What is DNS?
In short
- DNS, the domain name system, works as the internet's address book, turning a domain name into the address of the server behind it.
- Pointing a custom domain at a host means editing DNS records.
- Changes take a while to spread, which is the propagation delay people run into.
DNS is the lookup that happens before any page loads. You type a name, and DNS returns the numeric address of the server that answers for it, much as a contacts app turns a person's name into a phone number. Every domain has a set of records saying where its traffic should go. For sharing, the records that matter are the ones pointing a domain, or a subdomain like links.yoursite.com, at a host.
These records are what make a custom address for a hosted site work. To put your own address on a zipped site, you add a DNS record at your registrar pointing a subdomain to NudgeHost, and from then on it resolves to your site. Custom domains come with a Pro or Studio subscription. A single page you put online as HTML keeps its nudgehost.com address.
The quirk to expect is propagation. Resolvers cache DNS answers at many points along the way, so a new record can take anywhere from minutes to a day to show up everywhere. That delay is normal and does not mean anything is broken. Once the record settles, the domain points where you told it, and the certificate that secures it is issued automatically.
Related terms
Frequently asked questions
Why is my new custom domain not working yet?
DNS changes spread gradually because the old answer is cached in many places. Allow anywhere from a few minutes to a day for the new record to settle.
Do I need to understand DNS to use NudgeHost?
Not for a standard link. DNS only comes into play when you add a custom domain, and then it is one record you copy from the dashboard to your registrar.
What record do I add for a custom domain?
Usually a CNAME pointing your domain or subdomain at NudgeHost. Your dashboard shows the exact value when you add the domain.
Put it into practice.
Drop a file and get a shareable link in seconds. Free, no card needed.