DNS Basics2026-04-034 min read

What is an NS record?

Understand how NS records define authoritative nameservers and why delegation matters.

What NS records do

NS records identify the authoritative nameservers for a domain or delegated subdomain.

They tell resolvers where authoritative DNS answers should come from.

Why they are important

If NS records are wrong or incomplete, a domain can become difficult or impossible to resolve correctly.

They are also important when changing DNS providers or delegating parts of a namespace.

What to check

  • Whether the nameservers match your intended DNS provider
  • Whether delegation is correct at the parent zone
  • Whether the nameserver hostnames themselves resolve correctly

Related Tools