What is a Nameserver? Easy Answer

Have you ever wondered how typing “google.com” magically takes you to Google’s website? 

Or maybe you’re trying to set up your first website, and someone mentioned “nameservers,” leaving you totally confused?

I remember hitting the same wall when I was changing my web hosts to Truehost. Nameserver is also a term you hear when setting up a new domain or fixing a website that won’t load. 

Here’s what makes this frustrating. 

Your website might be perfectly ready to go, but if your nameservers aren’t pointing to the right place, visitors see nothing. It’s like having a store with no address on the map.

So, let’s break it down. We’ll cover:

• What a nameserver actually is (no tech talk, promise)
• How nameservers help people find your website
• The difference between DNS and nameservers
• When you need to change your nameserver settings
• Simple steps to update nameservers yourself
• How to fix common nameserver problems

Ready to understand nameservers once and for all? 

Let’s jump right in.

What is a Nameserver?

Think of a nameserver as the Internet’s address book. You know how you save your friend’s phone number under their name? Nameservers do something similar for websites.

Here’s the thing. 

Computers don’t understand names like “youtube.com” or “amazon.com.” They only speak in numbers called IP addresses. An IP address looks something like this: 172.217.164.46.

So when you type a website name into your browser, a nameserver jumps in to help. It translates that human-friendly name into the computer-friendly number. 

This way, your browser knows exactly where to find the website you want.

Think of it like GPS for the Internet. You tell your GPS, “take me to the park,” and it figures out the exact coordinates. Nameservers work the same way. You say, “take me to facebook.com,” and the nameserver says, “sure, that’s at 157.240.241.35.”

Without nameservers, you’d need to memorize long strings of numbers just to visit your favorite websites. Can you imagine typing 142.250.185.78 every time you wanted to search for something on Google? 

No thanks.

How Do Nameservers Work?

Let’s walk through what happens when you visit a website. 

• First, you type a website address into your browser. 

Let’s say you type “twitter.com.”

• Next, your browser realizes it needs directions. 

It asks a nameserver, “Hey, where can I find twitter.com?”

• Then, the nameserver looks up the answer in its records. 

It finds the IP address connected to twitter.com.

• After that, the nameserver tells your browser, “Twitter is at this IP address: 104.244.42.1.”
• Finally, your browser uses that IP address to connect directly to Twitter’s server. 

The website loads on your screen.

Ooh, don’t be fooled.

This entire process happens in milliseconds. In fact, most DNS lookups take between 20 to 120 milliseconds. That’s faster than the blink of your eye.

Picture it like calling directory assistance. You call and say, “I need the phone number for Pizza Place.” The operator looks it up and tells you the number. Then you hang up and call the pizza place directly. 

Nameservers are basically directory operators for the Internet.

Here’s something interesting. There are over 1,000 root nameservers around the world handling billions of requests every day. They work together to make sure every website request gets answered quickly.

Nameservers vs DNS: What’s the Difference?

Have you been using nameservers and DNS terms like they mean the same thing? They are different. 

Let me clear this up.

DNS stands for Domain Name System. It’s the entire system that makes the internet work. Think of DNS as the postal service.

Nameservers are the workers inside that system. They’re like the individual post offices that sort and deliver your mail.

So DNS is the big picture. Nameservers are the specific computers doing the actual work.

Here’s an easy way to remember it. 

The DNS is like your school. Nameservers are like the teachers in your school. The school is the system. The teachers do the work inside that system.

That’s why people sometimes use the words interchangeably. When you talk about nameservers, you’re really talking about part of DNS. They’re connected, but nameservers are just one piece of the bigger DNS puzzle.

Types of Nameservers

Not all nameservers do the same job. There are actually four main types, and each has a specific role.

A. Primary Nameserver

This is your main nameserver. It holds the original copy of all your domain information. When someone asks where your website is, the primary nameserver gives the official answer.

Think of it as the teacher with the answer key. Everyone else checks their answers against what the primary nameserver says.

B. Secondary Nameserver

This is your backup. 

If the primary nameserver is busy or down, the secondary nameserver steps in. It has a copy of all the same information.

It’s like having a substitute teacher. If your regular teacher is sick, the substitute has the lesson plan and can teach the class.

Most domains use at least two nameservers. In fact, ICANN (the organization that manages domain names) recommends having at least two nameservers for every domain. 

This keeps your website running even if one nameserver has problems.

C. Root Nameserver

These are the starting points for all DNS lookups. There are 13 sets of root nameservers that help direct traffic across the entire Internet.

You don’t need to worry much about these. They work in the background, making sure all DNS requests end up in the right place.

D. Authoritative Nameserver

This nameserver gives the final answer about where your domain lives. It’s called “authoritative” because it has the authority to provide the official information.

When your browser asks multiple nameservers for directions, the authoritative nameserver gives the last word.

Common Nameserver Formats

Nameservers have addresses, just like websites do. These addresses usually look something like this:

ns1.example.com
ns2.example.com

See that “ns” at the beginning? It stands for “nameserver.” The number tells you whether it’s the first, second, or third nameserver.

Different hosting companies use different patterns.

Here are some real examples:

ns1.bluehost.com and ns2.bluehost.com
dns1.namecheap.com and dns2.namecheap.com
ns-cloud-e1.googledomains.com

The letters and numbers tell you which company runs the nameserver and which specific server handles your domain. It’s like a mailing address that shows both the city and the street.

Most websites use two to four nameservers. This gives you backups in case one stops working.

When Do You Need to Know About Nameservers?

Most of the time, you can forget nameservers even exist. They work quietly in the background. But there are specific times when you absolutely need to understand them.

1. Registering a New Domain

When you buy a domain name (like yourname.com), you need to point it somewhere. You’ll enter nameserver addresses to connect your domain to your web host.

2. Changing Web Hosting Providers

This is the most common reason people deal with nameservers. Let’s say you’re moving your website from one hosting company to another. You’ll need to update your nameserver settings to point to your new host.

3. Setting Up Email Services

Want to use Google Workspace or Truehost for your business email? You’ll need to update DNS records through your nameservers.

4. Migrating a Website

Moving your website to a new platform or redesigning it? You might need to adjust the nameserver settings to make sure everything works smoothly.

5. Troubleshooting Website Access Issues

If your website suddenly stops loading for everyone, checking your nameservers is one of the first troubleshooting steps. Sometimes, nameserver settings get changed by accident.

How to Find Your Website’s Nameservers

Need to check what nameservers your domain is using? You have a few easy options.

1.1 Through Your Domain Registrar Account

This is the simplest way. 

• Log in to the account where you bought your domain name. 
• Look for a section called “DNS Management,” “Nameservers,” or “Domain Settings.” 

Your current nameservers will be listed right there.

Every registrar puts this in a slightly different spot, but it’s always in your domain settings somewhere.

1.2 Using Online DNS Lookup Tools

You can use free websites to check any domain’s nameservers. Just type the domain name into a DNS lookup tool, and it shows you which nameservers are connected.

These tools work for any website on the Internet, not just yours. You could check Google’s nameservers or Facebook’s nameservers if you wanted to.

1.3 Via Command Line

If you’re comfortable with computers, you can check nameservers using your computer’s command prompt or terminal. Type “nslookup yourdomain.com” and press enter. 

This shows technical information, including the nameservers.

Don’t worry if that sounds complicated. The first two methods work great for most people.

How to Change Nameservers

Sometimes you need to update your nameserver settings. Here’s when that happens and how to do it.

When You Might Need to Change Them

The most common reason is switching to a new web host. Your new hosting company will give you new nameserver addresses to use.

You might also change nameservers when:

• Setting up a CDN (content delivery network) to speed up your website
• Moving to a specialized DNS service
• Switching from shared hosting to a VPS or dedicated server

General Steps to Change Nameservers

The exact steps vary slightly depending on where you bought your domain, but the process is similar everywhere.

a) First, log in to your domain registrar account. 

This is where you originally purchased your domain name, such as Truehost.

b) Second, find your domain management area. 

Look for your domain in your account dashboard.

c) Third, locate the nameserver or DNS settings. 

This might be under “Manage,” “DNS,” or “Nameservers.”

d) Fourth, choose the option to use custom nameservers. 

You’ll see fields to enter nameserver addresses.

e) Fifth, enter the new nameserver addresses your hosting company gave you. 

Usually, you’ll enter at least two nameservers.

f) Finally, save your changes. 

Click “Update,” “Save,” or whatever button confirms the change.

Understanding Propagation Time

Here’s something important. 

When you change nameservers, the update doesn’t happen instantly across the entire Internet.

DNS propagation is the time it takes for your nameserver changes to spread everywhere. This usually takes 24 to 48 hours, though it often happens faster.

During this time, some people might see your old website while others see your new one. This is totally normal. Just be patient.

Important Warning

Don’t change your nameservers unless you know exactly what you’re doing. If you enter the wrong information, your website will stop working for everyone.

Only change nameservers when you’re switching hosts or a tech support person specifically tells you to. And always double-check that you’re entering the correct nameserver addresses.

Common Nameserver Issues and Solutions

Even with the best setup, you might run into nameserver problems. Here are the most common ones and how to fix them.

1. Website Not Loading After Nameserver Change

This is usually just propagation. Your changes are spreading across the Internet, so wait 24 to 48 hours before panicking.

To check if it’s working, try visiting your website from different devices or ask a friend in another location to try. If they can see it but you can’t, it’s just propagation.

2. Incorrect Nameserver Settings

Sometimes people accidentally enter the wrong nameserver addresses. Go back to your domain registrar and double-check what you typed. One incorrect letter or number can break everything.

Compare what you entered to what your hosting company told you to use. They should match exactly.

How to Verify Nameservers Are Working Correctly

Use an online DNS checker tool to see what nameservers your domain is currently using. If it shows your new nameservers, the change worked. If it still shows the old ones, wait a bit longer or check if you saved your changes properly.

Who to Contact for Help

This confuses a lot of people. Should you call your hosting company or your domain registrar?

Here’s the rule: Contact your domain registrar for help changing nameserver settings in their system. Contact your hosting company if you need to know what nameservers to use or if your website isn’t working after the change.

If your website is with Truehost but you bought your domain at GoDaddy, call GoDaddy to change the nameserver settings. Call Truehost to find out what nameserver addresses to enter.

Conclusion

Nameservers are the Internet’s way of connecting names to numbers. They translate website names you can remember into IP addresses that computers can understand.

Most of the time, you’ll never think about nameservers. They work automatically in the background. But when you’re setting up a website, changing hosts, or fixing connection problems, understanding nameservers helps you know what’s happening.

Nameservers are like the Internet’s GPS. You give them a website name, and they tell your browser the exact location.

Nameservers FAQs