Connecting your domain name to your SakuraHost hosting account is an essential step in making your website accessible on the internet. Whether your domain is registered with SakuraHost or an external registrar, this guide walks you through the DNS configuration process to point your domain to your hosting account correctly.
What is DNS and Why Does It Matter?
The Domain Name System (DNS) is the internet's address book. When someone types your domain name (e.g., yourbusiness.co.tz) into their browser, DNS translates that human-readable name into the server's IP address where your website is hosted. Without correct DNS configuration, visitors cannot reach your website.
For a comprehensive understanding of how DNS works, the Mozilla MDN documentation on domain names provides an excellent foundation. You can also read Cloudflare's DNS explainer for a more visual walkthrough.
Finding Your SakuraHost Nameservers and IP Address
Before configuring DNS, you need to know your hosting account's nameservers and server IP address. You can find this information in your client area:
Visit billing.sakurahost.co.tz and log in with your credentials.
Go to Services > My Services and click on the hosting service associated with your domain. See Understanding Your SakuraHost Client Area Dashboard for navigation guidance.
On the service details page, look for the Server Information section. Here you will find:
- Nameserver 1 — e.g., ns1.sakurahost.co.tz
- Nameserver 2 — e.g., ns2.sakurahost.co.tz
- Server IP Address — e.g., 5.252.55.145
Method 1: Updating Nameservers (Recommended)
The simplest and most reliable way to connect your domain is by pointing your domain's nameservers to SakuraHost. This gives SakuraHost full control over your DNS records, making future configuration changes easier.
If Your Domain is Registered with SakuraHost
- Log in to your client area.
- Navigate to Domains > My Domains.
- Click on the domain you want to configure.
- Select the Nameservers tab.
- Choose "Use default nameservers" to automatically set SakuraHost's nameservers.
- Click Save Changes.
If Your Domain is Registered Elsewhere
If your domain is registered with an external registrar (such as GoDaddy, Namecheap, TZ-NIC, or Google Domains), you need to log in to that registrar's control panel and update the nameservers there:
- Log in to your domain registrar's website.
- Find the domain management or DNS settings section.
- Look for a "Nameservers" or "DNS Servers" option.
- Change from the default nameservers to custom nameservers.
- Enter the SakuraHost nameservers:
Nameserver 1: ns1.sakurahost.co.tz
Nameserver 2: ns2.sakurahost.co.tz - Save your changes.
Method 2: Using A Records (Advanced)
If you prefer to keep your DNS managed at your current registrar (for example, if you use Cloudflare for DNS management), you can point your domain to SakuraHost using A records instead of changing nameservers.
In your registrar's DNS management panel, create or update the following records:
Type: A Name: www Value: [Your Server IP] TTL: 3600
Type: A Name: mail Value: [Your Server IP] TTL: 3600
Type: A Name: webmail Value: [Your Server IP] TTL: 3600
Replace [Your Server IP] with the IP address from your service details page.
If you are using SakuraHost email hosting, add MX records to ensure email delivery:
Replace yourdomain.co.tz with your actual domain name.
Common DNS Record Types Explained
When managing DNS, you may encounter these record types:
- A Record — Maps a domain name to an IPv4 address (e.g., 5.252.55.145).
- AAAA Record — Maps a domain name to an IPv6 address.
- CNAME Record — Creates an alias from one domain name to another (e.g., www.example.com to example.com).
- MX Record — Directs email for your domain to the mail server. Priority numbers determine which server is tried first (lower number = higher priority).
- TXT Record — Stores text information, commonly used for SPF, DKIM, and domain verification.
- NS Record — Specifies which nameservers are authoritative for your domain.
Verifying Your DNS Configuration
After making DNS changes, verify that your domain is pointing correctly:
Using Command Line Tools
If you are comfortable with the terminal, you can use the nslookup or dig commands:
dig yourdomain.co.tz A
dig yourdomain.co.tz MX
The response should show the SakuraHost server IP address you configured.
Using Online Tools
For a visual and easier approach, use online DNS checking tools:
- whatsmydns.net — Check DNS propagation globally
- MXToolbox — Verify MX records and email configuration
- DNS Checker — Real-time DNS lookup from multiple locations
Troubleshooting Common DNS Issues
- Website shows "Server not found" — DNS changes may not have propagated yet. Wait 24-48 hours and try again. Clear your browser cache or try from a different device.
- Website shows a different site — Your domain may still be pointed to an old hosting provider. Verify your nameservers or A records are set to SakuraHost values.
- Email not working after DNS change — Ensure MX records are properly configured. If you changed nameservers to SakuraHost, your MX records are managed in cPanel under Zone Editor.
- SSL certificate errors — SSL certificates require DNS to be fully propagated. If you just changed your DNS, wait for propagation to complete, then install or reissue your SSL certificate from cPanel.