Short answer: there are two ways to connect a domain to your hosting. Change the nameservers to your host's nameservers if you want the host to manage all your DNS (the simplest option). Or change the A record to your server's IP address if you want to keep your DNS where it is, for example because your email is set up there. Most changes take effect within a few hours.
If you bought your domain and hosting together at SiloLobby, you do not need to do anything: they are connected automatically.
This guide explains both methods in plain language, shows exactly what to change, and covers the mistakes that take websites and email offline.
How a domain finds a website
When someone types your domain into a browser, their device asks the DNS system: "where is this website?". The answer comes from your domain's nameservers, which hold your DNS records. The most important record for a website is the A record, which contains your server's IP address.
So there are two places you can make a change:
- Nameservers: decide which company answers questions about your domain.
- DNS records (such as the A record): the answers themselves.
Option 1: change the nameservers (simplest)
When you point your nameservers to your hosting provider, the host manages all your DNS: website, email records, subdomains and verification records.
How to do it:
- Find your hosting nameservers. At SiloLobby they are shown in your client area: Hosting → Manage.
- Log in to the company where your domain is registered.
- Find the nameserver setting (sometimes called "custom DNS").
- Replace the existing nameservers with your host's, and save.
Use this when:
- you want everything managed in one place,
- you are moving a whole website and its email to the new host,
- you are not using another email provider with records set up elsewhere.
Watch out: when you switch nameservers, the old DNS records are no longer used. If your email is with Google Workspace, Zoho or another provider, recreate its MX, SPF and DKIM records at the new DNS provider before switching, or email will stop.
Option 2: change the A record
An A record maps a name to an IP address. If you change only this record, your website moves to the new server while everything else stays the same.
How to do it:
- Find your server's IP address in your hosting details.
- In your current DNS provider, edit the A record for the root domain (often shown as @) and enter the new IP address.
- Add or update a record for www: either an A record with the same IP, or a CNAME pointing to your root domain.
- Save, and wait for the change to spread.
Use this when:
- your email is with another provider and you do not want to touch its records,
- your DNS is managed by a service such as Cloudflare,
- you only want to move the website.
Nameservers vs A record at a glance
| Change nameservers | Change A record | |
|---|---|---|
| Difficulty | Easiest | Easy |
| Who manages DNS afterwards | Your host | Your current DNS provider |
| Effect on email | Must recreate email records | None |
| Typical time to take effect | A few hours to 48 hours | Often under an hour, up to 48 hours |
| Best for | Moving everything to one host | Moving only the website |
Managing DNS for a domain registered with SiloLobby
In your client area, open Domains → Manage to:
- change nameservers,
- add, edit or delete DNS records (A, AAAA, CNAME, MX, TXT),
- set up business email records automatically.
How long does it take?
DNS answers are cached (remembered) by networks and devices for a time set by each record's TTL. Most changes show within 1 to 4 hours. Some networks hold old answers for up to 24 to 48 hours. In Nigeria you may see the new site on mobile data before your office broadband, or the other way round.
Planning a move? A day before, lower the TTL on the records you will change to 300 seconds (five minutes). The switch then spreads much faster.
How to check it worked
- Open your domain in a private (incognito) browser window.
- Use an online DNS lookup tool to check that your A record shows the new IP.
- Check both yourdomain.com and www.yourdomain.com.
- If you still see the old site, wait an hour, then clear your browser cache or try another network.
Common mistakes and how to avoid them
| Mistake | What happens | How to avoid it |
|---|---|---|
| Forgetting the www record | yourdomain.com works, www.yourdomain.com does not | Add www as a CNAME to the root, or an A record |
| Switching nameservers without email records | Email stops arriving | Copy MX, SPF, DKIM records first |
| Two A records for the root domain | The site loads randomly from two servers | Keep one A record for @ |
| Changing DNS at the wrong company | Nothing changes | Change it where your nameservers point |
| Cancelling old hosting too early | Some visitors see an error | Wait 48 hours after switching |
SSL after pointing your domain
Once your domain points to SiloLobby hosting, the free SSL certificate is issued automatically. It can take a short while after DNS updates. If the padlock does not appear after a few hours, open a support ticket.
Special cases
Using Cloudflare or another DNS service
If your nameservers point to Cloudflare or a similar service, change the A record there, not at your registrar. If you use their proxy, the IP visitors see is theirs; the origin record should still contain your hosting server's IP.
Pointing only a subdomain
To host shop.yourdomain.com somewhere else while your main site stays put, add an A record (or CNAME) for shop pointing to the other server. Nothing else changes.
Domains used only for email
If a domain has no website but receives email, it needs MX (and SPF, DKIM, DMARC) records but no A record. Do not delete the MX records when tidying DNS.
A quick decision checklist
- Is your domain registered with SiloLobby and your hosting with SiloLobby? → Nothing to do.
- Is your email with another provider you are keeping? → Change only the A record and www.
- Are you moving website and email to SiloLobby? → Change the nameservers, after recreating any special records.
- Do you use Cloudflare? → Change the A record in Cloudflare.
Summary
Change your nameservers to let your host manage everything, or change only the A record to move the website and keep your email setup untouched. Most changes show within a few hours. Copy your email records before switching nameservers, add the www record, and keep the old hosting until the new site is confirmed. Learn what each record does in DNS records explained.