When something goes wrong with your website or domain, knowing who to contact can save hours of frustration. Many domain owners contact their registrar about issues that fall outside their scope of control, while others reach out to their hosting provider about problems only the registrar can resolve.
Understanding the division of responsibilities between your domain registrar and your hosting provider helps you get issues resolved faster and more efficiently.
What Your Registrar Controls
Domain registrars manage the foundational elements that make your domain functional and secure. These responsibilities center on domain ownership and delegation rather than the content or services running on that domain.
Domain Registration and Renewal: Your registrar handles the registration process, renewal notices, and communication with the registry that oversees your top-level domain. If you're experiencing registration issues or need to modify registration settings, your registrar is the appropriate contact. WHOIS Information and Privacy: Contact information associated with your domain, including registrant details and privacy protection settings, is managed entirely by your registrar. Updates to this information, privacy service activation, or corrections to registration data all fall within registrar support.
Domain Locks and Security Settings: Transfer locks, registrar locks, and other security features that prevent unauthorized changes to your domain are configured at the registrar level. Enabling or disabling these protections requires registrar access.
Name Server Delegation: Your registrar controls which name servers are authoritative for your domain. Changing name servers, updating glue records, or modifying delegation settings happens through your registrar's control panel.
Authorization Codes and Transfers: Transfer authorization codes (also called EPP codes or auth codes) are generated by your current registrar. Initiating or approving domain transfers involves coordination with both the current and receiving registrars.
Where Registrar Support Ends
Once your domain is properly registered and delegated to name servers, the registrar's technical responsibilities largely conclude. Several common issues fall outside registrar control:
DNS Record Management: If you're using third-party name servers (such as those provided by your hosting company, Cloudflare, or another DNS provider), your registrar cannot modify the DNS records themselves. The registrar controls which name servers your domain uses, but those name servers control the actual DNS records.
This distinction is crucial. Your registrar can update your domain to point to different name servers, but they cannot edit A records, MX records, CNAME records, or TXT records if those records are hosted elsewhere. For DNS record support, you'll need to contact whoever operates the name servers your domain is currently using.
Website Content and Functionality: Issues with how your website displays, broken links, shopping cart problems, or content management system errors are not registrar concerns. These issues relate to the code, databases, and applications running on your hosting server.
Server Configuration and Performance: Server speed, uptime, resource limits, software installations, and server-level configurations are managed by your hosting provider. The registrar has no access to or control over these elements.
SSL Certificate Installation and Management: While registrars often sell SSL certificates, the actual installation and configuration happens on your web server. If you're experiencing SSL errors, mixed content warnings, or certificate validation problems, these are typically hosting-side issues. Email Delivery and Configuration: If you're using email services provided by your hosting company or a third-party email provider, deliverability issues, mailbox configuration, and email client settings are handled by those providers. The registrar can assist with MX record delegation if you're using their name servers, but actual email functionality is separate.
Website Development and Code Issues: Programming errors, database connection problems, plugin conflicts, theme customization, or any issue related to website code cannot be addressed by registrar support teams. These require developer expertise.
When Using Default Name Servers
The support landscape changes somewhat when you use the name servers provided by your registrar. In this configuration, your registrar has direct access to manage DNS records and can assist with most DNS-related troubleshooting.
When your domain uses your registrar's default name servers, you can typically receive help with:
- Creating and modifying DNS records
- Setting up subdomain delegation
- Configuring mail server records
- Troubleshooting DNS propagation
- Implementing DNS-based verification records
This integrated support model simplifies troubleshooting since a single support team can address both registration and DNS concerns.
The Integrated Provider Advantage
Some registrars also offer web hosting services, which can further simplify support relationships. When your domain registration and hosting are managed by the same company, that provider can offer comprehensive assistance spanning both registration and hosting concerns. In an integrated setup, your provider's support team can help with:
- Domain registration and renewal
- Server-side SSL installation and troubleshooting
- Hosting-related technical issues
- Server performance and resource questions
This doesn't mean the same support representative will handle every possible issue, but it does mean you're working with a single organization that has visibility into all aspects of your web presence. Ticket handoffs between departments happen internally rather than requiring you to coordinate between separate companies.
Common Misunderstandings
Several scenarios frequently lead to confusion about support boundaries:
"My website is down": This vague description could indicate multiple problems. Is the domain resolving correctly? Are the name servers responding? Is the web server running? Is there a code error? The registrar can verify that DNS delegation is working properly, but if the domain is resolving and the issue lies with the web server or application, you'll need to contact your hosting provider.
"My email isn't working": Email problems can stem from incorrect MX records, server-side configuration issues, authentication problems, or client configuration errors. If you're using your registrar's name servers, they can verify that MX records are set correctly. Beyond that, you'll need to work with whoever provides your actual email service.
"I can't access my control panel": Which control panel? Your registrar's domain management interface is separate from your hosting control panel. Login issues with your domain registrar should be directed to them, while hosting control panel access problems require contacting your hosting provider.
"My SSL isn't working": SSL involves multiple components. The certificate itself must be purchased and generated, then installed on the web server, with the website configured to use HTTPS properly. Registrars can help with purchasing and issuing certificates, but installation and server configuration are hosting responsibilities.
CDN and Additional Service Layers
Content delivery networks add another layer to the support equation. CDNs sit between your visitors and your origin server, caching content and managing traffic routing.
CDN-related issues, including caching problems, performance optimization, security rules, and edge server configuration, are handled by your CDN provider. Your registrar might help you update DNS records to point to your CDN, but the CDN's operation and configuration fall outside registrar scope.
Similarly, if you use specialized services like transactional email providers, analytics platforms, or marketing automation tools, those providers handle support for their respective services even though DNS records at your registrar might facilitate the connection.
Effective Troubleshooting Strategy
When you encounter a problem, a systematic approach helps identify the right support contact:
Start by determining whether the issue relates to domain ownership, security, or delegation. If so, contact your registrar. If the problem involves how your website functions, displays content, or delivers services, start with your hosting provider.
For DNS issues, identify who operates your name servers. If you're using your registrar's name servers, they can assist with record management. If you're using third-party name servers, you'll need to work with that provider or access their DNS management tools directly.
When multiple services are involved, the provider closest to where the problem manifests is usually the best starting point. A website that loads but shows incorrect content is a hosting or development issue. A domain that doesn't resolve at all is likely a registration or DNS delegation issue.
Documentation and Self-Service
Many common support requests can be resolved through documentation and self-service tools. Understanding the basics of name server delegation, DNS record types, and the relationship between registration and hosting empowers you to make configuration changes and troubleshoot problems independently.
Most registrars and hosting providers maintain knowledge bases covering common scenarios. Before reaching out to support, checking documentation can provide immediate answers and help you better articulate your issue if you do need assistance.
Conclusion
The clearest way to think about support boundaries is to consider what each provider actually controls. Your registrar manages the domain record at the registry level and, if you use their services, the authoritative name servers for your domain. Your hosting provider manages the server, applications, and services that deliver your website and other functionality.
Understanding these boundaries doesn't just help you contact the right support team; it helps you become a more informed domain owner. You'll make better decisions about DNS delegation, recognize when issues require developer intervention rather than support tickets, and build a more robust and maintainable web presence.
When issues do arise, knowing exactly who controls what eliminates the frustration of being bounced between support teams and accelerates resolution. Clear responsibility divisions benefit everyone involved, ensuring that the right expertise is applied to each problem.
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