Key facts
- Authoritative DNS hosted in Cloudflare
- Included with dijihost Complete Hosting at £1 a day + VAT
- Every record change made by us on request
- Two Cloudflare nameservers set at your registrar
- Existing records copied and checked before the switch
- DNSSEC available where your registrar supports it
Authoritative DNS, explained simply
When someone types your web address, their computer asks a resolver, usually run by their broadband provider, where to go. That resolver works its way down to the authoritative nameservers for your domain: the servers whose answers are final. Whoever runs those servers is your DNS host.
Often it is your registrar or an old web host by default, sometimes on a server nobody now remembers paying for. If that account lapses or the company shuts down, the answers stop and so does your website and email. Read how DNS works for the full chain.
Why we host DNS in Cloudflare
We run every zone we host on Cloudflare. Its free plan includes authoritative DNS, it gives each domain two assigned nameservers, and it supports DNSSEC, CNAME flattening at the apex and the per-record choice between proxied web traffic and DNS only. Running all our clients' zones in one place also means we can see, change and check any record quickly when you call.
You do not need a Cloudflare account. The zone sits in ours and we make the changes. If you want to keep your own account, see Cloudflare DNS management.
What moving your DNS to us involves
- We list every record at your current DNS host, including MX, TXT verification strings and DKIM keys.
- We create the zone in Cloudflare and compare it line by line with the old one.
- If DNSSEC is on, we deal with the DS record at the registrar first, so validating resolvers do not reject the domain.
- We change the nameservers at your registrar to the two Cloudflare ones.
- We check web and email from outside while the change spreads, which can take up to 24 to 48 hours.
More complex moves are covered on DNS migration.
Who this suits
- Businesses who would rather ask for a change than learn a DNS panel.
- Domains whose DNS is still with a former web designer or a host you no longer use.
- Anyone who wants website, email and DNS handled by the same people, so a problem gets one phone call.
If your domain is registered in the dijitul client portal, we can change the nameservers ourselves. If it is registered elsewhere, we will tell you exactly what to change.
Do you need your own-name nameservers?
Some businesses ask for nameservers under their own name, such as ns1.yourdomain.co.uk. That needs glue records: IP addresses held at the registry, because a resolver cannot look up ns1.yourdomain.co.uk without first knowing which nameservers answer for yourdomain.co.uk. It adds a moving part that has to be updated at the registrar whenever those addresses change.
For most small businesses there is no practical benefit, so we use the two nameservers Cloudflare assigns. They need no glue and stay the same when we change records inside your zone. Visitors see your domain name, never the nameservers behind it.
How dijitul helps
DNS hosting is included with dijihost Complete Hosting at £1 a day + VAT, together with your website hosting, email hosting and one free domain registration or renewal a year on common extensions. Record changes are part of that, with no extra charge.
If you only want DNS work without hosting, it is £45 an hour + VAT; see DNS management. Questions? Contact us or email info@dijitul.uk.
How it works and what it costs
Domains are priced live in the client portal. DNS management and 10 mailboxes are included with dijihost Complete Hosting at £1 a day + VAT. On their own, DNS and email set-up is £45 an hour + VAT or a fixed quote.
Tell us what you have
Your domains, who they are registered with, where your DNS and email live today, and what you want to change.
Plan the change
We list every DNS record and mailbox first, so nothing is forgotten, and agree a time to switch.
Make the switch
Transfers, nameserver changes, DNS records and mailbox moves, done carefully with low TTLs and a rollback plan.
Check it works
We test the website, email delivery, SPF, DKIM and DMARC from the outside before calling it done.
Look after it
Renewals, records and email stay looked after, and you can call a person when something changes.
Frequently asked questions
What is DNS hosting?
DNS hosting is running the authoritative nameservers that give the final answer for your domain's records. Your registrar points the domain at those nameservers. dijitul hosts DNS in Cloudflare and manages the records for clients on dijihost Complete Hosting at £1 a day + VAT.
Is DNS hosting the same as web hosting?
No. DNS hosting answers the question of where your website and email live. Web hosting stores and serves the website itself. They can be with different companies. With dijihost Complete Hosting, dijitul looks after both, plus email, for £1 a day + VAT.
Will moving my DNS take my website offline?
Not if the records are copied accurately first. We list every record at the old provider, recreate them in Cloudflare and compare the two before changing nameservers. Both sets give the same answers during the changeover, so visitors and email reach the same place.
Do I need my own Cloudflare account?
No. When dijitul hosts your DNS, the zone sits in our Cloudflare account and we make every change you ask for. If you already have a Cloudflare account and want to keep it, we can manage your zone there instead.
Can I see my DNS records?
Yes. Ask and we will send you a list of every record in your zone and what each one is for. You can also look up any public record yourself with a DNS lookup tool, as covered in the dijitul guide to checking DNS records.
Related
Get domains, DNS and email sorted
Set up properly, records checked, and real people to call. DNS and email are included with dijihost hosting.