You want to move your website, or your email has suddenly stopped working, and you don’t know who to contact. Should you contact your domain registrar, your hosting provider, or your email provider? Your domain name points to your website’s server (A record) and to your mail server (MX record) via DNS records. Your domain, hosting, and email can be with different providers, and the DNS settings determine who handles what. It may seem like a tangled mess, but there are four layers, and for each problem, you usually only need to understand one. Below, I’ll explain them one by one, with a link to more detailed information for each topic.
The short answer: four layers that fit together
A WordPress website with email on your own domain operates on four layers: the domain name, the name servers, the DNS records, and the servers for hosting and email. Each layer has its own function and often its own provider. This table shows them side by side.
| Low | What it does | Who supplies it | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Domain Name | Your name on the Internet, registered under the account holder's name | A registrar, acting on behalf of the domain extension registry | yourcompany.nl |
| 2. Name Servers | Determine which party manages your domain's DNS | Your registrar, your hosting provider, or a third-party DNS service such as Cloudflare | ns1.examplehost.nl |
| 3. DNS Records | Directing traffic to the correct server for each service | The provider your nameservers point to | A record pointing to your web server, MX record pointing to your mail server |
| 4. Hosting and Mail Server | This is where your WordPress site and your email accounts are actually hosted | Your hosting provider; for email, sometimes Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 | Web server with PHP and a database, mail server with your mailboxes |
I always explain it using the analogy of a business building. Your domain is the address on the facade. DNS is the reception desk with the address book, which directs visitors to the right building and sends mail to the right mailroom. Hosting is the building where your website is located, and the mail server is the mailroom. So the registrar verifies that the domain belongs to you, the nameservers determine who maintains the address book, and the records in that address book direct website traffic and email to the correct server. If all these layers are managed by a single provider, you’ll hardly notice it. If they’re spread out—which is often the case with many small and medium-sized business websites—you’ll need to know which layer is where before making any changes.
Your domain name: ownership through a registrar
A registrar is a company that registers a domain name on your behalf with the registry for that domain extension. Each domain extension has its own registry. For .nl, that’s SIDN; for .be, it’s DNS Belgium; and for .eu, it’s EURid. In that registry, you or your company is listed as the registrant, and the registrant is the owner of the domain. The registrar is merely the intermediary that handles the registration.
That distinction may sound technical, but it’s important in practice. If you want to transfer your domain to another provider, you—as the registrant—will need the transfer code (also known as a token). If the domain is registered in your web developer’s name, they have that code and you don’t. So be sure to check WHOIS, the registry’s public lookup service, to see who is listed as the registrant. My advice is to always register your domain in your own company’s name and keep your registrar’s login credentials yourself. All too often, we see business owners who can’t transfer their own domain because the web developer from five years ago still has the key.
Also keep in mind the renewal. If your domain expires, your website and email will stop working at the same time, and after a certain period, someone else may register the name. If you're planning to register a new domain, you can get one from us Register a domain name including .nl, .be, .com, .eu, .de, .fr, .net, and .shop, among others.
DNS: The Address Book That Connects Everything
DNS (Domain Name System) is the system that translates a domain name into a server’s IP address. An IP address is the numerical address at which a server can be reached, such as 192.0.2.10. When someone types in your domain, a DNS resolver—usually provided by that visitor’s internet service provider—looks up that address for them. All records for a single domain are stored together in the DNS zone—the “address book” mentioned in the analogy. If you’d like to review the basics at your own pace, read What DNS Is and Why It's Important.
Name Servers: Who Manages the DNS?
Nameservers are the servers that host your domain’s DNS zone and respond to queries about your domain. They therefore determine where your DNS is managed—whether by your registrar, your hosting provider, or a third-party service such as Cloudflare. You configure which nameservers are associated with your domain through your registrar.
This is the most dangerous change in this whole process. If you change the nameservers, your entire DNS zone will be transferred to a new provider, and any records you don’t recreate there will no longer exist. The complaint I hear most often afterward is that email is no longer working. The MX record and the TXT records for SPF and DKIM simply weren’t transferred. Therefore, first copy all records and set them up with the new provider before you switch the nameservers. If DNSSEC—a digital signature for your DNS zone—is enabled, disable it first or transfer the DS record. If you don’t do this, your domain will be inaccessible after the switch.
The Records That Matter
A DNS record is a single line in the DNS zone that specifies where traffic should be directed for a particular service. For most WordPress sites, four types are sufficient. The A record links your domain name to the IP address of your web server. A CNAME record allows a subdomain, such as www or shop, to point to another name. The MX record specifies which mail server receives email for your domain. TXT records contain verification text, such as your SPF record or the verification code from Google Search Console.
Each record also has a TTL (time to live), which is the amount of time, in seconds, that resolvers are allowed to cache the response. At Surver, the default is 600 seconds. A change isn't visible everywhere until the old responses have expired; this is called propagation. You can read the details for each record in DNS Records Explained: A, CNAME, MX, TXT, and TTL.
Hosting: Where Your WordPress Website Runs
Hosting is the server where your WordPress website runs, along with your files, your database, and PHP. Your domain’s A record points to that server’s IP address, and that’s essentially the only connection between the domain and the hosting. If you want to know which hosting option is right for you, read What is managed WordPress hosting?.
That makes switching hosts less complicated than many people think. If you switch to a different hosting provider, your site will get a new IP address, and you’ll need to update the A record. Your domain doesn’t need to be transferred as part of this process. The correct order for completing this switch is explained in Moving a WordPress Website to a Different Hosting Provider. Your SSL certificate is tied to your domain and hosting. With Surver, a Let’s Encrypt SSL certificate is free—even as a wildcard certificate—and it renews automatically as long as your DNS points to Surver. You can read exactly how that works in SSL Certificate and HTTPS.
Email: Your mailboxes are often hosted somewhere else
The MX record determines which mail server receives email for your domain; this could be your hosting provider, but it could also be Google Workspace or Microsoft 365. It helps keep two types of email separate. Your mailboxes receive and send your regular business email. You manage that with email hosting or with one of the major office suites—and to find out which option is right for you, read Choose a business email address. Our mailboxes have a maximum storage capacity of 10 GB and are covered by our standard data processing agreement, which is helpful if you need to ensure your GDPR compliance.
In addition, WordPress itself sends emails, such as form submissions, WooCommerce orders, and password reset emails. These emails must be sent via SMTP and authenticated using SPF, DKIM, and DMARC; otherwise, they’ll end up in the spam folder. A mailbox can send up to 75 emails per hour. If you need more—for example, for a busy online store—then transactional email The solution: through Dropper, our own service. If you're not receiving your form emails, please read Emails sent from WordPress aren't being delivered.
Three Common Situations
For small and medium-sized business websites, we mainly see three setups, and each has its own weakness. In the first setup, everything is hosted by a single provider, such as Surver. The nameservers, the A record, and the MX record all point to the same provider, and in the event of an outage, you have a single point of contact. This is the simplest option, but you’re also completely dependent on that one provider.
In the second scenario, your domain and email are hosted by Registrar X, and your website is hosted by Surver. The nameservers are then located at Registrar X; the A record points to our web server, and the MX record points to Registrar X’s mail server. For the website, contact us; for email and DNS, contact Registrar X. So any change to the website requires an action from a different party, and it’s easy to forget that.
I’m seeing the third scenario more and more often. The website is hosted with us, and email is hosted with Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace. The nameservers are hosted by us or your registrar; the A record points to our web server, and the MX record points to Microsoft or Google. Problems mainly arise here when changing nameservers, because the MX and TXT records from Microsoft or Google aren’t transferred over. So, if you experience an issue with your email, call Microsoft or Google; if there’s a problem with your website, contact our support team.
Here's how to find out where your domain, DNS, and email are located
With three free online checks, you'll know exactly where everything is without having to open a terminal. That's the first thing I do myself when I get a new client.
- Look up your domain in the registry's WHOIS database; for .nl domains, go to sidn.nl. You'll then see the domain holder and the registrar.
- Perform an online DNS lookup, for example, using MXToolbox or the Dig tool in the Google Admin Toolbox. Write down the nameservers and the IP address in the A record.
- Use the same tool to look up the MX record. That will show you which provider is receiving your email.
Compile the results into a single overview and save your registrar's login credentials in your password manager. That way, you won't have to search for them when something goes wrong.
When do you make changes?
When making a change, you usually only need to adjust one layer, and it's helpful to know which one in advance. These are the situations I encounter most often.
- Moving a website to a different hosting provider: just update the A record.
- Transferring a domain to another party: using the transfer code, see Transferring a Domain and DNS.
- New email provider: Update MX and TXT records.
- Form emails in the spam folder: Check SPF, DKIM, and DMARC.
If you're planning a change, reduce the TTL in advance; that way, the new setting will take effect everywhere more quickly.
If you'd prefer to have everything managed by a single provider, Surver offers Managed WordPress Hosting Host your domain, DNS, and web hosting all in one place. If your domain is registered elsewhere, you can still host your DNS with us. You can set the nameservers to Surver, or leave the DNS where it is and simply point the A record to us. By default, we use a TTL of 600 seconds and support DNSSEC, and your websites, databases, and backups are hosted in data centers within Europe. If you switch to us, we’ll handle the free moving service your website, email accounts (including folders), DNS records, and domain for you. Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 You can also purchase it through us.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can my domain be registered with a different provider than my hosting provider?
Yes, that works just fine. You point the A record or the nameservers to your hosting provider. The advantage is that it’s easier to switch hosting providers; the disadvantage is that you have two providers, two invoices, and—in the event of an outage—two points of contact.
How long does it take for a DNS change to take effect?
That depends on the TTL and on caches at internet service providers. At Surver, the default TTL is 600 seconds, or 10 minutes. Expect it to take anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours, and when changing nameservers, the general rule of thumb is up to 48 hours.
What is the difference between a DNS zone and a name server?
The DNS zone is the list of all records for your domain. The nameserver is the server that stores that list and responds to queries about your domain.
Can Surver manage my domain, DNS, and email all in one place?
Yes. Surver handles domain registration, DNS (even if your domain is registered elsewhere, via the nameservers), email hosting, and Google Workspace or Microsoft 365. You can also just host your website with us and keep the rest where it is. If you’d also like to outsource your site’s updates and backups, then WordPress maintenance in addition.
