You can use a domain bought from one company with hosting from another. The domain registration and website hosting do not have to be in the same account.
To connect them, you need to update DNS where the domain is managed and make sure the hosting plan is ready to serve the website.
Before You Start
Gather:
- The domain name
- Login for the domain registrar
- Login for the hosting account
- The hosting plan or website destination
- Required nameservers or DNS records
- Current DNS records
- Current email provider
- SSL status
- Whether
wwwshould work
If the domain already handles business email, copy the current MX and TXT records before changing DNS.
Prepare the Hosting Plan
Start by making sure the hosting plan is ready.
If your hosting is through Tech Help Canada Hosting, sign in through the Tech Help Canada Hosting account area, open the hosting product, and confirm the domain connection or setup instructions for that product.
Depending on the hosting type, you may need to:
- Assign the domain to the hosting plan
- Install WordPress
- Upload site files
- Import a database
- Publish a Website Builder site
- Activate SSL
- Find the IP address or hostname for DNS
Do not point the domain to hosting until the website destination is ready enough to test.
Choose Nameservers or DNS Records
There are two common connection methods.
You can change nameservers at the domain registrar. This moves DNS management to the hosting or DNS provider.
You can leave nameservers where they are and update individual DNS records, such as the A record and CNAME record.
Changing individual records may be safer if email already works and should stay with the current email provider.
Changing nameservers may be useful if you want the hosting provider to manage the full DNS zone, but you must recreate the needed email and verification records.
If You Change Nameservers
At the domain registrar, update the domain’s nameservers to the nameservers provided by the hosting or DNS provider.
Before saving, make sure the new DNS zone includes:
- A record for the website
- CNAME for
www - MX records for email
- TXT records for SPF, DKIM, DMARC, and verification
- Any subdomains
After saving, wait for DNS to update and test the website and email.
If You Update DNS Records
If you leave nameservers where they are, edit DNS records at the current DNS provider.
You may need:
- An A record for the root domain
- A CNAME record for
www - Platform-specific verification records
- Any required TXT records
Use the values from your hosting dashboard or website platform. Do not guess the IP address or hostname.
Test the Connection
After updating DNS, test:
yourbusiness.cawww.yourbusiness.ca- HTTPS
- Homepage
- Main pages
- Contact forms
- Business email
- Any subdomains
If the website does not show immediately, DNS may still be updating. If it still fails after the expected window, check nameservers, A records, CNAME records, hosting assignment, and SSL.
Common Mistakes
Changing nameservers without copying email records can stop email.
Editing DNS records at the wrong provider has no effect.
Pointing the domain before the hosting plan is ready can show a placeholder or error page.
Forgetting www can leave half the domain setup incomplete.
Skipping SSL can lead to browser warnings.
Testing only from one browser can make cache look like a DNS problem.
Keep the Setup Documented
Write down:
- Domain registrar
- Active nameservers
- DNS provider
- Hosting product
- Website IP or hostname
wwwsetup- Email provider
- SSL status
- Date connected
This makes future renewals, troubleshooting, and migrations much easier.
If you want to move the domain registration itself, you can explore domain transfer through Tech Help Canada Hosting.
I can suggest related Tech Help Canada articles based on the topic you’re reading now.
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