You bought a domain, you bought hosting, and now someone tells you to "change the nameservers" or "add an A record". If those words sound confusing, you are not alone. DNS is the part of a website that most business owners never see, yet it decides whether your website opens and whether your email arrives. This guide explains what a nameserver and DNS are in simple language, what the common record types (A, CNAME, MX and TXT) do, and why changes sometimes take hours to appear.
What is DNS?
DNS stands for Domain Name System. Computers find each other using numeric IP addresses, such as 203.0.113.25. People prefer names like yourshop.com.bd. DNS is the system that translates names into the numbers computers need.
A simple way to picture it is the contacts list on your phone. You tap "Karim Bhai" and the phone dials 01XXXXXXXXX. You never need to remember the number. DNS is the internet's contacts list: you type a domain name, and DNS gives your browser the server's address.
What is a nameserver?
A nameserver is the server that holds your domain's DNS records and answers questions about them. When you set nameservers on your domain, you are telling the whole internet: "For anything about this domain, ask these servers."
Nameservers usually come in pairs for reliability, for example:
- ns1.yourhostingcompany.com
- ns2.yourhostingcompany.com
Continuing the phone analogy: the nameserver is the person who keeps the contacts list. Changing nameservers means handing the list to a different person. Whatever records that new person holds are the ones the world will use.
Nameservers vs DNS records: what is the difference?
This is where most confusion starts, so here it is clearly:
- Nameservers are set at your domain registrar. They decide who manages your DNS.
- DNS records are set at whoever your nameservers point to. They decide where your website, email and other services live.
If your domain uses your hosting company's nameservers, you edit DNS records inside cPanel's Zone Editor. If your nameservers point to Cloudflare, you edit records in Cloudflare. Editing records in the wrong place is one of the most common reasons "nothing changes".
Two ways to connect a domain to hosting
Option 1: Change the nameservers (easiest)
Set your domain's nameservers to the ones in your hosting welcome email. Your hosting then manages every DNS record automatically: website, email, SSL and mail security records. This is what we recommend for most small businesses, and it is what happens when you buy a domain and hosting together.
Option 2: Keep your nameservers and add records
If you use another DNS provider on purpose, for example Cloudflare for its firewall, keep the nameservers and add an A record for the website and MX records for email that point to your hosting. This gives more control, but you must copy and update records yourself.
The DNS record types you need to know
| Record | What it does | Example |
|---|---|---|
| A | Points a name to an IPv4 address | yourshop.com → 203.0.113.25 |
| AAAA | Points a name to an IPv6 address | yourshop.com → 2001:db8::25 |
| CNAME | Makes one name an alias of another name | www.yourshop.com → yourshop.com |
| MX | Tells the world which server receives your email | yourshop.com → mail.yourshop.com (priority 0) |
| TXT | Stores text used for verification and email security | SPF, DKIM, DMARC, Google verification |
| NS | Lists the nameservers for the domain or a subdomain | ns1.yourhost.com |
A record
The A record is the most important record for your website. It points your domain, and often subdomains like shop.yourdomain.com, to the IP address of the server where the website lives. When you move a website to new hosting without changing nameservers, updating the A record is what switches visitors to the new server.
CNAME record
A CNAME says "this name is the same as that name". It is commonly used for www, so that www.yourshop.com follows wherever yourshop.com points. Services such as email marketing tools or online stores often ask you to add a CNAME for verification. A CNAME cannot be used on the root domain itself, and a name with a CNAME cannot have other records.
MX record
MX records decide where email for your domain is delivered. Each MX record has a priority number; lower numbers are tried first. If you use cPanel email, the MX points to your hosting server. If you use Google Workspace or Zoho, it points to their servers instead. Wrong MX records are the usual reason a business "can send email but cannot receive". Our guide to setting up business email on your own domain walks through this step by step.
TXT record
TXT records hold text that other services read. The most important ones protect your email reputation:
- SPF lists which servers may send email for your domain.
- DKIM publishes the public key used to check your email's digital signature.
- DMARC tells receivers what to do with email that fails these checks.
TXT records are also used to prove domain ownership to Google Search Console, Facebook Business and other services.
What is DNS propagation, and why does it take time?
When you change a nameserver or record, the change is saved immediately. But internet providers across Bangladesh and the world keep copies of DNS answers for a while to save time. This is called caching, and the length of time is controlled by each record's TTL (Time To Live), set in seconds.
Until those cached copies expire, some visitors still see the old answer. That is why after a change, your website may open on the new server from your mobile data but still show the old site on your office Wi-Fi. This gradual update is called propagation.
- Record changes (A, MX, CNAME) usually appear within minutes to a few hours, depending on the TTL.
- Nameserver changes can take longer, sometimes up to 24 to 48 hours, because the domain's top-level registry also caches them.
Tips to make changes smoother
- Lower the TTL (for example to 300 seconds) a day before a planned move.
- Keep the old hosting active until propagation is complete.
- Test with your phone on mobile data, which often uses a different DNS resolver than your office.
- Use an online DNS checker to see what servers in different countries currently return.
- Clear your browser cache or try a private window.
Common DNS problems and how to fix them
| Symptom | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| "This site can't be reached" | Nameservers or A record wrong, or domain expired | Check nameservers at the registrar and renewal status |
| Old website still showing | Propagation or local cache | Wait, test on mobile data, clear cache |
| Website works, email does not | MX records missing or pointing elsewhere | Restore the correct MX records |
| Emails land in spam | No SPF or DKIM | Add the TXT records from cPanel Email Deliverability |
| www works but the root domain does not, or the reverse | Missing A or CNAME record | Add the missing record |
| Free SSL will not install | Domain not yet pointing to the server | Fix DNS, wait for propagation, run AutoSSL again |
A simple checklist when you buy a new domain
- Register the domain in your own name on our domains page.
- Set the nameservers to your hosting's nameservers.
- Wait for propagation, then open your website to confirm.
- Let AutoSSL install your free certificate and force HTTPS.
- Create email accounts and check SPF and DKIM.
- Write down where your nameservers point, and keep your registrar login safe.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to change nameservers if I buy the domain and hosting from the same company?
Usually not. When both are ordered together, the domain is pointed to your hosting during setup.
Will changing nameservers affect my email?
Yes, if your email records are not on the new nameservers. Before switching, make sure the new DNS has the correct MX, SPF and DKIM records.
What is the difference between a domain and DNS?
The domain is the name you own. DNS is the set of instructions that tells the internet what that name points to.
Can I point one domain to two different websites?
Not the same name, but you can use subdomains. For example, yourshop.com can point to your website and shop.yourshop.com to an online store hosted elsewhere.
Does moving my domain to a new registrar change DNS?
No. A transfer changes who manages renewals, not your records. Learn more about transferring a domain.
Confused by DNS settings? Contact us and we can help point your domain, website and email correctly, or order a domain and hosting together so everything is connected for you.