Using third-party services to strengthen your web hosting
Update your domain registration
You’ve got all your ducks in a row. Third-party DNS server set-up and configured? Check! Google Apps set-up for your domain? Check! Cleaned up the DNS at your web host? Check! So are we all ready to flip the switch and make it official? That’s a ten-four little buddy!
Go to your domain registrar’s website (the place where you purchased your domain name) and log in to your account. What you are looking for is the place to set the Nameservers for your domain. Sometimes it can be tough to find. Usually you have to click on the domain in question, and you should find further options to manage it. When in doubt, consult the help files or support department.
Once you find the right spot to enter this information, you want to change the domain nameservers so it points to your shiny new third-party DNS server.
If you’re using DNSedit.net…
free01.editdns.net
free02.editdns.net
or if you’re using DNSMadeEasy.com…
ns10.dnsmadeeasy.com
ns11.dnsmadeeasy.com
ns12.dnsmadeeasy.com
ns13.dnsmadeeasy.com
ns14.dnsmadeeasy.com
ns15.dnsmadeeasy.com
Note: sometimes there are only two places on the form to enter nameservers, while DNSMadeEasy.com gives you six. You may have to click something like “Add more nameservers” or “Advanced” to enter them all. It just provides a little extra stability for your website.
Be sure to save your new domain settings.
And now we wait
All the work is done, but it will take some time for the DNS changes to make their way across the world. You can expect 80% of that to be done in a few hours, while the stragglers might take up to two days. Very soon your Google Apps dashboard will pick up on the change and show your Email service as Active. You’ll also be able to log in to your fancy new webmail from mail.yourdomain.com.
I hope the information in this tutorial serves you well, and your newly diversified web hosting set-up can survive rough weather (though hopefully it won’t have to!). It did take me quite some time to research and write this article for you, so if you found value in it, I would greatly appreciate a small donation as a “thanks”.
Any questions?
If you have any question regarding the information or services covered in this tutorial please do leave a comment below and I’ll do my best to personally respond with something helpful, or some of my other readers might do the same.
