It seems that some web designers are not being taught the critical importance of DNS management in their training. All it takes is one click — changing Nameservers or resetting DNS records — and suddenly, your business email stops working. Worse yet, many designers making these changes have no idea how to reverse the damage.
So, here’s a quick guide and some practical advice:
How It Works – A Crash Course in DNS
When you register a domain name (through providers like GoDaddy, 123 Reg, IONOS, etc.), you are essentially leasing it through a registrar. Within that registrar’s control panel, you set what are known as Nameservers — and these are crucial.
Nameservers determine:
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Who hosts your website
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Who powers your email
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Additional records for security, validation, and overall functionality
Sometimes, designers move these Nameservers away from the registrar to their own hosting provider for convenience. It makes their job easier — no need to coordinate with the client or their IT support.
But this is where things often go wrong.
What Goes Wrong
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DNS records for email (like MX, SPF, DKIM) are deleted or overwritten
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Nameservers are changed without keeping essential records
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The person making the changes doesn’t know how to properly restore them
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Your business email suddenly stops working — often without warning
Our Advice
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Get your IT support involved early – not after the issue arises
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Keep Nameservers under your control (ideally within your registrar’s platform)
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Avoid unnecessary Nameserver changes unless absolutely required
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If the domain was registered by someone else, consider transferring it to your own registrar for easier management — but be aware, this process can be long and disruptive
Final Thought
Your domain is a digital asset. Treat it like one. A moment’s convenience for a web designer shouldn’t come at the cost of your business losing access to email — even for a few hours.
Need help reviewing your DNS setup? Speak to your IT provider or reach out to us — we’re always happy to advise.
