There can be a few reasons for nameserver updates to fail. If none of the issues outlined below appear to apply to your attempted changes, please let us know and we can investigate.
New registration
If you've recently registered the domain, it's a good idea to confirm that the registration completed successfully. If not, when you try to go to the update nameservers page in your domains dashboard, you may not be able to get to the right page and there will be an error message. Let us know and we can look into the issue.
Pending registry approval
For some ccTLDs (two-letter country code domain extensions), once a domain is registered, there is still a registry approval required, which is typically done within 48 hours.
If approved, the domain will then show an active status and you'll be able to make updates. If rejected, you will be notified about the issue and any requirements or changes for the registration to be re-submitted. If we can't register the domain, we will let you know and process a refund with the cancellation.
Recent transfer
If you have recently initiated a domain transfer, and the transfer hasn't completed yet, you will not be able to change the nameservers.
Transfers for gTLDs and some ccTLDs automatically complete within 5-7 days after they're initiated. Some ccTLD registries enable faster transfer completion, and some registrars enable you to manually approve and complete transfers right away. You may need to ask your old registrar if they offer that function.
With some ccTLD domains, they transfer into our system missing some registrant contacts. We would need to correct that for you before you would be able to update the nameservers.
Additionally, some gTLD transfers can also transfer into our system missing registrant contacts, or with details overwritten by an old privacy service. In those cases we would also have to correct the information before you would be able to update the nameservers. Please let us know if you are having trouble updating the nameservers, or if you have tried to update the registrant details and it is not working.
Nameserver restrictions for ccTLDs
Some ccTLD registries have restrictions on nameservers: how they are set up, how many can be used (we support up to 5 in our control panel), etc.
A few specifics:
- .TO and .PH only allow a maximum of 3 nameservers
- .LU requires a minimum of 2 nameservers (with different IP addresses)
- .IS does not allow more than 4 nameservers.
Some registries perform a validation check on nameservers before they are approved, so the updated nameservers may not appear right away or don't seem to be working. Some ccTLDs this applies to are: .IS, .IT, .SE, .LU and .DK.
Some registries have stringent requirements for nameserver setup, but don't communicate the requirements very well, or when/why updates have failed.
For .DE domains, check your nameservers here.
For .DK domains, check your nameservers here.
For .IS domains, check your nameservers here. The ISNIC registry does also provide more information about nameserver requirements.
For .LU domains, check your nameservers here. .LU nameserver checks/updates are not done in real-time. They take up to 20 minutes, so you may not see changes right away, or the update may seem to have worked, but then when you check back nothing has changed.
Some registries put domains into a pending update state for several days after nameserver changes are made. The changes may not appear to have worked during this time.
Some ccTLDs this applies to are: .CO.ZA and .CL. For those two ccTLDs the pending update state lasts 5 days.) Account holders will not be able to make other changes during this time.
Occasionally .IT domains may show a pending update state, but this usually means that something went wrong, since updates are usually instant. If you see that status for a .IT domain, please let us know and we can look into it.
Glue records
If you want to use your own nameservers, aka vanity or custom nameservers, like with your domain name, e.g. ns1.mydomain.com, ns2.mydomain.com, first we will need to set up glue records for you.
Please login to your account and send us an authenticated request via our support form and include the domain name, nameserver names, and IP addresses for each nameserver.