What are nameservers?

How nameservers fit in

1. The registry (ZACR for .co.za) knows only which nameservers your domain uses.
2. Those nameservers hold the actual DNS records: A, MX, TXT and so on.
3. Visitors’ devices ask the nameservers where to go.

So changing nameservers moves control of all your DNS records to a new place.

Which nameservers to use

• Domain and hosting at Hostnali: your domain is set to our hosting nameservers automatically. Nothing to do.
• Domain elsewhere, hosting at Hostnali: set the domain’s nameservers to the ones in your Hostnali hosting welcome email.
• Domain at Hostnali, hosting elsewhere: set the nameservers your host gives you in our client area, or keep ours and add an A record.

How to change nameservers at Hostnali

1. Log in to the client area and open Domains → My Domains.
2. Click the domain, then Nameservers.
3. Choose Use custom nameservers, enter the new ones (at least two) and save.

At another registrar the steps are similar: look for “Nameservers” or “DNS settings” on the domain.

Nameservers or A record?

	Change nameservers	Add an A record
Who manages DNS	Your new host	Stays where it is
Effort	Easiest	You manage each record
Email	Moves with the DNS; check MX	Untouched
Best when	Moving everything to Hostnali	Email or other services stay elsewhere

Before you switch

Write down your current DNS records, especially MX (email) and any TXT records. If email is hosted somewhere else, add the same MX records at the new nameservers, or mail stops arriving.

How long it takes

Nameserver changes usually work within a few hours and can take up to 48 hours worldwide. See DNS propagation.