First of all, name server changes are a crucial aspect of managing a website’s domain. It requires careful consideration and execution. Whether you are transferring your domain to a new hosting provider or updating your DNS settings. Change name server correctly to ensure easy domain transfer. For the purpose of rebranding your online presence also, understanding the process of name server change is essential. In this article, we will explore the significance of name server changes, the reasons behind them, and a step-by-step guide on how to execute this transition seamlessly.
The Importance of Name Servers
Name servers play a pivotal role in directing internet traffic to the appropriate web servers associated with a domain. When a user types a domain name into their browser, the name server translates that human-readable address into an IP address, allowing the browser to locate the website’s server on the internet. Therefore, any changes to name servers impact how visitors access and interact with your website.
Reasons of changing Name Server
In most cases when you make a new website, the new service provider asks you to change name server. It is because this new developer wants to keep things centralized. It also gives him the power to make changes fast. Secondly, when you change hosting provider then also you need to make this update. If you are a big company you may want to keep things on a server you own. Everything depends on the real time business requirements. Some of the most common reasons are mentioned below.
Hosting Provider Migration
Moving your website to a new hosting provider often necessitates a change in name servers. There are times when your existing company does not provide good hosting service. This may be due to managing too many customers with less resources. Of Course there are other reasons as well but this is the most common reason for changing a hosting provider. In short this could be due to better services, improved performance, or cost considerations.
Domain Registrar Change
This happens when you decide to transfer your domain registration from one registrar to another. For example, you want to transfer domain from GoDaddy to name.com or transfer domain from name.com to Hostinger. It all depends on the real time requirement. But you’ll likely need to update the name server information associated with the new registrar.
DNS Configuration Updates
Changes in your website’s infrastructure or services may require adjustments to the DNS configuration, including updates to name server information.
Change Name Server for Rebranding or Domain Name Change
A company rebranding or changing its domain name will typically involve updating name servers to reflect the new brand or domain.
How to change name servers? – Step-by-Step Guide
Updating this is very simple if you follow the right procedure. Use this step by step guide to understand the process of changing a name server.
Prepare for the Change
- First of all, gather all necessary information about your current name servers and DNS settings. You can take this information from your website development company also.
- It is important to back up your website’s files and databases to prevent data loss during the transition.
Select a New Hosting Provider or Registrar
- Choose a reliable hosting provider or domain registrar that suits your needs.
- Obtain the name server information provided by the new hosting provider or registrar.
- Update Name Servers at the Registrar
- To start the process Log in to your domain registrar’s account.
- Locate the domain management section.
- The last step is to replace the existing name server information. Remove the old server and replace it with the new details provided by your hosting provider.
Propagation Time
Understand that DNS changes take time to propagate across the internet. In many cases the change happens very fast, like 25-30 minutes. But at some times it takes up to 72 hours. But this does not mean that you need to wait this long all the time. As a common scenario, DNS propagation can take anywhere from a few hours to 48 hours or more.
Verify the Changes
After DNS propagation is complete, verify that your website is accessible from different locations. You can change browser location to test websites from different countries. Additionally, you can also use other tools also to check websites from multiple locations. You must also check for any issues with email services, if applicable.
Monitor and Troubleshoot the Change Name Server activity
Now monitor your website for any issues following the name server change. If you make any error while updating, the website or emails may not work properly.
Address any problems promptly and seek assistance from technical support if needed.
Name server change is very common. If the website is live and you want to update these details, make sure you plan early. Therefore, you must understand the process of changing the name servers carefully before implementing.