Want To Change Your Nameservers?

It’s easier than you think and this setp-by-step shows you exactly how to change domain name servers at Godaddy!

Now you have nothing to fear about DNS nameservers and getting your domain pointed to the right web host account.

One of the main things that tends to scare off newcomers to domain name purchasing and setting up a new website at a web host you have chosen, is that fact that after buying a domain name and setting up an account for the domain at the web host you then have to change the name servers for the domain so it can be found on the internet by web surfer like you and me!

Although it sounds technical, because who has heard of name servers before buying a domain name, changing your name server is actually very easy to do.

Also although this article deals with changing nameservers at Godaddy the reasons for doing it are the same for any Domain Registrar where you buy a new domain, and the process will be similar wherever you buy your domains. It should also be just as easy!

So What is a Name Server ?

In general terms a Name Server (or nameserver) is computer terminology for converting a name we recognize as humans, such as a domain name, into a numeric identifier, such as an IP address, that a computer system or software will recognise. For more details on this just check out the full story at Wikipedia to see what they say about Name Servers.

On the internet we recognize websites by their domain name, but the computers or servers that are connected by and form the internet use the numeric Internet Protocol (IP) for identifying devices on the network and for communication between them. Each computer or server will therefore have an IP address and the nameservers merely convert the domain name into an IP address.

Bored yet? Me too, so lets move on….

Why Do We Need To Change Name Servers For A New Domain?

When a domain is registered the registrar where you bought the domain (such as GoDaddy) will set the name servers by default to their own servers and this is why you will first see a page for your website after you buy a domain that will say parked at Godaddy or something similar.

When you want to host your website (domain name) at a web host you have selected then you need to change the name servers from those at your domain registrar to those of your new web hosting company. This is so that when your domain name is entered into a web browser the Internet will then display your website at your web host and not the parking page at the registrar.

How To Change Your Name Servers At GoDaddy

Before proceeding make sure that you have already set up an account for your new domain at your web host (such as Hostgator)!

Login to your GoDaddy Account using the Username and Password given to you by GoDaddy when you opened your account with them.

In the left hand menu sidebar of the Account Overview window displayed to you click on Domain Manager below My Products.

A list of your domains will be displayed.

If this is the first domain you have purchased from Godaddy then only one domain will be listed.

Click on the Domain Name for which you wish to change the Name Servers.

A page will then be displayed showing all the details for that domain.

Halfway down the page on the left of the page you will see the current Nameservers listed.

Click on the link next to the Nameservers that says Manage.

A new pop-up window will be displayed which will allow you to enter the New nameservers to replace the existing ones:

Check the radio box which indicates:  I host my domains with another provider.

Then overwrite the existing nameservers which are displayed, with the ones for your new web host.

There are usually just two of these, which you will normally get with your Welcome email from your new web hosting company. There is room for up to four namesevers, so just enter what you have been provided with.

Then click on OK.

You will see another message asking you to wait while the changes take effect. This actually is referring to the change being made by Godaddy. The effect of this on when the domain starts pointing at your new hosting account will take sometime longer and can take up to 48 hours to be propogated all over the internet. For some reason domains at Godaddy always seem (for me at least) to take a long time, whereas other registrars I use can change in a couple of minutes – so you might have to be patient!

Godaddy will also send you an email to confirm the names server changes you just made.

To check whether the nameservers change has been implemented just enter your domain name into your browser and see if you still see a Godaddy parking page or something else. If you see something else such as an Index page then the change has gone through. If nothing happens after 48 hours call Godaddy support.

Remember that  for this to work you must have already created an account at your new web host for the domain!

Hope this was easy to follow – writing it down certainly takes a lot longer than just doing it.

Ask a question if you are unsure of any part of this.