Nameservers tell the internet which DNS provider answers for your domain. You change them on the domain page when you want another provider to host your DNS.
Change your nameservers
- Open the domain from My Domains and find the Nameservers card.
- Select Edit.
- Enter the new nameservers in the Nameserver 1 to Nameserver 4 fields. Leave any you don't need blank.
- Select Save Changes.
You need at least one nameserver. We send the change to the registry first. If we can't read the domain's current nameservers there, nothing changes and you can try again.
To change many domains at once, select them on My Domains and use Nameservers.
What happens to records you manage with us
DNS records you manage with us only work while the domain uses OrbitFour DNS. Once you point it elsewhere, your new provider's records take over.
The DNS Records card then shows what we can see in public DNS, read-only, and it may be incomplete.
Before you switch away, select Export zone file on the DNS Records card and import the file at your new provider. The button isn't offered once your DNS is hosted elsewhere.
If your DNS is on Cloudflare, you can manage it here without changing nameservers. See Managing DNS records.
Moving DNS to OrbitFour
OrbitFour DNS uses ns1.o4dns.com and ns2.o4dns.com. Select Use OrbitFour DNS on the Nameservers card, or Move DNS to OrbitFour on the DNS Records card.
Records at your old provider don't come with you. After switching, check DNS Records and add what your website and email need.
How long changes take
The registry gets the change when you save. Networks around the internet may keep the old answer cached for some time, so traffic can move over gradually.
Default nameservers
You can set default nameservers on your account page under Default Nameservers. Select Add nameserver for each one, then Save Nameservers.
When you transfer a domain in, choose Use my account default nameservers to apply them. New registrations start on OrbitFour DNS, and you can change them on the domain page afterward.
Nameservers on your own domain
Nameservers named under your own domain, such as ns1.yourdomain.com, need glue records at the registry. You can't set those up from the domain page, so contact support.
Permissions
Team members need the Edit Nameservers permission to change nameservers.