403-630-3409

Demystifying DNS and Nameservers: What Every Website Owner Should Know

Jul 29, 2022

Your Website’s Behind-the-Scenes GPS—Explained Without Too Much Tech-Speak Overload

Imagine someone asking for directions to your house. Instead of giving them your coordinates, you simply say, “Look me up in the phone book.” That’s pretty much what happens every time someone types your website into a browser. But instead of a phone book, the internet uses something called DNS—and behind that is a team of digital traffic directors called nameservers.

Let’s unpack what DNS and nameservers actually are, how they work, and why where you manage them matters more than most people realize.

What Is DNS, Really?

DNS stands for Domain Name System. Think of it as the internet’s phonebook (or GPS, for the more modern metaphor). It takes the human-friendly address (like yourbusiness.com) and translates it into the IP address that computers understand (like 192.0.2.1).

Without DNS, you’d have to remember a string of numbers every time you wanted to visit a website. Sounds fun, right? Yeah… not so much.

So, What Are Nameservers?

If DNS is the system, nameservers are the operators of that system. They’re the ones pointing your domain name to the correct server—the one that stores your actual website.

When you register a domain (say through GoDaddy, Namecheap, or Google Domains), you get to decide which nameservers your domain will use. These nameservers tell browsers, “Here’s where to find the website you’re looking for.”

Registrar vs. Hosting: Where Is Your DNS?

There are two common places DNS records can be managed:

1. At the Domain Registrar (Recommended)

When DNS is managed at your domain registrar, your nameservers point to the registrar’s DNS settings. This gives you full control over records like:

  • A Records (pointing to your web server)
  • MX Records (for email routing)
  • CNAMEs (for subdomains)
  • TXT Records (for security and verification)

Benefits of this setup:

  • Flexibility: You can point your domain to any hosting provider without having to change registrars or wait for full migrations.
  • Simplicity: Changing hosting? Just update the A record. No fuss, no mess.
  • Centralized Control: Everything DNS-related is managed where your domain is already registered. Fewer logins, fewer headaches.

2. At the Hosting Provider (More Trouble Than It’s Worth)

Some hosting companies offer to manage DNS for you, meaning your nameservers point to their servers. This sounds convenient at first, but here’s the catch:

  • If you ever switch hosting providers, you have to migrate all DNS records manually to the new host or back to your registrar.
  • If your host goes down or locks you out, so does your ability to control your DNS. This can affect not only your website but also your email.
  • You’re locked into their system—sort of like renting a house where you have to move the address plaque if you want to change rooms.

Bottom line: Hosting-based DNS puts your control in someone else’s hands. And that’s not ideal.

Real Talk: Why You Should Keep DNS at the Registrar

Let’s say you’ve been hosting with Company A. Business is booming, but one day, support disappears, your site slows down, and you decide it’s time to move to Hosting Company B.

If your DNS is managed at the registrar:

  • You simply log in, change the A record to point to the new host’s IP address, and voilà—your site is live on the new host within minutes.

If your DNS is managed at the host:

  • You’ll need to move all DNS records (every single MX, CNAME, TXT record…) to a new DNS provider or back to your registrar. That’s more room for error and downtime.

How to Check (and Change) Your Nameservers

Most registrars make it easy to see where your nameservers point. Here’s a quick process:

  1. Log into your domain registrar.
  2. Look for a section called “DNS Settings“, “Nameservers“, or “Manage DNS.”
  3. If the nameservers look like ns1.yourhost.com, you’re probably using host-managed DNS.
  4. You can change them to your registrar’s default nameservers if you want to bring DNS control back in-house.
  5. Once updated, re-enter all your DNS records as found within your hosting-managed DNS area, to point to the right web host, email provider, etc.

Pro Tip: Always take a screenshot or export your DNS records before making changes. It’s like having a parachute… just in case.

In Summary

  • DNS is what helps people find your website.
  • Nameservers are the tools that direct traffic to your server.
  • Managing DNS at your registrar gives you long-term control and flexibility.
  • Managing DNS at your host might seem easy now, but it’ll make life harder if you ever need to change hosts.

By taking charge of your DNS settings—right from your registrar—you future-proof your website and avoid unnecessary headaches. It’s one of those behind-the-scenes steps that pays off big when you least expect it.

Need Help?

If you’re still unsure where your DNS lives or want help migrating it, feel free to reach out. At The Image Stop, we help website owners take control of their digital real estate—without the tech overwhelm.

After all, your website should work for you, not give you grey hairs.

Need help moving your hosting? We know our stuff!