Alibaba Cloud DNS:FAQ about modifying DNS servers

How do I modify domain DNS servers?

DNS server modification is a feature provided by domain registrars. To change your DNS servers, go to your domain registrar. The following tutorials cover common registrars:

• Modifying DNS servers for Alibaba Cloud domains

• Method for modifying DNS servers for Tencent Cloud domains

• Method for modifying DNS for Xinnet domains

• Method for modifying DNS for Xinnet Internet domains

• Method for modifying DNS servers for Huawei Cloud domains

• Method for modifying DNS servers for Baidu Smart Cloud domains

• Method for modifying DNS for West Digital domains

How do I set DNS servers for subdomains?

Go to the resolution settings page of the primary domain and add an NS record for the subdomain to point it to the target DNS server address. For more information, see Add NS records.

Can I use multiple DNS service providers simultaneously?

This depends on the domain registrar. If the registrar's DNS server modification interface supports entering DNS server names from multiple providers, you can use multiple DNS providers. Domains registered with Alibaba Cloud support entering DNS server addresses from multiple providers simultaneously.

Note: If you use both Cloud DNS and non-Alibaba Cloud DNS servers, keep the resolution data consistent on both sides to avoid resolution failures or unexpected results.

What is the difference between modifying DNS servers and domain name resolution?

Modifying DNS servers changes the DNS server addresses registered with your domain registrar. Domain name resolution involves configuring records on the DNS server to map domain names to IP addresses, MX records, CNAME records, or other record types.

Will modifying domain DNS servers affect resolution?

This depends on whether resolution data migration is complete at the time of the change. If you modify DNS servers before migration is complete, resolution will be affected. For instructions on migrating without downtime, see How to smoothly migrate domain parsing to Alibaba Cloud DNS.

How long does it take for DNS server changes to take effect? Why does it require 48 hours for resolution to take effect?

The propagation time depends mainly on the TTL (Time to Live) value of the DNS server records cached by local DNS resolvers. TTL values typically range from a few minutes to 48 hours, depending on the top-level domain (TLD) settings.

For example, .com TLD servers may cache DNS server information for up to 48 hours, while .cn TLD servers typically cache for 24 hours. Because different TLDs use different TTL values, the maximum global propagation time after modifying DNS servers is theoretically 48 hours.

When modifying DNS servers, I get a prompt saying "There is an operation in progress, please try again later." What should I do?

This typically occurs when Cloud DNS is automatically switching your DNS servers from the Free Edition to a paid version. Wait about five minutes and then log on to the Cloud DNS console to check the DNS server status.

I purchased a paid DNS version. Will modifying DNS servers affect resolution?

This depends on your domain registrar. See the following table for details.