Registrar walkthroughs
Move DNS without moving the wrong thing.
A nameserver change delegates DNS. It does not transfer domain ownership, move website files, or move mailboxes. Prepare the complete Help4 zone first, then change only the authoritative nameservers.
Video: the safe cutover
Stop conditions
- No complete zone export or inventory.
- Unknown mail provider or missing MX/DKIM records.
- DNSSEC is enabled but the DS transition is not coordinated.
- Help4 authoritative checks do not return the expected records.
Universal preflight
- Identify the registrar. Use the company billing and renewing the domain, not necessarily the website dashboard.
- Save the old delegation. Record the current nameservers and export or screenshot the entire zone.
- Inventory service records. Include website, mail, verification, autodiscover, SRV, CAA, DKIM, and DMARC records.
- Review the Help4 zone. Compare names, types, values, priorities, and TTLs.
- Confirm DNSSEC state. Remove or replace stale parent DS data through a controlled transition.
Website
A, AAAA, CNAME
A, AAAA, CNAME
Email
MX, SPF, DKIM, DMARC
MX, SPF, DKIM, DMARC
Services
TXT, SRV, CAA, verification
TXT, SRV, CAA, verification
GoDaddy
- Open Domain Portfolio and select the domain.
- Open DNS, then Nameservers.
- Choose the option to enter custom nameservers.
- Enter
ns1.help4.netthroughns6.help4.net. - Save, complete the registrar confirmation, then verify public NS answers.
Changing nameservers is separate from forwarding, host records, and a domain transfer.
WordPress.com
- Open Upgrades, then Domains, and select the registered domain.
- Open Name servers.
- Turn off the WordPress.com nameserver option.
- Enter all six Help4 nameservers and save.
- Keep registration and renewal at WordPress.com; verify the delegated Help4 zone separately.
WordPress.com DNS records stop applying after delegation changes. Recreate mail and verification records in Help4 before saving.
Namecheap
- Open Domain List and choose Manage.
- Find Nameservers and select Custom DNS.
- Enter all six Help4 nameservers.
- Save and verify authoritative and recursive answers.
Squarespace Domains
- Open the Domains dashboard and select the domain.
- Open DNS, then Domain Nameservers.
- Use custom nameservers and enter the six Help4 values.
- Save and verify the Help4 zone contains any Squarespace or Google Workspace records still required.
Post-cutover proof
- All six Help4 nameservers answer.
- Public resolvers return expected records.
- Apex and www load through HTTPS.
- Certificate matches every public hostname.
- Inbound mail reaches the mailbox.
- Outbound mail passes SPF or aligned DKIM.
- DMARC reports arrive at the intended address.
- No stale parent DS causes SERVFAIL.