After ordering hosting, your domain has to point to the new server before visitors see your site. There are two ways to point a domain to your hosting: change the nameservers, so the hosting server manages all DNS, or keep your current DNS provider and change only the A record. Both work; the right choice depends on where you want to manage DNS.
Before you start
- Your hosting welcome email or the service details in MdmHost dashboard → Services, which list the nameservers and the server IP.
- Login to the registrar where the domain is registered, or to your current DNS provider.
Nameservers vs A record compared
| Change nameservers | Change A record | |
|---|---|---|
| DNS managed in | cPanel Zone Editor | Your existing DNS provider |
| Email, subdomains, SSL records | Created automatically by cPanel | You add each record yourself |
| Best for | Most sites, simplest setup | Domains using Cloudflare, Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 DNS you want to keep |
| Propagation | Up to 24–48 hours | Usually within the record's TTL |
Method 1: change nameservers
- Log in to your domain registrar.
- Open the domain and find Nameservers or DNS settings.
- Choose custom nameservers and enter the ones from your welcome email.
- Save, then wait for propagation.
If the domain is registered with MdmHost, change nameservers from the domain's page in the MdmHost dashboard.
Warning: Changing nameservers replaces all DNS records. If the domain already has email elsewhere (Google Workspace, Microsoft 365), recreate its MX, SPF and verification records in cPanel → Domains → Zone Editor first.
Method 2: change the A record
- Log in to your current DNS provider.
- Edit the A record for
@(the root domain) to the hosting server IP. - Edit or create
wwwas a CNAME to the root domain, or as an A record to the same IP. - If you will use hosting email, point the MX record to
mail.yourdomain.comand add an A record formailwith the server IP. - Add the SPF and DKIM records shown in cPanel → Email → Email Deliverability.
With Cloudflare, you can leave the proxy (orange cloud) on for web records, but set the mail record to DNS only.
Check that the domain points to your hosting
- Look up the domain's IP with the IP checker and compare with your server IP.
- Check registered nameservers with the WHOIS checker.
- Once DNS points to the server, AutoSSL issues a free certificate, usually within a few hours. You can trigger it in cPanel → Security → SSL/TLS Status → Run AutoSSL.
Troubleshooting
- Old site still shows: your computer or ISP is caching DNS. Flush your DNS cache or test on mobile data.
- Default cPanel page shows: the domain points correctly but is not added to the account, or files are not uploaded to its document root.
- Email stops working: MX records were lost when nameservers changed. Recreate them.
Frequently asked questions
Which method is faster?
A record changes usually apply within the TTL, often minutes. Nameserver changes can take longer because TLD servers and resolvers cache delegations.
Do I need to transfer my domain to MdmHost?
No. You can keep the domain at any registrar and just point it. Transfer it if you want billing and DNS in one place.
Can I point only a subdomain?
Yes. Add an A record for the subdomain, such as shop, to the hosting IP and keep the rest unchanged.