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Change & Configure Nameservers Correctly (Cloudflare, Hosting & Domains)

Quick answer: Nameservers determine which DNS server manages your domain. When you change nameservers, DNS control moves to the new provider – all existing records at the old provider are ignored until you recreate them at the new provider.

What are nameservers?

Nameservers (NS) are the authoritative DNS servers for your domain. When someone visits your domain, the DNS resolver asks which nameservers manage it and fetches records from there.

Important: Nameservers are set at your domain registrar (where you bought the domain), not in the hosting panel – unless registrar and hosting are the same.

Change nameservers – step by step

Change nameservers at domain registrar
Enter at least 2 nameservers. Then recreate DNS records at the new provider.
  1. Document DNS records – screenshot or export all current A, MX, TXT, CNAME records
  2. Note new nameservers – e.g. NexoraHost or Cloudflare NS
  3. Log in at registrar – domain management → nameservers / DNS
  4. Enter nameservers – remove old NS, add new NS (minimum 2)
  5. Save & wait – propagation 15 min to 48 hrs
  6. Create DNS records at new provider – recreate all records!
  7. Test – dig NS yourdomain.com +short or whatsmydns.net

Verify nameservers

dig NS yourdomain.com +short
nslookup -type=NS yourdomain.com
dig yourdomain.com +short

Set up Cloudflare nameservers

  1. Add domain at cloudflare.com
  2. Cloudflare scans existing DNS records (verify!)
  3. Cloudflare shows 2 nameservers
  4. Enter these NS at registrar
  5. In Cloudflare: choose proxy mode (orange = CDN on, grey = DNS only)

Never proxy mail records! MX, SPF, DKIM always „DNS only“ (grey cloud).

→ Full guide: Cloudflare DNS guide

Common problems

Domain won't connect after NS change

Email broken after NS change

Cloudflare error 521/522/525

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