ThunderHosting

Connecting your domain: DNS settings and name servers

Point your domain to ThunderHosting web hosting: use ThunderHosting DNS with our name servers or keep DNS elsewhere and add records, then verify with the DNS test.

Your hosting is ready on the server right after activation, but visitors only reach it once your domain points to it. The Domain / DNS tab of the hosting dashboard contains a DNS setup wizard with four steps: Choose, Configure, Apply and Verify. A free subdomain on hts.one or onthunderhosting.com needs no DNS setup at all.

Option 1: ThunderHosting DNS (recommended)

We host the DNS zone of your domain and keep the web and mail records in sync with your hosting automatically. You can manage all records from the dashboard. This works for domains registered anywhere.

  1. In the wizard, choose ThunderHosting DNS and activate it. A DNS zone is created for your domain. Existing records at your old provider are not deleted.
  2. Log in where you bought your domain (your registrar) and replace the name servers with the ones shown in the dashboard. They are currently ns1.thunderhosting.cloud, ns2.thunderhosting.cloud and ns3.thunderhosting.cloud; always copy the exact list shown in your dashboard.
  3. Remove any old name servers that are not ThunderHosting name servers. The dashboard marks them with Remove.
  4. Back in the wizard, run the verification.

Name server changes can take up to 24 to 48 hours to spread worldwide. In the meantime you can already upload files, create mailboxes and work in Plesk.

Option 2: Keep DNS elsewhere

Your DNS stays at your current provider (for example your registrar or Cloudflare) and you only add the records the hosting needs. The dashboard lists the exact records, such as A and AAAA for the website and MX for mail, including your hosting server IP address.

  1. In the wizard, choose Keep DNS elsewhere and then Point individual records.
  2. Create or update the listed records at your DNS provider.
  3. Wait a few minutes, then click Test DNS config.

With this option you are responsible for the records. If you add subdomains or change mail settings later, you must add the new records yourself.

Subdomains as the main address

If your hosting uses a subdomain such as shop.example.com, do not change the name servers of example.com. Instead, add NS records (or individual A/AAAA records) for the subdomain in the DNS zone of example.com, as shown in the wizard.

Domains already managed in your organization

If the domain and its DNS zone are already in your organization, the hosting can work with that zone in two modes: Smart DNS sync adds the records the hosting needs and never overwrites records you created (conflicts are listed for you to decide: Keep mine or Use hosting value). Manual DNS leaves the zone to you; the hosting only writes TLS certificate (ACME) and DKIM TXT records.

Check the result

The labels in the dashboard tell you where you are: Setup needed means DNS is not configured yet, DNS propagation pending means the change is on its way, and DNS live means your domain points to the hosting. Use Test DNS config at any time.

Moving a live website? Set up the new hosting and copy your site first, then change the DNS. This avoids downtime.