A nameserver (NS) is a server that holds the authoritative DNS records for a domain. When a resolver needs to find where example.com points, it follows a chain of referrals from the root DNS to the TLD nameservers (.com) to the domain's own authoritative nameservers — which are identified by NS records.
Types of DNS Servers
| Type | Role | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Root nameservers | Top of the DNS hierarchy — know who runs each TLD | a.root-servers.net through m.root-servers.net |
| TLD nameservers | Know which nameservers are authoritative for each domain | Managed by Verisign (.com), ICANN (.org) |
| Authoritative nameservers | Hold the actual DNS records for a specific domain | ns1.cloudflare.com (if using Cloudflare DNS) |
| Recursive resolvers | Query the above on behalf of users; cache results | 8.8.8.8 (Google), 1.1.1.1 (Cloudflare) |
What Happens When You Change Nameservers
When you register a domain, the registrar sets default nameservers (usually their own). To use a third-party DNS provider like Cloudflare, Route 53, or DNSimple, you update the NS records at your registrar to point to the new provider. This tells the world that the new provider is now authoritative for your domain's DNS records.
Nameserver changes take 24–72 hours to propagate because NS records for TLD-level delegation are managed by the registry and have their own TTL.
NS Records in DNS
You can view a domain's nameservers with:
- Our DNS Lookup tool — query the NS record type
- Command line:
dig example.com NSornslookup -type=NS example.com
People Also Ask
- How many nameservers does a domain need?
- A minimum of two nameservers is required — a primary and a secondary. This provides redundancy: if one nameserver is unavailable, the other can still answer queries. Most DNS providers give you two to four nameservers automatically.
- Can I use different nameservers for different subdomains?
- Yes, through DNS delegation. You create NS records in your zone file pointing specific subdomains to a different nameserver. This allows, for example, subdomain.example.com to be managed by a separate DNS provider or team.
Related: DNS records | DNS propagation | DNS Lookup