Hosting terms
What is DNS? The directions behind your website address
Key takeaway
DNS is the internet’s lookup system for domain names. Its records point visitors to your website and tell email services where to deliver messages. Website and email records can point to different providers, so the right records must be checked before moving your hosting.
In this guide
What does DNS do?
DNS stands for Domain Name System. It lets internet services look up the directions attached to a domain, such as yourbusiness.co.nz. Some directions point to your website. Others identify where email should go.
Your domain is the address. DNS is the set of directions for using it. Hosting is the service running the website at the destination. These can be supplied by different companies.
Which records should a business owner recognise?
You may hear about A or AAAA records, which point a name to a server address. A CNAME points one name to another name. MX records identify the service that receives email. TXT records can verify ownership or hold instructions used to check email senders.
You do not need to memorise the labels. If someone asks to change DNS, ask what service each change affects. A website move should not accidentally remove the records your email or another business tool needs.
What are nameservers?
Nameservers are the servers responsible for answering DNS questions for a domain. Replacing them changes where the domain’s directions are managed. It is a bigger change than updating a single website record.
Before changing nameservers, the new DNS service needs the complete set of records your business requires. A public lookup can check known records, but it does not necessarily find every subdomain or connected service. Keep an export or record list from the current provider.
Why do DNS changes take time?
Internet services can keep a temporary copy of a DNS answer. After a change, some visitors may still use the earlier answer until that copy expires. The record’s TTL, or time to live, helps control how long an answer can be kept.
That is why a move needs checks and a sensible overlap with the old hosting. Tell your new host about email and other services before making changes, and check the result from more than one connection.
Does Lightning manage DNS?
DNS and free domain registration are included in both our hosting plans. We use AWS services for the hosting setup and guide the required domain changes. You can keep your existing domain registrar and email provider where appropriate.
Start with your website address. We assess the records and dependencies before the live switch. You do not need to work out the technical instructions on your own.
Keep your email working during a moveCompare the hosting plansMoving registration from GoDaddy too?Moving registration from Crazy Domains too?