When you type a website address into your browser, there is a dedicated system to direct the request to the right place. Nameservers play a key role in this process—they tell the internet where your domain's settings are managed. Understanding which nameservers your domain is using can help you know where to update DNS records, ensuring your website runs smoothly and can be reached by your audience.
💡 Nameservers show where a domain's DNS zone is managed.
Most domain registrars—the companies where you purchase domain names—set up default nameservers for newly registered domains. If your registrar provides DNS management, you can typically keep these default nameservers as long as the domain remains active.
However, you may need to change your nameservers in the following cases:
You want to point your domain to a different provider.
Your domain registrar does not support DNS zone management.
If you're unsure which nameservers are currently set for your domain, follow these steps to check:
How to find your domain’s nameservers
Go to a public domain database such as WHOIS and search for your domain name:
Locate the Name Servers section. It will look similar to this:
Refresh the information if it appears outdated by clicking the icon nest to Updated X days ago.
NOTE
This method works for most generic top-level domains (gTLDs) like .com, .net, .org, and some country-code TLDs. If no results appear, search online for a WHOIS tool specific to your domain extension.
How to interpret the results
Your nameservers indicate where your domain's DNS settings are managed:
If you get Hostinger nameservers — they look similar to [example1].dns-parking.com and [example2].dns-parking.com — it means the domain's DNS zone is managed in Hostinger.
If you get any other values, it means that your domain's DNS zone is managed elsewhere:
Search the nameservers on the web to identify the provider.
Log into your account at the service provider's website and make any necessary changes to your domain's DNS zone.
To connect your domain with a website hosted at Hostinger, refer to this guide: How to point a domain to Hostinger.
Examples of service providers and their nameservers
Examples of service providers and their nameservers
Here are some examples of well-known DNS providers and their typical nameservers:
Cloudflare: bob.ns.cloudflare.com, lola.ns.cloudflare.com
GoDaddy: NS07.domaincontrol.com, NS08.domaincontrol.com
IONOS: ns1045.ui-dns.org, ns1045.ui-dns.biz, ns1045.ui-dns.de, ns1045.ui-dns.com
Bluehost: ns1.bluehost.com, ns2.bluehost.com
Wix: ns4.wixdns.net, ns5.wixdns.net