I want to set my nameservers to new private custom nameservers for my new server. my domain name servers point to some other host and are not the registrar default servers. The procedure is first I have to edit the name servers to the registrar default name servers. then i can immediately resister my name servers to the ip addresses. But then how long should I wait before editing my nameservers to my new private nameservers (ns1.mydomainname)? I have had to wait 2 hours before my registrar lets me do that
Once you have set your domain’s nameservers back to your registrar’s default and registered your custom/private nameservers (pointing them to your server’s IPs), you can technically update your domain to use those new custom nameservers as soon as the registrar’s system allows it. There is no strict technical waiting period required between registering the nameservers and assigning them to your domain, but some registrars may enforce a short delay due to backend processing or caching—this is often a matter of minutes to a couple of hours, depending on the registrar.
Propagation time after you set your domain to use your new custom nameservers is a separate issue. While the WHOIS and registry records update almost immediately, full DNS propagation can take anywhere from a few minutes to 48 hours, with most changes visible within 1–2 hours for the majority of users. Some ISPs or DNS resolvers may cache the old data for longer, depending on their TTL (time-to-live) settings.
Key points:
- You can assign your new custom nameservers as soon as your registrar’s system lets you. Some registrars require a short wait (e.g., 1–2 hours) after registering new nameservers before you can assign them to your domain, but this is a registrar policy, not a DNS technical requirement.
- DNS propagation after changing nameservers can take up to 48 hours, but most updates are visible within a few hours.
- There is no need to wait any longer than your registrar requires between registering private nameservers and assigning them to your domain.
If your registrar’s interface makes you wait (as you’ve experienced), that is a limitation of their system, not DNS itself. Once the option to set your new nameservers is available, you can proceed immediately
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