Quickly check NS records to identify which name servers manage your domain. Our NS lookup tool helps ensure DNS is properly delegated and working
An NS lookup shows the name servers a domain is delegated to: the DNS servers that hold its authoritative records. Whichever provider runs these servers controls the domain's DNS, so this is the first thing to check when DNS changes don't take effect or you need to know where to edit records.
example.com.From a terminal: dig example.com NS or nslookup -type=NS example.com.
Most domains have two to four name servers, often from the same provider. Their hostnames usually tell you who hosts the DNS:
| Name servers look like | DNS provider |
|---|---|
*.ns.cloudflare.com | Cloudflare |
ns-123.awsdns-45.com | Amazon Route 53 |
ns-cloud-a1.googledomains.com | Google Cloud DNS |
ns1-01.azure-dns.com | Azure DNS |
ns01.domaincontrol.com | GoDaddy |
The registrar (where you bought the domain) and the DNS host aren't always the same company. A WHOIS Lookup shows the registrar and the name servers it has on file.
At the registrar, in the domain's name server or DNS settings. Copy all existing records to the new DNS provider first, then replace the name servers with the ones the new provider gives you.
Often a few hours, but allow up to 48 hours. The delegation is published by the top-level domain's registry, and resolvers may cache the old name servers for that registry's TTL.
NS records list all the authoritative name servers for a domain. The SOA record names the primary one and holds zone details such as the serial number and refresh timers. You can see both with a DNS lookup.
At least two; most providers give you two to four. More than one is required by most registries so the domain keeps working if one server fails.