Last verified against each provider’s official documentation on 10 October 2026. Providers change nameservers and rebrand, so confirm the values in your own hosting account before you save anything.
You bought a domain from one company and hosting from another. Now your host says to “update your nameservers.” Get it right and your site goes live. Get it wrong and your website, and possibly your email, can go offline for hours.
This guide explains web hosting nameservers in plain English, shows how a domain finds its hosting server, and lists the nameserver settings for eight providers, each checked against that provider’s own documentation. Two of them, WP Engine and Cloudways, do not give you standard hosting nameservers at all, so the guide also shows what to do instead.
Which web hosting nameservers should you use
The nameservers your domain uses decide where you manage its DNS records. The right choice therefore depends on what your host offers.
| Your situation | What to do |
|---|---|
| Your host gives you nameservers (Bluehost, DreamHost, GreenGeeks, hosting.com, Namecheap or Crazy Domains hosting) | At your domain registrar, replace the current nameservers with the ones in your hosting account. The directory below lists them. |
| Your host has no nameservers (WP Engine, Cloudways) | Keep your current nameservers and add the A or CNAME records your host shows you. |
| You want to move the website but keep email where it is | Often safest: keep your nameservers and change only the A record and www record. |
| You use Cloudflare or another DNS service | Point your nameservers there, then create your host’s records inside that service. |
| You are not sure | Open your hosting dashboard or welcome email first. It shows the exact values for your plan. |
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What nameservers are and why websites need them
A nameserver is a server that stores the official DNS records for a domain and answers questions about it. Ask it where example.com lives and it replies with the IP address of the server hosting the site. Because its answer is the official one, it is called the authoritative nameserver, a term Crazy Domains uses in its own explanation.
Think of directory assistance: the domain is the name, the IP address is the phone number, and the nameserver is the directory linking them. Without it, visitors would have to type numbers such as 203.0.113.25.
Nameservers do three jobs:
- Connect your domain to your website by pointing it at the right server.
- Route your email by holding the MX records that name your mail service.
- Decide where you edit DNS. Whoever runs your nameservers is where your DNS records live.
A domain always has at least two nameservers, as GoDaddy notes, so one can answer if the other fails. They usually look like ns1.example.com and ns2.example.com.
How DNS works, step by step
Here is what happens in a fraction of a second after someone types www.example.com:
| Step | Who answers | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Browser and operating system | They check for a saved answer. If they have one, the lookup ends here. |
| 2 | Recursive resolver | Usually run by the visitor’s internet provider or a public DNS service. It searches on the visitor’s behalf. |
| 3 | Root server | The resolver asks who handles .com. The root points it to the .com registry’s servers. |
| 4 | .com registry server |
The resolver asks who handles example.com. The registry replies with your domain’s nameservers. |
| 5 | Your authoritative nameserver | The resolver asks for the address of www.example.com. Your nameserver replies with the IP address from your A record. |
| 6 | Browser | The resolver returns the IP and caches it for the record’s TTL (time to live). The browser connects and loads the page. |
Two details explain most “why isn’t my change showing?” problems:
- Nameserver changes happen at step 4. Your registrar tells the registry which nameservers your domain uses.
- Step 6 is caching. Resolvers keep answers until the TTL expires, so different people see changes at different times.
Who does what
| Role | What it does | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Registrar | Sells the domain and stores which nameservers it uses | GoDaddy, Namecheap, Crazy Domains |
| Registry | Runs the master database for a top-level domain | The operator of .com |
| Nameserver (DNS host) | Holds your DNS records and answers queries | ns1.bluehost.com |
| Web host | Runs the server that stores and delivers your site | Bluehost, DreamHost, WP Engine |
One company can play several roles. Trouble often starts when you forget that the roles can be split across companies.
A short history of nameservers
Early networks used one master hosts file, copied to every computer, to list names and addresses; RFC 1034 describes that history. As networks grew, a single shared file became impossible to keep current. Paul Mockapetris designed DNS as a distributed system, first described in RFCs 882 and 883 in 1983 and replaced by RFC 1034 and RFC 1035 in November 1987, which remain its foundation.
Instead of one list, many servers each answer for their own part of the namespace. Today many hosting nameservers also use anycast, which routes each query to a nearby server; GreenGeeks describes its nameservers this way.
How a domain connects to a hosting server
Suppose Priya registers priyabakery.com at GoDaddy and buys hosting from Bluehost. She has two ways to connect them.
Method 1: change the nameservers. At GoDaddy she replaces the defaults with ns1.bluehost.com and ns2.bluehost.com. Bluehost’s nameservers now answer for her domain, and she manages DNS records at Bluehost.
Method 2: keep the nameservers and edit records. She leaves GoDaddy’s nameservers alone and adds an A record there pointing to her Bluehost server’s IP address. The site works, and she keeps managing DNS at GoDaddy.
| Method 1: change nameservers | Method 2: edit records | |
|---|---|---|
| What you change | Nameservers at the registrar | A and CNAME records where DNS already lives |
| Where you manage DNS afterwards | At the new nameserver provider | Where you did before |
| Best for | Hosts that publish nameservers | Hosts without nameservers, or when email must stay put |
| Main risk | The whole DNS zone moves, including email records | A wrong record breaks only that service |
Nameservers vs DNS records
Nameservers are the filing cabinet; DNS records are the files inside it.
| Nameservers | DNS records | |
|---|---|---|
| What they are | Servers that store and serve your DNS records | Instructions such as A, CNAME, MX and TXT |
| Where you set them | At your registrar | At whoever runs your nameservers |
| What they control | Where your DNS is managed | What happens to your site, email and verifications |
| Effect of changing | Moves your whole DNS zone to a new provider | Changes one service |
Records only work on the nameservers where you created them. DreamHost warns that pointing nameservers to it moves all of a domain’s DNS records, so you should first recreate records for services you keep elsewhere, such as email. Namecheap likewise says host records are not copied when you switch nameserver sets.
Standard vs custom or private nameservers
| Type | Looks like | Run by | When it fits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard host or registrar nameservers | ns1.bluehost.com |
Your host or registrar | Most shared hosting |
| Third-party DNS | Names your DNS provider gives you | A DNS service such as Cloudflare | Features your host lacks. WP Engine recommends Cloudflare when your registrar only allows nameserver changes. |
| Custom (private or vanity) nameservers | ns1.yourdomain.com |
You or your host, under your own domain | Resellers, VPS and dedicated servers |
Private nameservers need extra setup because they sit inside the domain they serve. Your registrar must register them with an IP address (called glue records, child nameservers or personal nameservers), and your server needs matching A records. GreenGeeks, hosting.com, DreamHost and Namecheap each document this for plans that support it.
Use standard nameservers unless you resell hosting or run a VPS or dedicated server and want branded ones. A mistake in private nameserver setup can leave your site reachable for some visitors and not others.
Web hosting nameservers directory
Every entry was checked against the provider’s official documentation on 10 October 2026, with sources linked in each entry. Where something could not be confirmed, we say so. Nameservers can differ by plan, so treat your hosting dashboard or welcome email as the final authority.
| Provider | Standard nameservers | Key exception |
|---|---|---|
| Crazy Domains (Australia) | Standard:
Premium:
Hosting:
|
Three sets; the one you need depends on your product |
| A2 Hosting (now hosting.com) | Most accounts:
Some older accounts:
|
Check your Hosting Panel; old guides show only the A2 names |
| Bluehost |
|
Two control panels with different menus |
| DreamHost |
|
All DNS records move with the nameservers |
| GreenGeeks |
|
VPS accounts use private nameservers |
| WP Engine | None | Use A or CNAME records, or Cloudflare |
| Cloudways | None | Use an A record; the paid DNS Made Easy add-on supplies nameservers in your account |
| Namecheap | BasicDNS:
Shared hosting:
|
PremiumDNS, FreeDNS, reseller and VPS plans differ |
Crazy Domains Australia nameservers
Crazy Domains uses three nameserver sets, depending on the product (source):
| Product | Nameservers | Where you manage DNS |
|---|---|---|
| Standard DNS (default for every domain) |
|
Account Manager, Domain Manager, DNS Settings |
| Premium DNS (paid upgrade) |
|
A separate Premium DNS product in your account |
| Web hosting (Linux or Windows) |
|
Your hosting control panel, such as cPanel or Plesk |
Find yours: Domains registered with Crazy Domains start on the Standard set. Open the domain and check the Name Servers tab. With a hosting plan, Crazy Domains says to use the hosting nameservers to activate hosting DNS.
Watch out for:
- Standard DNS is limited on purpose. Crazy Domains says it covers basic website and email setups, and recommends Premium DNS for advanced features.
- Records follow the nameservers. Once you point nameservers elsewhere, Crazy Domains’ DNS settings no longer apply.
- Older articles may show
crazydomains.com.aunameserver names. Crazy Domains’ current Australian help articles list the.comnames above. - Timing: Crazy Domains says changes can take 24 to 72 hours.
To change them: open the domain, select the Name Servers tab, click Add, replace the entries and click Save Record (guide).
A2 Hosting nameservers (now hosting.com)
A2 Hosting rebranded as hosting.com in 2025, and the official knowledge base is now at kb.hosting.com. Its documentation gives these values:
- Most accounts:
ns1.stableserver.nettons4.stableserver.net(connect-a-domain guide; the registrar guide lists the first two). - Some older shared accounts:
ns1.a2hosting.comtons4.a2hosting.com; newer accounts managed in the Hosting Panel (not cPanel) use the stableserver.net set (source).
Find yours: log in at my.hosting.com, go to Hosting & Servers, find your account and click Manage. Domains registered with hosting.com are already configured.
Watch out for:
- Add the domain to your hosting account before changing nameservers.
- Use the panel’s values, not an old guide’s. hosting.com tells customers with older accounts to check the panel first.
- Custom nameservers are available for reseller, managed VPS and dedicated accounts, and require a support ticket.
- Timing: hosting.com says changes can take up to 24 hours.
Bluehost nameservers
Bluehost lists ns1.bluehost.com and ns2.bluehost.com (source). Its registrar guide also publishes IP addresses (162.88.60.37 and 162.88.61.37), though registrars normally need only the names.
Find yours: your welcome email lists them. In the Bluehost Portal, open the Hosting tab and choose View Details or Nameservers (guide).
Watch out for:
- Two panels. Bluehost has an older “Bluerock” panel and a newer “Account Manager,” with different menu paths.
- Domain registered elsewhere? Change nameservers at that registrar.
- Custom DNS can be overwritten. Bluehost warns that updating nameservers may overwrite custom DNS settings, so check what your email and subdomains depend on.
- Timing: Bluehost’s pages quote up to 72 hours, and warn that email may be interrupted while the change settles.
DreamHost nameservers
DreamHost says all domains it manages use ns1.dreamhost.com, ns2.dreamhost.com and ns3.dreamhost.com (source). It also publishes IPs (162.159.26.14, 162.159.26.81 and 162.159.27.84), but at your registrar you should only need the names.
Find yours: in the panel, open Manage Websites, then DNS Settings, and scroll to the bottom of the record list (guide).
Watch out for:
- Everything moves. Create custom records first for services you keep at your old host, such as email (DreamHost).
- Vanity nameservers (
ns1.yourdomain.com) are possible for DreamHost-registered domains (guide). - Subdomains have no nameservers of their own.
- Timing: DreamHost says 4 to 72 hours.
GreenGeeks nameservers
GreenGeeks recommends ns1.greengeeks.net and ns2.greengeeks.net, which use Anycast routing (published IPs: 75.2.69.7 and 99.83.188.187) (source).
Find yours: GreenGeeks tells customers to use the nameservers in their welcome email. For domains registered with GreenGeeks, go to Domains, My Domains, Manage, then Nameservers. Ecosite and Reseller accounts can pick “GreenGeeks Nameservers” from the drop-down (guide).
Watch out for:
- VPS accounts differ. Register private nameservers using your VPS IP, then choose Custom (guide).
- Reseller documentation is inconsistent. One GreenGeeks article recommends the
.netpair for resellers and their clients, while an older article mentions nameservers on awebsitehostserver.netdomain. Confirm yours in your account. - Ignore
.comvariants that appear in third-party pages and reader comments. GreenGeeks’ articles list.net. - Timing: up to 24 hours.
WP Engine nameservers
WP Engine has no nameservers. Its documentation says it does not provide or manage them. Connect your domain with DNS records instead:
- CNAME for the root domain, recommended where your DNS provider supports CNAME flattening.
- Two A records if it does not.
- A CNAME for
wwwand subdomains.
Find your values: in the User Portal, open Sites, choose your environment, then Domains, and use Add domain, Change DNS records or View DNS Details. Values vary by environment and network type (Legacy, Advanced Network or Global Edge Security).
Watch out for:
- If your registrar only offers nameserver changes, WP Engine recommends pointing them to Cloudflare and setting up CNAME flattening there.
- Automatic setup via Entri Connect can delete conflicting records, including MX and TXT records. Review what it will change before you authorise it.
- No AAAA records on the root domain unless you use Cloudflare, because WP Engine does not currently support IPv6.
- Timing: a few minutes to 48 hours.
Cloudways nameservers
Cloudways has no nameservers. Its FAQ says the platform does not handle DNS queries for your domains. Keep your registrar’s (or another DNS provider’s) nameservers and add an A record pointing to your server’s IP address.
Find your values: add your domain to your application in the Cloudways platform. Adding a root domain also covers its www alias.
Exception: the paid DNS Made Easy add-on lets you manage records inside Cloudways. The platform then shows nameservers under Configure Nameservers. Add all of them at your registrar within 48 hours. They are generated in your account, so we do not list them here.
Namecheap nameservers
| Namecheap option | Nameservers | Use it when |
|---|---|---|
| BasicDNS (default) |
|
You manage records in Advanced DNS (source) |
| Web Hosting DNS |
|
You have a Stellar, Stellar Plus or Stellar Business plan, or the older Value, Professional, Ultimate or Business plans (source) |
| PremiumDNS (paid) |
|
You have a subscription; for third-party domains these are set at the registrar (source) |
| FreeDNS |
|
EasyWP asks for these when your domain is registered elsewhere (source) |
| Reseller hosting | Shared reseller nameservers in your welcome email, or personal nameservers | You resell hosting |
| VPS or dedicated | Personal nameservers you register using IPs from your server email | You run WHM/cPanel (guide) |
Find yours: in Namecheap, open Domain List, click Manage, and check Nameservers. If your domain is registered elsewhere, Namecheap says to get the correct hosting nameservers from it and set them at that registrar.
Watch out for:
- Records are not copied between nameserver sets. Save your settings and recreate them.
- Hosting DNS overwrites custom records. After switching, manage records in cPanel’s Zone Editor and Email Routing.
- The Host Records menu appears only on Namecheap’s default nameservers.
How to change web hosting nameservers
The labels differ by registrar, but the process is nearly identical everywhere.
Before you start
- Copy the new nameservers from your hosting dashboard or welcome email.
- Add the domain to your hosting account and make sure the site is ready.
- Export or write down your current DNS records, especially MX and TXT records.
- Recreate those records at the new DNS provider before or immediately after the switch.
- Choose a quiet time. Some downtime is possible while the change settles.
Steps
- Log in to the company where the domain is registered, which is not always your host.
- Open the domain’s settings and find Nameservers, DNS or Manage DNS.
- Choose Custom or Use my own nameservers.
- Replace the old values with the new ones, one per box. Enter names such as
ns1.example.com, not IP addresses, unless you are registering private nameservers. - Save, and complete any security verification.
- Check the result with the tools in the propagation section below.
Change nameservers at GoDaddy
These steps follow GoDaddy’s official guide. Menu names can change as GoDaddy updates its dashboard.
- Sign in to your GoDaddy Domain Portfolio and select the domain.
- Choose DNS, then Nameservers.
- Select I’ll use my own nameservers and enter the values from your host. Choosing GoDaddy Nameservers keeps DNS at GoDaddy.
- Select Save, then Continue.
- If Domain Protection is on, verify your identity with a code from SMS or your authenticator app, or a one-time password sent to your account email.
GoDaddy says most DNS changes take effect within an hour but can take up to 48 hours globally, and you can watch progress with the world icon in the Propagation column. It also warns that changing nameservers may break existing website or email connections.
Example: to use Bluehost, enter ns1.bluehost.com and ns2.bluehost.com. For WP Engine or Cloudways, skip this screen and edit the A record instead.
Change nameservers at Namecheap
These steps follow Namecheap’s official guide.
- Log in and open Domain List, then click Manage beside the domain.
- In the Nameservers section, open the drop-down.
- Choose Namecheap BasicDNS, Namecheap Web Hosting DNS, Custom DNS (for your host’s or a third party’s nameservers) or Namecheap PremiumDNS (only with a subscription).
- For Custom DNS, enter nameservers in the
ns1.example.tldformat. If you were given IP addresses too, enter only the names. - Click the green checkmark to save.
Namecheap says changes can take up to 24 hours for ISPs to refresh. Some country-code domains, such as .ca, .fr, .de and .is, have extra nameserver rules, which the same guide lists.
DNS propagation explained
“Propagation” is slightly misleading. Nothing is pushed around the world. Resolvers keep old answers until the TTL expires, then fetch the new ones, which is why you may see the new site while a friend still sees the old one.
Providers quote different windows. Treat them as ranges, not promises:
| Provider | Documented timeframe |
|---|---|
| GoDaddy | Usually within an hour; up to 48 hours globally |
| Namecheap | Up to 24 hours |
| Crazy Domains | 24 to 72 hours |
| Bluehost | Up to 72 hours |
| DreamHost | 4 to 72 hours |
| GreenGeeks | Up to 24 hours |
| hosting.com (A2 Hosting) | Up to 24 hours |
| WP Engine | A few minutes to 48 hours |
| Cloudways (DNS Made Easy) | 24 to 48 hours |
Check whether your change has landed
- whatsmydns.net: enter your domain and choose NS. WP Engine and hosting.com both recommend it.
- Command line: run
dig ns example.com +short, a command DreamHost’s help center shows.
Make the wait easier
- Keep the old hosting active until the new site works everywhere.
- Where possible, lower your records’ TTL a day or two beforehand.
- Test the new site before switching, using your host’s temporary URL or a local hosts-file override.
- Expect temporary SSL warnings. WP Engine says these are normal until propagation completes, and hosting.com issues its free SSL once the domain resolves.
Nameserver changes and email risks
Your website and email usually share one DNS zone, so changing nameservers replaces the records that deliver your email too. If the new nameservers lack your MX records, messages may not arrive.
The providers warn about this themselves: Bluehost says updating nameservers can overwrite custom DNS settings, Namecheap says its hosting nameservers overwrite custom records, and WP Engine says its automatic tool can delete MX and TXT records.
| Step | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Note who hosts your email (Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, your old host or another provider) | Email is often hosted separately from the website |
| Copy all MX records | They say where your mail is delivered |
| Copy the TXT records for SPF, DKIM and DMARC | They help prove your messages are genuine and avoid spam folders |
| Copy CNAME records used for email setup or verification | Mail apps and services may rely on them |
| Recreate everything at the new DNS provider before or right after the switch | Prevents a gap in delivery |
| Send and receive test emails after the change, and again a day later | Some resolvers update later than others |
A safer option: if email lives elsewhere and only the website is moving, use Method 2 from earlier. Keep your nameservers and change only the A and www records, so your MX and TXT records stay untouched.
Troubleshooting nameserver problems
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to try |
|---|---|---|
| Old site still shows | Cached DNS, or the change did not save | Check NS with whatsmydns.net or dig ns; wait for TTLs; test on another network |
| Registrar rejects the nameservers | Typo, a missing second nameserver or unregistered private nameservers | Re-copy from your host’s dashboard. Crazy Domains validates entries as you type, so paste from a text editor |
| Parking or default host page appears | Domain not added to the hosting account, or pointing at the wrong server | Add it in the hosting dashboard first (hosting.com requires this), then recheck |
| Records you created are ignored | They are at a DNS provider your domain no longer uses | Look up your NS records and edit DNS where they point |
| Email stopped | MX or TXT records were not recreated | Rebuild them at the new DNS provider and retest |
| Some visitors reach the site and others do not | Registrar and server list different nameservers, or private-nameserver glue is wrong | Make the nameserver lists match everywhere and recheck your glue records |
| SSL error right after switching | Certificate cannot be issued until DNS points to the host | Wait for propagation, then reload |
| Namecheap’s Host Records menu is missing | The domain no longer uses Namecheap’s default nameservers | Switch back to BasicDNS or manage DNS where the nameservers now point |
| Host asks for nameservers you cannot find | WP Engine and Cloudways have none | Use A or CNAME records, or Cloudflare for WP Engine |
| Change blocked by a security check | Domain Protection or a registrar lock | Complete the verification, or contact the registrar |
If nothing helps, contact the company that holds the registration first, since it can see the nameservers on file, and then your host.
Nameserver FAQs
What are web hosting nameservers in simple words?
They are the servers that store your domain’s DNS records and tell browsers where your website and email live.
Do I have to change nameservers when I buy hosting?
No. Only change them if your host provides nameservers and you want to use them. You can often keep your nameservers and add A or CNAME records instead. WP Engine and Cloudways have no nameservers, so records are the only route.
Can my domain and hosting be with different companies?
Yes, and it is very common. The registrar holds the domain, the host runs the site, and nameservers or DNS records connect them.
How many nameservers should I enter?
Use every nameserver your provider gives you. Counts vary, from two for Bluehost to three for DreamHost and up to four for hosting.com.
Do I enter IP addresses with nameservers?
Usually not. DreamHost says you should only need the name, and Namecheap says to enter only names if you are given both. IPs are normally needed only when registering private nameservers.
Is changing nameservers the same as transferring a domain?
No. Changing nameservers changes where DNS is managed. A transfer moves the domain’s registration to a different registrar.
Can I use Cloudflare with these hosts?
Generally yes. WP Engine specifically recommends it when your registrar only supports nameserver changes. Point your nameservers to Cloudflare, then create your host’s records there.
What if my host’s nameservers differ from this list?
Trust your hosting account. Hosts rebrand and migrate platforms, as A2 Hosting did when it became hosting.com, and different plans on one host can use different nameservers.
