Domains & DNS, explained simply
Everything you need to know about domain names and DNS, from the basics to email records, transfers, and troubleshooting.
Your domain name is your address on the internet, and DNS is the system that makes sure people who type that address actually reach your website. This section covers everything from registering a domain to fixing propagation delays, in plain English.
If you only read three things
- What is a domain name?: the foundation.
- Domain vs hosting vs email: the single most common point of confusion.
- Renewing your domain and turning on auto-renew: the most expensive mistake you can quietly make.
How it all fits together
Almost everything that confuses people about domains, websites and email makes sense once you know the order things happen in. There are four pieces, and they always come in this sequence:
- Your domain: what you own. The name itself,
yourbusiness.com, registered through a registrar for a fixed term. ICANN says that term is typically between one and ten years, and you have to renew before it runs out. Start at What is a domain name?. - DNS, where that name points. A set of instructions attached to your domain, telling the internet which servers to send visitors and email to. Start at What is DNS?.
- Hosting, where your website actually lives. A server holding your site's files. DNS is what connects your domain to it. Start at What is web hosting? and How DNS & hosting fit together.
- Email: a separate service that happens to share the same domain. Your inbox is not on your web host. It is pointed at by different DNS records (MX). Start at Why email & your website are separate.
You can change any one of these four without changing the others, as long as the DNS in the middle is updated correctly. That is why we ask you to tell us before you change anything at your registrar.
One name, one set of DNS settings, two entirely separate destinations. Changing your host does not move your email, and changing your email provider does not touch your website.
Read this as text
Your domain name (yourbusiness.com) sits at the top. It points to your DNS settings, which act as a switchboard.
From there the DNS settings send traffic two separate ways. The A record sends website visitors to your website hosting, where your site’s files live. The MX record sends email to your email provider, where your messages live.
The two destinations are independent. They are often different companies, and changing one does not affect the other.
The one article that makes this click
If the four pieces above still feel blurry, read Domain vs hosting vs email. It is the same idea explained with a house-and-mailbox analogy, and it is the single most common thing we get asked about.
Help me choose
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Basics
What is a domain name?
The simplest explanation of what a domain name is and how it works.
What is DNS?
How the Domain Name System translates names into websites.
DNS records explained (A, CNAME, MX, TXT)
A plain-English guide to the four record types you'll encounter most.
Domain vs hosting vs email
Three different things that beginners often confuse: clarified.
How to find where your domain is registered
Not sure who manages your domain? Here's how to find out.
Nameservers vs DNS records
Two ways to control where your domain points, and when to use each.
Subdomains explained
What subdomains are, how they work, and common uses.
www vs non-www
Does it matter whether your URL starts with www? Find out.
Registering & renewing
How to register a domain name
Step-by-step guide to buying a new domain name.
How to choose a good domain name
Tips for picking a domain that's memorable, professional, and available.
Renewing your domain and turning on auto-renew
When your domain expires, how to renew it, and how to stop it lapsing by accident.
What happens when a domain expires
The timeline of events after a domain expires, and how to recover.
Domain privacy protection explained
What WHOIS privacy is, and how to check yours is switched on.
Who owns your domain (and why it matters)
Make sure your domain is registered in your name, not your developer's.
Transferring & pointing
How to transfer a domain
Moving a domain from one registrar to another, step by step.
Domain transfer checklist
Everything to do before, during, and after a domain transfer.
Unlocking a domain & getting the auth code
How to prepare your domain so it can be transferred.
Pointing your domain to a new site
How to update your DNS so your domain loads your new website.
Parked & redirected domains
What it means to park a domain or set up a redirect.
Verifying domain ownership
How to prove you own a domain to Google, email providers, and others.
Cloudflare basics for clients
What Cloudflare is, what we use it for, and what you need to know.
Email DNS
Email DNS records (MX, SPF, DKIM, DMARC)
The four DNS records that make your business email work correctly.
SPF records, explained
What an SPF record does and why it helps keep your email out of spam.
DKIM records, explained
How DKIM signs your email and proves it's really from you.
DMARC records, explained
How DMARC protects your domain from being used for spoofing.
Troubleshooting
DNS propagation: why changes take time
Why DNS updates don't happen instantly, and what to do while you wait.
Common DNS problems & fixes
The most frequent DNS issues and how to solve them.
Domain & DNS terms, explained simply
A plain-English A to Z glossary of every domain and DNS term.
If you need us to make the change for you
Most of the tasks in this section can be done by us, but only if we can see the account. These guides show you exactly what to click.
Give us access to manage your DNS
For anything involving records: pointing a domain, email records, verification.
Give us access to your domain registrar
For renewals, transfers, privacy settings, and nameserver changes.
Give us delegate access to GoDaddy
If your domain is registered at GoDaddy.
Give us access to your Namecheap account
If your domain is registered at Namecheap.
Give us access to your Cloudflare account
If your DNS is managed through Cloudflare.
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