Understanding Nameservers and DNS Propagation
When you change nameservers or update DNS records, the changes do not appear instantly everywhere in the world. This is because DNS information is cached by servers across the globe. This article explains how nameservers work, what DNS propagation is, and how to manage it effectively.
What Are Nameservers?
Every domain on the internet is connected to a pair of nameservers (primary and secondary). Nameservers are the authoritative source for all DNS records for your domain - they tell the internet where to find your website, where to deliver your email, and everything else associated with your domain name.
- When someone types your domain into a browser, their computer asks a DNS resolver where to find it
- The DNS resolver queries your domain's nameservers for the answer
- The nameservers return the relevant DNS record (e.g. the A record pointing to your server's IP)
- The browser connects to your server and loads your website
Unisolva's nameservers are ns1.totalsolvex.com and ns2.totalsolvex.com. When these are set as your domain's nameservers, Unisolva's DNS system is authoritative for your domain and all records are managed through cPanel's Zone Editor.
What Is DNS Propagation?
DNS propagation is the time it takes for a DNS change to spread across all the DNS resolvers and caches around the world. When you update a nameserver or DNS record, the change is made at the source (your registrar or authoritative nameserver), but DNS resolvers worldwide may continue serving the old cached value until their cache expires.
Typical propagation times
- Nameserver changes - 24 to 48 hours for full global propagation, though most regions update within 1–4 hours
- A, CNAME, MX, TXT record changes - depends on the TTL (Time to Live) of the record. Default TTL in cPanel is 14,400 seconds (4 hours). Changes are visible globally once the TTL expires.
- Low TTL records - if you set TTL to 300 seconds (5 minutes) before making a change, propagation happens much faster
What Is TTL?
TTL (Time to Live) is a value in seconds set on each DNS record. It tells DNS resolvers how long to cache the record before checking for an update.
- High TTL (e.g. 86400 = 24 hours) - DNS resolvers cache the record for a full day. Changes take longer to propagate but reduce DNS query load.
- Low TTL (e.g. 300 = 5 minutes) - resolvers check for updates every 5 minutes. Use a low TTL before planned changes (migrations, server moves) to speed up propagation.
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???? Tip Planning a server migration or switching hosting providers? Lower your TTL to 300 seconds 24–48 hours before making any changes. This minimises downtime by ensuring DNS updates propagate quickly. After the migration is complete, restore TTL to the default (14400). |
How to Check DNS Propagation
Several free tools let you check whether a DNS change has propagated in different regions:
- net - enter your domain and choose the record type to see results from dozens of global locations
- org - similar tool with a visual map of propagation status
- Google's dig tool (Google Admin Toolbox > Dig) - useful for checking specific record types
- Go to whatsmydns.net
- Enter your domain name (e.g. yourdomain.com)
- Select the record type you changed (NS for nameservers, A for the main record, MX for email, etc.)
- Click Search - green ticks indicate the new value is resolving, red X marks show the old value is still cached in that region
Why Is My Site Not Showing After Updating Nameservers?
If your site is not loading after changing nameservers, consider the following:
- Propagation is still in progress - wait up to 48 hours and check again
- Your local DNS cache - clear it by running ipconfig /flushdns (Windows) or sudo dscacheutil -flushcache (Mac) in your terminal
- Your browser cache - try opening the site in a private/incognito window
- Nameservers were typed incorrectly - verify in your registrar's panel that ns1.totalsolvex.com and ns2.totalsolvex.com are saved exactly as shown, with no typos
- DNS was not configured in cPanel - ensure your domain has an A record pointing to the correct server IP in cPanel's Zone Editor
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???? Note You can confirm what IP your domain currently resolves to by going to whatsmydns.net, entering your domain, and checking the A record. Compare this to your server's IP in cPanel > General Information > Shared IP Address. |
Common Questions
Can I use Cloudflare with Unisolva hosting?
Yes. You can proxy your domain through Cloudflare for additional CDN performance and DDoS protection. In this case, you would set your domain's nameservers to Cloudflare's nameservers (not Unisolva's), and in Cloudflare you would add an A record pointing to your Unisolva server IP. Contact support at my.unisolva.com if you need help configuring this.
Does changing nameservers affect my email?
Yes - if your email MX records are managed through your old nameservers, changing nameservers means the new nameservers (Unisolva's) must have identical MX records configured in cPanel. Always verify your MX records are correctly set in cPanel's Zone Editor before switching nameservers, to avoid email disruption.
Related Articles
- How to Connect Your Domain to Unisolva Hosting
- How to Manage DNS Records in cPanel
- How to Transfer a Domain to Unisolva
