need to update your nameservers to route your domain’s email through Google’s systems.
- Nameservers being discontinued: Another reason you might need to redelegate is if your current nameservers are being shut down or discontinued. This could happen if your hosting provider is retiring old infrastructure, or if a third-party DNS provider is closing. In such cases, you will need to change to a new set of nameservers to ensure your website stays accessible.
What are the Nameservers of my domain right now?
There are multiple ways to find this out. Simple web-based lookup services like these do a good job. Simply replace Itomic’s domain name with your own:
https://intodns.com/itomic.com.au
https://www.whois.com/whois/itomic.com.au
How Do You Change (Redelegate) Nameservers?
Changing nameservers is not as complicated as it sounds, but please do seek appropriate technical support if you’re not sure. It usually involves a few simple steps:
- Login to your domain registrar’s control panel: First, log in to the website where you registered your domain (like GoDaddy, Namecheap, etc.).
- Locate the DNS settings: Look for a section called “DNS Settings” or “Nameserver Settings.” Every registrar has a slightly different layout, but the idea is the same.
- Enter the new nameservers: Your hosting company or DNS provider will give you the nameservers you need. Typically, they look something like
ns1.itomicdns.comandns2.itomicdns.com. These are Itomic’s nameservers, you might have guessed! You will enter your new nameservers in place of the old ones. - Save your changes: Once you’ve entered the new nameservers, save the changes. It may take anywhere from a few minutes to 48 hours for the change to fully take effect (this is called propagation).
- Double-check your website and email: After the changes are made, visit your website and check that everything is working as expected. If you have email services associated with your domain, test those too.
Where Do You Redelegate Nameservers?
You will generally make DNS changes through your domain registrar (where you purchased your domain name). Some businesses choose to handle DNS through their hosting provider, while others may use a third-party DNS management service like Cloudflare. In either case, the key is to log in to the control panel of your registrar or DNS provider to make the changes.
Can I Check If My Nameservers are Configured Correctly?
It’s important to make the distinction between:
- Nameservers that are configured in a standards-compliant way (RFC 1034, RFC 1035, RFC 2181) and
- Nameservers that have the correct information for your business needs, e.g. to direct website traffic to the correct website hosting server (IP address).
Here are two such services that check a domain name (ours!) for standards-compliancy:
https://mxtoolbox.com/emailhealth/itomic.com.au/
https://intodns.com/itomic.com.au
It’s actually very common to see one or more warnings for your domain using the above service, and it’s almost always completely safe to ignore such warnings (but check with an expert company like Itomic if you’re not sure!).
If such services report errors, then yes, this is something you should get checked out, and will almost certainly want to resolve.
Final Thoughts
DNS may seem complicated at first, but understanding a few key terms can make a big difference when managing your website. Knowing how nameservers, zone files, and registrars work will help you make informed decisions about your website hosting. And if you ever need to redelegate your nameservers, it’s as easy as updating a few settings in your registrar’s control panel.
Remember, changing nameservers is a normal part of managing a website—whether you’re switching hosting providers, upgrading for better security and speed, improving your email services, or handling discontinued nameservers. The key is to stay informed so your business website runs smoothly and efficiently.
If you have any questions or need help with your DNS settings, feel free to reach out to your hosting provider or IT professional. They can guide you through the process and ensure everything is set up correctly.