NS servers (Name Servers) are the servers that hold your domain's DNS records. Changing the NS records is required when you move to a new host or connect a third-party DNS provider (Cloudflare, Google Cloud DNS).
When You Need to Change NS Servers
- Moving to a new host (you change the whole DNS setup)
- Connecting Cloudflare as a proxy and DNS
- Using external DNS (AWS Route 53, Google Cloud DNS)
- Consolidating several domains under one DNS provider
⚠️ Warning: Changing NS servers makes the site and email temporarily unavailable (up to 48 hours). Schedule it for the night or a weekend with minimal traffic.
Steps to Change NS at ZevsHost
- Log in to the Client Area → Domains
- Pick the domain → Manage NS
- Replace the current NS records with the new ones:
ns1.zevshost.net ns2.zevshost.net - Save the changes
- Wait for propagation (24–48 hours)
ZevsHost NS Servers by Data Center
| Data center | Primary NS | Secondary NS |
|---|---|---|
| Germany (Dusseldorf) | ns1.zevshost.net | ns2.zevshost.net |
| USA (Chicago) | ns1.zevshost.net | ns2.zevshost.net |
| France (Strasbourg) | ns1.zevshost.net | ns2.zevshost.net |
Checking NS Propagation
After the change, check propagation with:
# Check the current NS records of the domain
nslookup -type=NS example.com
# Query a specific DNS server
nslookup -type=NS example.com 8.8.8.8Online: whatsmydns.net — it shows the status from different locations around the world.
💡 Tip: Before changing the NS records, copy every existing DNS record to the new DNS provider. Otherwise mail, subdomains and other services will stop working once the NS records change.
Common Mistakes When Changing NS
- Forgotten MX records — email stops working
- SPF/DKIM not migrated — messages land in spam
- Missing www record — the www version of the site is unreachable
- Old TTL of 86400 — lower the TTL to 300 a full 24 hours before the change
Real Errors When Changing NS
| Message or symptom | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| "Invalid nameserver format" in the registrar panel | The NS is entered without a trailing dot or as an incomplete FQDN (for example, ns1.zevshost instead of ns1.zevshost.net) | Enter the full domain name of the NS server, including the top-level zone |
| "Nameserver does not resolve" when trying to save | The registrar checks that the given NS name has a valid A record, and it does not have one yet | Make sure the NS name resolves to an IP before entering it at the registrar |
| The site is unreachable 72 hours after the change | Some resolvers cached the old NS records using the NS record's TTL in the parent zone (usually 48-172800 seconds) | Wait for the NS record's TTL to fully expire, and check with different public resolvers (8.8.8.8, 1.1.1.1) |
| Mail works but the site does not (or vice versa) after the NS change | Not every record type was migrated to the new DNS provider — for example, the A record was copied but the MX record was forgotten, or the other way round | Compare the full record list of the old and new zones line by line before switching |
EPP Statuses That Block an NS Change
| Status | What it means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| clientUpdateProhibited | The registrar has blocked changes to the domain, including NS changes, at the owner's request | Remove the status in the registrar panel before changing the NS records |
| serverUpdateProhibited | The lock was set by the registry itself — usually after a domain dispute or at law enforcement's request | Only the registry can remove it, through a request via the registrar — it is not self-service |
| pendingTransfer | The domain is in the process of being transferred between registrars | Wait for the transfer to finish — NS changes are usually unavailable in this status |
| pendingDelete | The domain is being deleted after its registration expired | An NS change is not possible — the domain must be restored (Redemption) first |
# Check the domain's current EPP status
whois example.com | grep -i "domain status"When You Should NOT Change NS
- An active email campaign or ad campaign is running — temporary unavailability during propagation will hurt reputation and conversions
- DNSSEC is configured on the domain, and the new DNS provider does not support it — changing NS without disabling DNSSEC first will break resolution completely
- The current records have not been fully exported — without a backup of the zone there will be nothing to restore forgotten records (verification TXT records, SRV) from
- The next 48 hours fall during a business peak (a sale, a release) — any unexpected propagation delay will hit at the worst possible moment
If changing just the site's IP is enough instead of a full NS switch, the A record approach is covered in connecting a domain to hosting.
The full cycle of changing NS servers — from the change in the registrar panel to the caches fully updating at every resolver worldwide — is better planned not as a one-off action but as a process with checkpoints at 1, 6 and 24 hours after the change. That makes it possible to spot a problem early, rather than two days later once some traffic is already lost.