Member Avatar for DavidB

I am planning to change the web host of one of my web sites, and the site has a webmail service (similar to Hotmail, etc.). I recall that when I first set it up, I had to edit the MX record in the DNS file.

Before I change the web host of this site, I am wondering, what is the DNS file? Is this a file posted on the server of the web host (in which case I would have to transfer it to the new host)? Or is this a file hosted on a server of the company through which I registered the domain (in which case, I might not have to do anything)?

Is maintaining and editing the DNS file going to be a big deal?

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  • Latest Post Latest Post by matricol

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A short practical explanation building on what and said: DNS is not a single user file on your web server but a set of records published by the domain’s authoritative nameservers. Whether anything needs to be “moved” depends on where those nameservers are hosted — at the registrar, at the current web host, or at a third‑party DNS provider. ’s concern about the MX record is valid: mail routing is controlled by DNS, so how DNS is managed determines whether mail stays working during a host change.

Quick checklist and safe workflow:

  • Discover who hosts the DNS: query the domain’s NS and MX records and inspect the registrar control panel. Example checks:

    dig +short NS example.com
dig +short MX example.com
dig A example.com

  • Two migration approaches:

    1. Keep DNS where it is (no nameserver change): update the A record to the new host IP. Minimal risk to email if MX stays pointing to the mail server.
    2. Move DNS to the new provider: export or copy every record (A, AAAA, CNAME, MX, TXT/SPF, DKIM, SRV) to the new DNS, verify them, then change nameservers at the registrar.

  • Reduce risk: lower the TTL to a small value (e.g., 300s) a day before changes to shorten cache times; after everything is stable, raise TTL back to a larger value.

Final checks and cautions: confirm MX, SPF, DKIM and any TXT records after the switch; don’t remove the old DNS until the new nameservers are resolving worldwide; propagation and cached records can produce intermittent behavior for up to ~48 hours. Registrar control (ability to change nameservers) is the single most important credential during a host move.

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Member Avatar for Kraai

Hi

DNS is not a file, but a service. It stands for Domain Name Service and normally this service is provided by your hosting company or the registar where your domain name was registered.

All it does, is to provide the means to transfer a domain ip number into a readable name, so that people do not have to remember but rather http://yourdomainname.com.

When you change hoasts, your new host should normally do all transfers, if they are any good.

Member Avatar for matricol

its Domain Name Server

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