Why You Need to Point Your Domain
Your domain name (e.g., yoursite.com) and your hosting server are separate products — even if bought from the same company. Pointing your domain to your hosting server is how you tell the internet: "when someone visits my domain, show them the website on this server."
There are two methods to connect a domain to a host:
- Method A: Update Nameservers (recommended for most users)
- Method B: Update the DNS A Record (use when keeping your existing DNS zone)
What You'll Need
- Access to your domain registrar account (where you bought the domain)
- Your new hosting provider's nameservers or server IP address
Your nameservers or IP address are available in your hosting provider's welcome email or inside your cPanel under "Server Information".
Method A: Updating Nameservers (Recommended)
Changing nameservers delegates ALL DNS management to your hosting provider. This is the simplest approach.
Step 1: Find Your Host's Nameservers
Your nameservers look like this:
ns1.flyhost.in
ns2.flyhost.inFind these in your Flyhost welcome email or inside your cPanel under Server Information.
Step 2: Log In to Your Domain Registrar
Log in to the registrar where you purchased your domain (e.g., GoDaddy, BigRock, Namecheap, or Flyhost).
Step 3: Navigate to Nameserver Settings
Find your domain in the list, click Manage, then look for Nameservers, DNS Settings, or DNS Management.
Step 4: Replace Existing Nameservers
Delete the current nameservers and enter your new hosting provider's nameservers. Save the changes.
Step 5: Wait for Propagation
DNS changes can take 15 minutes to 48 hours to propagate globally. During this time, some visitors may see your old site and some may see your new one — this is normal. Most propagation completes within 2–4 hours.
Method B: Updating the DNS A Record
Use this method if you want to keep your current DNS provider (e.g., Cloudflare) and only update where the domain points.
Step 1: Find Your New Server's IP Address
Log in to your new hosting cPanel and note the server IP address displayed in the left column or under Server Information. It looks like: 103.21.58.142
Step 2: Log In to Your DNS Provider
This could be your domain registrar, Cloudflare, or another DNS service.
Step 3: Edit the A Record
Find the DNS records for your domain. Look for the A record for @ (your root domain) and the A record for www. Update both to your new server's IP address.
Step 4: Save and Wait
Save the changes. A record updates typically propagate within 15–60 minutes if your TTL is set to 300 seconds.
How to Check if DNS Has Propagated
Use these free tools to check propagation status:
- dnschecker.org — shows propagation from 20+ locations worldwide
- whatsmydns.net — another reliable propagation checker
- In your terminal:
nslookup yourdomain.comordig yourdomain.com
Troubleshooting Common Issues
"Website Not Found" after propagation
Ensure the domain is added as an addon domain or parked domain in your new host's cPanel.
Old website still showing after 48 hours
Clear your browser cache and check with a different browser or device. Also flush your local DNS with ipconfig /flushdns (Windows) or sudo dscacheutil -flushcache (macOS).
Email stopped working
If you changed nameservers, your MX records moved too. Recreate your MX records in your new host's DNS zone or add them in cPanel under MX Entry.
Conclusion
Pointing a domain to a new hosting server takes less than 10 minutes — most of the wait is just DNS propagation. Use nameserver updates for simplicity, or update individual A records when using a third-party DNS provider like Cloudflare. Either way, your website will be live on its new home within a few hours.