How to Point Your Domain to a New Hosting Server (DNS Setup)

Every domain name relies on DNS (Domain Name System) records to tell the internet which server to connect to. When you switch hosting providers, updating these records is the final step that makes your new server “live” to the world.

Two Ways to Point a Domain: Nameservers vs DNS Records

There are two common approaches, and your new host will tell you which one to use:

• Changing nameservers — hands over full DNS control to your new host. Simpler, and the most common method.
• Updating individual DNS records (like the A record) — used when you want to keep DNS management at your current registrar while pointing specific services elsewhere.

Step 1: Get Your New Server Details

Your new hosting provider will give you either a set of nameservers (e.g. ns1.yourhost.com, ns2.yourhost.com) or an IP address to use in an A record. This information is usually included in your welcome email.

Step 2: Log In to Your Domain Registrar

This is the account where you originally registered your domain — it may be a different company than your hosting provider, so check your domain purchase records if you’re not sure.

Step 3: Find the DNS or Nameserver Settings

Inside your registrar account, locate your domain and look for a section labeled DNS Management, Nameservers, or similar.

Step 4: Update the Records

If changing nameservers, simply replace the existing ones with the new ones provided by your host. If updating DNS records directly, edit the A record’s value to your new server’s IP address.

Step 5: Save and Wait for Propagation

Save your changes. DNS propagation — the process of this change spreading across the internet’s servers — typically takes a few hours, but can take up to 24-48 hours in some cases.

Step 6: Verify the Change

Use a free online DNS lookup tool to check whether your domain is now resolving to your new server’s nameservers or IP address.

A Note on Timing

Because propagation isn’t instant, it’s best to keep your old hosting account active until you’ve confirmed the new one is fully live — this avoids any gap where your site or email might be unreachable.

If this all sounds like more than you want to handle yourself, our team handles DNS changes as part of every free migration we do for new customers. Get in touch and we’ll take care of it for you.