Domain & DNS
What Are Nameservers?
A plain-language explanation of what nameservers are, why we need to update them, and what to expect when we do.
Before you start
Steps
-
Your domain is like a street address
Think of your domain name (like
yourcompany.com) as your street address. Your website is the building at that address. Nameservers are the directions that tell visitors how to get there.When someone types your domain into a browser, their computer asks the nameservers, “Where is this website?” The nameservers point the browser to the right server, and your website loads.
-
Nameservers tell the internet where to find your website
Every domain has nameservers assigned to it. They look something like
ns1.example.comandns2.example.com. You don’t need to memorize these. Just know that they’re the behind-the-scenes directions that connect your domain name to your actual website.This system is called DNS (Domain Name System). It works like a phone book for the internet, translating names you can read (like
yourcompany.com) into numbers that computers understand. -
Why we need to update your nameservers
When we build your new website, we host it on Cloudflare, a platform that’s fast, secure, and reliable. To connect your domain to your new site, we update your nameservers to point to Cloudflare instead of your previous hosting provider.
This is like telling the post office to deliver your mail to a new, better building at the same address. Your domain name stays exactly the same. Visitors won’t notice anything except that your site loads faster.
-
What happens during the switch
After you update the nameservers, the change takes 24 to 48 hours to spread across the internet. This is called propagation. During this time, some visitors may see your old site and others may see your new one. This is normal.
In practice, most updates finish within a few hours. True downtime is rare, and if it happens, it’s usually just a few minutes. Your email is not affected by this change, as email and website DNS records are handled separately.
-
What you need to do
We’ll tell you exactly which nameservers to enter and where. You’ll log in to wherever you bought your domain (GoDaddy, Namecheap, etc.), find the nameserver settings, and replace the current values with the ones we provide.
If your domain is with GoDaddy, Namecheap, Google Domains / Squarespace, or Cloudflare, follow the guide for your provider. Each one has step-by-step instructions.
Tip: If you’re not sure where your domain is registered, check your email for a yearly renewal notice. It will come from your registrar (GoDaddy, Namecheap, Google Domains, etc.). You can also look up your domain atwhois.domaintools.comto find the registrar.
Common Issues
Will my email be affected?
Your email will not be affected. Email and website DNS records are separate. When we set up your nameservers on Cloudflare, we make sure all your existing email records (called MX records) are carried over so your email keeps working without interruption.
How long will my site be down?
In most cases, there’s zero downtime. The old site stays live until the new nameservers finish propagating, which typically takes a few hours. In a worst-case scenario, there could be a brief gap of a few minutes during the transition. We coordinate the timing to minimize any disruption.
Can I undo this if something goes wrong?
Yes. Nameserver changes are fully reversible. If you ever need to switch back, you just enter your old nameservers and the change will propagate the same way. We keep a record of your original settings so you always have them.