Updating external domain names

Domain Name control

Domain Names have three levels of ‘control’:

• The Domain Registrar is the Company you pay for each annual renewal: often where you bought it initially;
• The Nameserver records are stored with the Registrar, and determine which server controls where traffic is sent;
• Individual DNS Records are stored on the Nameserver and point web and email traffic to the relevant servers.

We suggest that you at least change the Nameservers to use our server stack. We can then ensure that your website traffic is sent to the right place, and update how your email is handled if needed also. Once the Nameservers are updated we can then apply your free SSL certificate. You would continue to pay your existing Domain Registrar each year for the domain renewal, but you can move this to us also if you would prefer and have one company to pay for it all.

Transferring a domain

If you want us to take over responsibility for renewing the domain name each year, you can transfer the name to us, making us the registrar. The process for this is slightly different for .uk domains compared to all others.

.uk domains

If it is a .uk domain you would need to change the IPSTAG to STACK so that we can then add it to our systems. The transfer cannot be requested on our side until the tag change is actioned (this is usually an instant update). There is no charge for transferring a .uk domain name, and no requirement to extend the registration.

other domains

For any other domain you would need to request a transfer/EPP Key and may also need to unlock it to allow transfer. The transfer cannot be requested on our side without the EPP key, as this needs to be provided as part of the order. When transferring any domain other than a .uk domain, a year’s renewal is charged and the renewal date extended. A confirmation email will be sent to the owner (Registrant) which may require online confirmation or the EPP key.

Changing Nameservers

If you login to your account or control panel with the company your purchased the domain from, you should see an option to change the Nameservers. If you cannot find this, let us know and we’ll try to find the instructions for your host. Links for some of the more popular ones are included below. You will need to change the Nameservers to the following (if they only allow you to enter two, use the first two):

ns1.cloudhost.one
ns2.cloudhost.one
ns3.cloudhost.one
ns4.cloudhost.one

It can take a few hours for all ISPs to recognise the update and for the new settings to take full effect.

External provider guidance

Here are some useful links to instructions for common providers:
123-Reg: 123-reg.co.uk/support/domains/how-do-i-change-the-nameservers-for-my-domain-name/
Fasthosts: help.fasthosts.co.uk/app/answers/detail/a_id/15/~/changing-a-domains-nameservers
GoDaddy: godaddy.com/help/change-nameservers-for-my-domains-664
Namesco: names.co.uk/support/articles/changing-the-nameservers-for-a-domain/
Ionos1&1: ionos.co.uk/help/domains/using-your-own-name-servers/using-your-own-name-servers-for-a-domain/
Gandi.net: docs.gandi.net/en/domain_names/common_operations/changing_nameservers.html
UK2: uk2.net/knowledgebase/article/how-to-edit-dns-via-chi/