Point to DigitalOcean Name Servers From Common Domain Registrars

Validated on 22 Feb 2018 • Last edited on 11 Mar 2024

Adding a domain you own to your DigitalOcean account lets you manage the domain’s DNS records with the control panel and API. Domains you manage on DigitalOcean also integrate with DigitalOcean Load Balancers and Spaces to streamline automatic SSL certificate management.

DNS (Domain Name System) is a naming system that maps a server’s domain name, like example.com, to an IP address, like 203.0.113.1. This is what allows you to direct a domain name to the web server hosting that domain’s content, for example.

To set up a domain name, you need to purchase a domain name from a domain name registrar and then set up DNS records for it. Registrars are organizations that have completed an accreditation process that allows them to sell domain names. Registrars typically offer services to manage DNS records as well, but once you have purchases a domain, most registrars will allow you to manage your DNS records with other providers.

DigitalOcean is not a domain name registrar, but you can manage your DNS records from the DigitalOcean Control Panel. This can make record management easier because DigitalOcean DNS integrates with Droplets and Load Balancers.

Prerequisites

To follow along with this tutorial, you need a domain name that you own or control.

To look up your domain’s registrar, you can use the ICANN WHOIS website or use the whois command from a Linux or macOS terminal:

whois example.com

The registrar’s website is located on the Registrar URL line:

Excerpt of whois output
  Domain Name: EXAMPLE.COM
   Registry Domain ID: 2336799_DOMAIN_COM-VRSN
   Registrar WHOIS Server: whois.iana.org
   Registrar URL: http://res-dom.iana.org
   Updated Date: 2017-08-14T07:04:03Z
   Creation Date: 1995-08-14T04:00:00Z
. . .

To change the name servers, you’ll need to log into the domain registrar’s account management section. Once you’re logged in, follow the directions for your registrar below. If your registrar is not included, check their documentation for changing name servers.

Instructions

To use DigitalOcean DNS, you’ll need to update the name servers used by your domain registrar to DigitalOcean’s name servers instead. In this article, we’ll show you how to look up the registrar for your domain, then provide step-by-step guidance on how to update the name server settings for the following registrars:

GoDaddy
Note
This section of the guide was last updated on 16 February 2018
  1. Sign in to your GoDaddy account.
  2. On your account homepage, click the DNS tab on the right-hand side of the Domains main page. It will be located in between the Add Privacy and Manage tabs. Screenshot of registrar control panel
  3. On the next screen, navigate to the section of the page that reads name servers. Click Change.
  4. When prompted, select Custom from the drop-down menu, and enter the following name servers:
    • ns1.digitalocean.com
    • ns2.digitalocean.com
    • ns3.digitalocean.com Screenshot of registrar control panel You will have to click Add Name server to add the last entry. Click Save to apply your changes.
  5. Now you are ready to move on to connecting the domain with your Droplet in the DigitalOcean Control Panel. Check out the Conclusion section at the end of this article to find out about what to do next.
HostGator
Note
This section of the guide was last updated on 16 February 2018
  1. Sign into your HostGator account.
  2. Click on the domain name that you want to use with your Droplet.
  3. You will then be presented with a Domain Overview. Click on Change under Name Servers. Screenshot of registrar control panel
  4. Select Manually set my name servers and enter the following:
    • ns1.digitalocean.com
    • ns2.digitalocean.com
    • ns3.digitalocean.com Screenshot of registrar control panel You must click the green + symbol to add the third name server.
  5. Click Save Name Servers to apply your changes. Now you are ready to move on to connecting the domain with your Droplet in the DigitalOcean Control Panel. Check out the Conclusion section at the end of this article to read about what to do next.
Namecheap
Note
This section of the guide was last updated on 10 October 2017
  1. Sign in to your Namecheap account, then click Domain List in the left-hand column. You will be presented with a dashboard listing all of your domains. Click the Manage button of the domain you’d like to update. Screenshot of registrar control panel
  2. In the name servers section of the resulting screen, select Custom DNS from the dropdown menu and enter the following name servers:
    • ns1.digitalocean.com
    • ns2.digitalocean.com
    • ns3.digitalocean.com Screenshot of registrar control panel
  3. Click the green checkmark to apply your changes. Now you are ready to move on to connecting the domain with your Droplet in the DigitalOcean Control Panel. Check out the Conclusion section at the end of this article to read on what to do next.
1&1
Note
This section of the guide was last updated on 16 February 2018
  1. Sign in to your 1&1 account and go to Domains tab on the left side of your homepage. Screenshot of registrar control panel
  2. Once on the Domains landing page, click on your domain name.
  3. On the next page, click on Modify DNS Settings.
  4. Under Name Server Settings, select Other name servers. Enter the following name servers:
    • ns1.digitalocean.com
    • ns2.digitalocean.com
    • ns3.digitalocean.com Screenshot of registrar control panel
  5. Scroll down to the bottom of the page and click Save to apply your changes. Now you are ready to move on to connecting the domain with your Droplet in the DigitalOcean Control Panel. Check out the Conclusion section at the end of this article to read about what to do next.
Name.com
Note
This section of the guide was last updated on 16 February 2018
  1. Sign in to your Name.com account.
  2. Click on the My Account icon, and select My Dashboard from the dropdown menu. Screenshot of registrar control panel
  3. On the Dashboard screen, click on your domain name.
  4. On the your domain’s home screen, click on name servers, on the left side of your screen. Screenshot of registrar control panel
  5. You will be presented with the option to Edit each of your name servers. You can replace the Name.com default name servers with the following:
    • ns1.digitalocean.com
    • ns2.digitalocean.com
    • ns3.digitalocean.com You will be asked to update each change individually, and to Apply Changes once you are finished with your edits. Be sure to also delete the fourth default name server from the list. Screenshot of registrar control panel
  6. Now you are ready to move on to connecting the domain with your Droplet in the DigitalOcean Control Panel. Check out the Conclusion section at the end of this article to read about what to do next.
Network Solutions
Note
This section of the guide was last updated on 16 February 2018
  1. Sign in to your Network Solutions account.
  2. Select My Domain Names. Screenshot of registrar control panel
  3. Find the domain name that you want to use with your Droplet, then select Change Where Domain Points. Screenshot of registrar control panel
  4. Select Domain Name Server (DNS), then select Continue. Screenshot of registrar control panel
  5. Enter the following name servers:
    • ns1.digitalocean.com
    • ns2.digitalocean.com
    • ns3.digitalocean.com Screenshot of registrar control panel
  6. Select Continue, then confirm your changes on the next page by selecting Apply Changes. Now you are ready to move on to connecting the domain with your Droplet in the DigitalOcean Control Panel. Check out the Conclusion section at the end of this article to read about what to do next.
Enom
Note
This section of the guide was last updated on 16 February 2018
  1. Sign in to your Enom account.
  2. Under Domains, select Registered Domains. If you have multiple domains registered with Enom, select the domain name that you want to use with your Droplet. Screenshot of registrar control panel
  3. Select DNS Server Settings.
  4. Under User our Name Servers?, select Custom.
  5. Enter the following name servers:
    • ns1.digitalocean.com
    • ns2.digitalocean.com
    • ns3.digitalocean.com Screenshot of registrar control panel
  6. Select save, then confirm your changes in the popup by selecting OK. Now you are ready to move on to connecting the domain with your Droplet in the DigitalOcean Control Panel. Check out the Conclusion section at the end of this article to read about what to do next.
Gandi
Note
This section of the guide was last updated on 16 February 2018
  1. Sign in to your Gandi account.
  2. Navigate to Domains on the left side of your dashboard. Screenshot of registrar control panel
  3. Click on the domain you would like to use with your Droplet.
  4. Select name servers from the menu on the left of your screen.
  5. Click on the pen icon under the Change heading at the bottom of the name servers screen. Screenshot of registrar control panel
  6. Fill in the name server fields with the following:
    • ns1.digitalocean.com
    • ns2.digitalocean.com
    • ns3.digitalocean.com Screenshot of registrar control panel
  7. Click Save. Now you are ready to move on to connecting the domain with your Droplet in the DigitalOcean Control Panel. Check out the Conclusion section at the end of this article to read about what to do next.
Register.com
Note
This section of the guide was last updated on 16 February 2018
  1. Sign in to your Register.com account.
  2. Under the Account Dashboard, select Domains and then Manage from the list of available options. Screenshot of registrar control panel
  3. Click Manage under Manage Product for the domain name you want to associate with your Droplet. Screenshot of registrar control panel
  4. Under DOMAIN NAME SYSTEM SERVERS (DNS SERVERS), enter the following name servers into the New DNS Server fields:
    • ns1.digitalocean.com
    • ns2.digitalocean.com
    • ns3.digitalocean.com Screenshot of registrar control panel
  5. Select Continue, then confirm your changes on the next page by selecting Continue. Now you are ready to move on to connecting the domain with your Droplet in the DigitalOcean Control Panel. Check out the Conclusion section at the end of this article to read about what to do next.
A Small Orange
Note
This section of the guide was last updated on 27 October 2014
  1. Sign in to your A Small Orange account and select My Domains. Screenshot of registrar control panel
  2. Find the domain name that you want to use with your Droplet, then select Manage Domain to the right of that domain name.
  3. By default, A Small Orange locks your domain to prevent it from being transferred away without your authorization. This means that before we can change the name servers, we’ll need to disable this lock. Select the Registrar Lock tab, then select Disable Registrar Lock.
  4. Select the name servers tab.
  5. Enter the following name servers:
    • ns1.digitalocean.com
    • ns2.digitalocean.com
    • ns3.digitalocean.com Screenshot of registrar control panel
  6. Select Change name servers to apply your changes. Now you are ready to move on to connecting the domain with your Droplet in the DigitalOcean Control Panel. Check out the Conclusion section at the end of this article to read on what to do next.
iwantmyname
Note
This section of the guide was last updated on 16 February 2018
  1. Sign in to your iwantmyname account and select the Domains tab.
  2. Select the domain name that you want to use with your Droplet.
  3. Under name servers, select update name servers.
  4. Unlike many other domain registrars, iwantmyname features a menu of popular web hosts with preconfigured DNS settings. Screenshot of registrar control panel
  5. Choose DigitalOcean (ns1-3.digitalocean.com) from the dropdown menu, and the fields below will be automatically filled in with the correct settings. Screenshot of registrar control panel
  6. Select Update name servers to apply your changes. Now you are ready to move on to connecting the domain with your Droplet in the DigitalOcean Control Panel. Check out the Conclusion section at the end of this article to read about what to do next.
Google Domains
Note
This section of the guide was last updated on 26 February 2019
  1. Sign in to your Google Domains account.
  2. Select the domain name that you want to use with your Droplet.
  3. In the left menu, click on DNS. Screenshot of registrar control panel
  4. Click on Use custom name servers. Screenshot of registrar control panel
  5. Enter the following name servers:
    • ns1.digitalocean.com
    • ns2.digitalocean.com
    • ns3.digitalocean.com Screenshot of registrar control panel Note: You’ll need to hit the + to the right of the name server field to make more fields visible.
  6. Select Save to apply your changes. Now you are ready to move on to connecting the domain with your Droplet in the DigitalOcean Control Panel. Check out the Conclusion section below to read about what to do next.
Additional Registrars

There are additional domain registrars that you can use to link your domain to DigitalOcean’s name servers. The following list of registrars includes links to documentation on how to transfer domains to custom name servers. DigitalOcean’s name servers are:

  • ns1.digitalocean.com
  • ns2.digitalocean.com
  • ns3.digitalocean.com

You can enter these name servers into the appropriate fields when prompted, following the examples outlined in the previous sections.

Summary

It will take some time for the name server changes to propagate after you’ve saved them. During this time, the domain registrar communicates the changes you’ve made with your ISP (Internet Service Provider). In turn, your ISP caches the new name servers to ensure quick site connections. This process usually takes about 30 minutes but could take up to a few hours depending on your registrar and your ISP’s communication methods.

What’s Next?

Once your domain is pointed to DigitalOcean’s name servers, you can begin managing its DNS records from the control panel. See How to Create, Edit, and Delete DNS Records and How to Add a Subdomain to Your Domain to get started. You can also learn more about how DNS works in An Introduction to DNS Terminology, Components, and Concepts

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