Point a domain using the DNS details supplied for your hosting account. You can keep your current DNS provider and change the website records, or move authority to new nameservers. These are different changes; neither requires moving your domain registration.
Save the existing DNS zone first
Record website, mail and verification records before editing anything. A nameserver change moves responsibility for the whole zone, so missing mail records can interrupt email even when the website works. Identify the authoritative DNS provider rather than editing a zone that visitors never query.
| Record | Purpose |
|---|---|
| A | An IPv4 address for a hostname |
| AAAA | An IPv6 address for a hostname |
| CNAME | An alias to another hostname |
| MX and mail-related TXT records | Mail routing and authentication |
Make one planned cutover
- Add the domain to the hosting account and confirm its document root.
- Obtain the assigned destination from your service details; do not use an IP copied from another customer’s guide.
- If moving nameservers, prepare the complete destination zone before switching.
- If keeping DNS, update the required website records and preserve email records.
- Check both the bare domain and www, including any existing IPv6 record.
An old AAAA record can send some visitors to another server even after the A record changes. A stale CDN configuration can also hide which origin is serving the site. Check those paths separately before making repeated edits.
Confirm the result from outside your account
Compare authoritative answers with a normal resolver, then visit both hostnames over HTTPS. Cached answers may persist for their remaining TTL. Keep the previous service available through the transition and test incoming and outgoing email before declaring the move complete.
Continue with SSL checks and mail authentication if the website resolves but another service fails.
Sources and references
Hosting documentation. Publication and update dates reflect this edition.
Related articles
- Troubleshooting Website SSL Certificates and Mixed ContentSeparate hostname, validation and mixed-content failures before changing redirects or certificate settings.2 min read
- Website Email Delivery: Checking MX, SPF and DKIMIdentify the sending service, preserve mail routing and inspect authentication before changing DNS.2 min read
- Uploading a Website to the Correct Document RootResolve default pages, missing assets and uploads that appear in the wrong domain or directory.2 min read
