Name servers

Last change on 2025-11-17 • Created on 2025-10-07 • ID: NE-8418A

Which recursive name servers (resolvers) should I use in my server configuration?

  • We provide a set of recursive DNS servers for the use on servers that are hosted within our infrastructure, see our documentation at Hetzner recursive name servers.
  • You can set also set up your own resolver if you don't want to use ours. Please note, that you are responsible for its safe and secure operation. We recommend adhering to some basic guidelines.

Which name servers can I use for my domains?

  • You can set up your own name server.
  • If you do not wish to operate your own name server, you can use the Hetzner Console. For details on managing DNS entries via Hetzner Console, please see DNS overview.

Why can I not upate my domain with nameservers NS.HOST.NAME?

Please do not use capital letters for nameserver hostnames.

Can I use clients.your-server.de as name server?

No, the addresses of form static.XXX.XXX.XXX.XXX.clients.your-server.de are reserved for use in Hetzner's reverse DNS (rDNS) zones and cannot be used as authoritative nameservers.

If you would like to use a cloud server as an authoritative nameserver, please first assign that server a DNS address (A/AAAA) from your own domain.

I have used the slave DNS entry option, but the secondary name server has not accepted the changes?

  • You may not have increased the serial number in the zone SOA record.
  • The secondary name server will only accept changes from the primary name server in the refresh interval mentioned in the SOA record.

Which name server configurations are supported?

In a primary Hetzner DNS zone, it is not possible to delete NS records for Hetzner name servers. Every primary zone always uses Hetzner name servers. You can add additional NS records for external nameservers, which are used alongside the Hetzner name servers. In addition, primary zones at Hetzner do not support NOTIFY and do not allow AXFR/IXFR requests from secondary zones.

Secondary Hetzner DNS zones only work if the corresponding primary zone points to Hetzner name servers. The primary zone can include additional NS records for external nameservers, which will be used alongside the Hetzner name servers.

Therefore, we only support configurations that use Hetzner name servers.

    Supported
Primary zone
Secondary zone
(supports AXFR/IXFR)

Click here to expand supported configurations

  • (Simple) Primary zone

    There is only one zone for the domain. That zone is with Hetzner.

    All DNS records are managed via the primary zone. All DNS requests are answered by Hetzner's name servers.

    Records with Hetzner
    Primary zone
    NS
    @
    <hetzner-1>
    NS
    @
    <hetzner-2>
    NS
    @
    <hetzner-3>
    A
    @
    203.0.113.1
    A
    blog
    172.16.3.9

  • Primary zone with additional, external name servers

    There are several zones for the domain — one with Hetzner, additional externally.

    All DNS requests are answered by both: Hetzner's name servers and external name servers. For this reason, both zones should have identical records (e.g. A, MX).

    Records that you create in one of the zones are not automatically replicated to the other zone. Synchronization of the records between the two zones must be done manually or with a script, as Hetzner does not support zone transfers via AXFR to external zones.

    Please configure the domain with your registrar so that all name servers <hetzner-1>, <hetzner-2>, <hetzner-3>, <external-1> & <external-2> are used.

    Records with Hetzner
    Primary zone
    NS
    @
    <hetzner-1>
    NS
    @
    <hetzner-2>
    NS
    @
    <hetzner-3>
    NS
    @
    <external-1>
    NS
    @
    <external-2>
    A
    @
    203.0.113.1
    A
    blog
    172.16.3.9
    Records in external zone
    Primary zone
    NS
    @
    <hetzner-1>
    NS
    @
    <hetzner-2>
    NS
    @
    <hetzner-3>
    NS
    @
    <external-1>
    NS
    @
    <external-2>
    A
    @
    203.0.113.1
    A
    blog
    172.16.3.9

  • Secondary zone (supports AXFR/IXFR)

    All DNS records are managed via the primary zone. All DNS requests are answered by both: external name servers and Hetzner's name servers.

    Please configure the domain with your registrar so that all name servers <external-1>, <external-2>, <hetzner-1>, <hetzner-2> & <hetzner-3> are used.

    Records in external zone
    Primary zone
    NS
    @
    <external-1>
    NS
    @
    <external-2>
    NS
    @
    <hetzner-1>
    NS
    @
    <hetzner-2>
    NS
    @
    <hetzner-3>
    A
    @
    203.0.113.1
    A
    blog
    172.16.3.9
    Records with Hetzner
    Secondary zone
    NS
    @
    <external-1>
    NS
    @
    <external-2>
    NS
    @
    <hetzner-1>
    NS
    @
    <hetzner-2>
    NS
    @
    <hetzner-3>
    All other records (e.g. A, MX, etc.) are transferred to this secondary zone from the primary via AXFR.

  • Secondary zone ("Hidden Primary")

    All DNS records are managed via the primary zone. All DNS requests are answered by Hetzner's name servers exclusively.

    Please configure the domain with your registrar so that the name servers <hetzner-1>, <hetzner-2> & <hetzner-3> are used.

    Records in external zone
    Primary zone
    NS
    @
    <hetzner-1>
    NS
    @
    <hetzner-2>
    NS
    @
    <hetzner-3>
    A
    @
    203.0.113.1
    A
    blog
    172.16.3.9
    All records are stored on Hetzner's name servers, e.g.
    <hetzner-1>,
    <hetzner-2> and
    <hetzner-3>.
    Records with Hetzner
    Secondary zone
    NS
    @
    <hetzner-1>
    NS
    @
    <hetzner-2>
    NS
    @
    <hetzner-3>
    All other records (e.g. A, MX, etc.) are transferred to this secondary zone from the primary via AXFR.

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