Connect a domain
Add your domain, review its records, and switch its nameservers to DNA.
You'll need to sign in wherever you pay for the domain each year (your registrar). If someone else does that, they can make the change for you; see Someone else manages the domain.
Steps
- In the dashboard, go to Install → Point your nameservers at DNA, enter the domain, and click Connect domain. DNA looks the domain up in public DNS.
- Review what stays the same and what changes: your site, your email provider by name, your current DNS host, and how to switch back. Every record DNA found is under See all records. A scan finds the names the internet asks for, so add any it missed.
- Tick the box and click Connect domain. Nothing is created until you do.
- DNA creates the zone, copies the records, and shows your two nameservers on the domain's Setup tab. Sites on Vercel get a CNAME to Vercel's target in place of the scanned addresses.
- At your registrar, replace the existing nameservers with those two. The Setup tab names your registrar and walks its menus; see Registrars.
- The switch usually reaches the internet within an hour, and can take up to 48. DNA checks every few minutes and emails whoever connected the domain once it shows Connected, so you can close the page.
- Send a request to your site and check the log.
Your nameservers
Every domain you connect uses the same pair:
ns1.d3-dna.com
ns2.d3-dna.comDomains connected earlier keep their original pair, so copy yours from the domain's Setup tab. If the tab shows a step in their place, see Troubleshooting.
Registrars
The Setup tab looks your domain up in its registry and shows that registrar's menu path,
a link to its domain list, and its help page. If it picks the wrong registrar, or can't tell,
choose yours from the list beside it. Some registries (.de, .io, .co) don't say; the tab
then links ICANN Lookup.
| Registrar | Where to change nameservers |
|---|---|
| GoDaddy | Domain Portfolio → the domain → DNS → Nameservers → Change Nameservers → I'll use my own nameservers |
| Namecheap | Domain List → Manage → Nameservers → Custom DNS |
| Squarespace | Domains → the domain → DNS → Domain Nameservers → Use Custom Nameservers |
| Bought via Shopify | Move the domain to another registrar first; see Shopify stores |
| Cloudflare | Cloudflare Registrar keeps Cloudflare's own nameservers. Use the Cloudflare middleware, or move the domain to another registrar |
| MarkMonitor, CSC | Whoever manages your company's domains makes the change |
Someone else manages the domain
Under the steps on the Setup tab, Send them these steps writes the request as a message, nameservers and registrar menus included, to copy or open in your email app.