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Help CentreDNS cutover

Moving to Hostmate

Cut over your DNS to Hostmate safely.

DNS cutover is the point where your domain starts directing website, email or other services to the new Hostmate setup. The safest approach is to prepare and test the destination first, preserve every DNS record you still need, then make the smallest DNS change required.

DNS cutover Nameservers A + CNAME records MX + email Propagation
1

What DNS Cutover Means

DNS cutover tells the internet where to send traffic next.

A migration can be completed on the new server while the public domain still points to the old provider. The DNS cutover is the later step that starts directing live traffic to the new location.

ServiceDNS commonly involved
WebsiteA, AAAA and CNAME records, or a complete nameserver change.
EmailMX records plus mail host records and TXT/CNAME records used for SPF, DKIM and DMARC.
Other servicesTXT, CNAME, SRV or other records used by Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, verification services, applications and third-party platforms.
A migration and a DNS cutover are separate steps.

Copying the website or email does not automatically make the new server live. DNS must still direct users and mail systems to the correct destination.

2

Choose the Cutover Method

Either move DNS to Hostmate or keep DNS where it already is.

Change to Hostmate nameservers Use Hostmate cPanel DNS for the whole domain. The normal Hostmate nameservers are ns1.hostmate-cloud.com, ns2.hostmate-cloud.com and ns3.hostmate-cloud.com.
Keep the current DNS provider Leave the nameservers unchanged and edit only the records that need to point to Hostmate, such as the website A record.
A nameserver change moves authority for the entire DNS zone.

It does not change only the website. Once the new nameservers are being used, the new DNS zone must contain every record still required for email, verification, external services and other subdomains.

See Change Nameservers and DNS Records if you need help deciding where the live DNS should be managed.

3

Before You Change DNS

Record the existing setup and make sure the destination is ready.

  • Confirm the migrated website works on the Hostmate server.
  • If email is moving to Hostmate, create or migrate the required mailboxes first.
  • Record the current DNS zone before changing anything.
  • Identify the website records for the root domain and www.
  • Identify all MX, SPF, DKIM and DMARC records used for email.
  • Record any TXT, CNAME or SRV records used by Microsoft 365, Google Workspace or other third-party services.
  • Check for an existing AAAA record so IPv6 traffic is not accidentally left pointing to the old server.
  • Keep the old hosting and email service active during the transition.
Do not assume the new DNS zone contains the same records as the old one.

If you are changing nameservers, compare the old and new zones before the cutover. Missing mail or verification records are a common reason a website move appears successful but email or another service stops working afterwards.

4

Website Cutover

Point the website to the new Hostmate server.

If you are keeping the existing DNS provider, update the website records there using the destination details supplied for your Hostmate service.

  • Update the root domain A record if the website is moving to a new IPv4 address.
  • Update www if it has its own A or CNAME record.
  • Check other website subdomains that also need to move.
  • Review any AAAA record. An old IPv6 record can cause some visitors to continue reaching the previous server.
  • Do not alter unrelated email or third-party records unless those services are also moving.
If you change nameservers instead, prepare the whole Hostmate DNS zone first.

Once the nameserver change takes effect, records at the previous DNS provider no longer control the domain for users who have reached the new delegation.

5

Protect Email

Do not change mail routing unless the email service is actually moving.

Email DNS needs to match where the mailboxes will be hosted after the cutover.

Email is moving to Hostmate Make sure the Hostmate mailboxes are ready, then use the correct MX and related mail records for the new service.
Email stays with Microsoft 365, Google Workspace or another provider Preserve that provider's MX, SPF, DKIM, DMARC and other required DNS records when moving the website or nameservers.
Changing the website A record does not require changing MX records.

If email is staying where it is, leave the existing mail-routing records in place. Only change mail records when you deliberately want mail delivery to move as well.

If email is being moved separately, see Email Migration.

6

Make the Change

Change only what your chosen cutover method requires.

Cutover methodWhat to change
Hostmate nameserversAt the domain registrar, change the domain to ns1.hostmate-cloud.com, ns2.hostmate-cloud.com and ns3.hostmate-cloud.com. Make sure the Hostmate cPanel DNS zone is complete before doing this.
Existing DNS providerLeave the nameservers alone and change only the individual records for services that are moving to Hostmate.
Avoid making several unrelated DNS changes at once.

A smaller cutover is easier to verify and easier to reverse if something is wrong. Change the records required for the migration, then confirm the result before making unrelated DNS changes.

7

During Propagation

Some users may temporarily reach the old setup.

DNS resolvers can keep older answers until their cached TTL expires. Nameserver changes can take longer to become consistent than a single record change.

  • Keep the old website and mail service online during the transition.
  • Do not repeatedly switch records back and forward just because one network still sees the old destination.
  • Test from another network, such as mobile data, if you need to compare results.
  • If mail is moving, check both old and new mailboxes during the transition where possible.
  • Remember that browser, LiteSpeed or CDN caching can make an old page appear even after DNS is already correct.

See DNS Propagation for more detail about TTL and caching.

8

After the Cutover

Verify each service before cancelling the old provider.

  • Open the website and several important pages.
  • Check both the root domain and www.
  • Test forms, logins, checkout or other important application functions.
  • Confirm HTTPS works without certificate warnings once the domain resolves to Hostmate.
  • Send and receive test email for important addresses.
  • Check Microsoft 365, Google Workspace or other external services that depend on DNS.
  • Check important subdomains and verification records.
  • Only cancel the old hosting or email service after the new setup has been verified and the transition period has passed.
DNS Records Manage records in cPanel, Hostmate / Synergy DNS Hosting or your external DNS provider.
DNS Propagation Understand why some networks may still see the old destination for a while.
cPanel Migrations See what happens when a complete cPanel account is moved to Hostmate.
WordPress Migrations Move a WordPress website yourself or use Hostmate's managed migration service.

Need Help?

Not sure which DNS records should change?

Open a Hostmate support ticket with the domain name, where the website is moving from, where email is hosted, and who currently manages the DNS. We can help identify the safest cutover method.

Open a Support Ticket

Related Hostmate guides: Change nameservers, DNS records, DNS propagation and Email migration.