Pointing your domain to Momo Cloud tells the internet where to find your website, email, and other services — and it all starts with updating two nameserver addresses at your domain registrar.
What Are Nameservers and Why Do They Matter?
Nameservers are part of the Domain Name System (DNS) — the global directory that translates human-readable domain names (like yourbusiness.co.tz) into the IP addresses that web servers understand. When someone types your domain into a browser, their device first asks a nameserver: "Where does this domain live?" The nameserver then points traffic to the right server.
When you host your website or email with Momo Cloud, you need your domain's nameservers to point to Momo Cloud so that all traffic is directed to our infrastructure. Momo Cloud's authoritative nameservers are:
ns1.momo.tzns2.momo.tz
Tip: You only need to set nameservers once per domain. After that, all DNS records (website, email, subdomains) are managed from within your Momo Cloud client area or cPanel.
Two Scenarios: Where Is Your Domain Registered?
How you update your nameservers depends on where your domain was registered. There are two common situations:
Scenario 1 — Domain Registered with Momo Cloud
If you registered your domain directly through Momo Cloud, your nameservers are already set to ns1.momo.tz and ns2.momo.tz by default. You do not need to make any changes.
To confirm this, log in to your Momo Cloud client area and navigate to Domains → My Domains. Select your domain and click Manage Domain. Under the Nameservers tab you should see both nameservers already populated. If for any reason they differ, follow the steps in Scenario 2 below — the process is the same inside the client area.
Scenario 2 — Domain Registered at Another Registrar (GoDaddy, Namecheap, TCRA/.co.tz, etc.)
If your domain is registered with a third-party registrar — such as GoDaddy, Namecheap, a local Tanzanian registrar, or through TCRA for .co.tz and .tz domains — you must log in to that registrar's control panel and update the nameservers there. The exact steps vary by registrar, but the process follows the same pattern everywhere.
Step-by-Step: Updating Nameservers at a Third-Party Registrar
The steps below apply to most registrars. Refer to your registrar's own help documentation for the exact menu names if they differ slightly.
- Log in to your registrar's account. Go to the website where you originally registered your domain (e.g., GoDaddy, Namecheap, your local Tanzanian registrar) and sign in.
- Find your domain list. Look for a section called My Domains, Domain Manager, or Manage Domains. Click on the domain you want to point to Momo Cloud.
- Open the Nameservers or DNS settings. Inside the domain management page, look for a section labelled Nameservers, DNS, or Name Server Management.
- Switch to custom nameservers. If your registrar currently shows Default or Automatic nameservers, select the option for Custom or Use my own nameservers.
-
Enter Momo Cloud's nameservers. Clear any existing nameserver entries and type in the following two values exactly:
- Nameserver 1:
ns1.momo.tz - Nameserver 2:
ns2.momo.tz
- Nameserver 1:
- Save your changes. Click Save, Update, or Confirm. Some registrars will send a confirmation email — approve it if prompted.
Tip: For .co.tz or .tz domains managed through TCRA or a local reseller, the nameserver change may need to be submitted through the registrar's support team or an online domain management portal. Contact your registrar directly if you cannot find the nameserver settings in your account dashboard.
DNS Propagation: How Long Does It Take?
After saving your new nameservers, the change needs time to propagate — meaning DNS servers around the world gradually update their records to reflect the new configuration. This process is called DNS propagation.
| Timeframe | What to Expect |
|---|---|
| 0–2 hours | Some visitors may already see your Momo Cloud site; others may still see the old host. |
| 2–12 hours | Most locations globally will have updated. This is the typical window for most domains. |
| Up to 24–48 hours | Full worldwide propagation. In rare cases (especially with high TTL values set by your old host) it can take up to 48 hours. |
During propagation it is normal to see your website or email behave inconsistently. Do not make further changes during this window — doing so resets the propagation clock.
How to Verify the Nameserver Change
Once you have saved the update, you can check whether the change has taken effect using any of the following methods:
WHOIS Lookup
Go to a WHOIS tool such as who.is or whois.com, enter your domain name, and look for the Name Servers section in the results. It should show ns1.momo.tz and ns2.momo.tz once the registrar has processed your change.
Using dig (Linux / macOS)
Open your terminal and run:
dig NS yourdomain.co.tz +shortReplace yourdomain.co.tz with your actual domain. The output should list ns1.momo.tz and ns2.momo.tz.
Using nslookup (Windows / macOS / Linux)
nslookup -type=NS yourdomain.co.tzLook for lines beginning with nameserver = in the response — they should show Momo Cloud's nameservers.
Tip: If your own computer still shows the old nameservers but an online checker shows the new ones, your local DNS cache may need time to clear. You can flush your DNS cache or simply wait a little longer.
Nameservers vs. Editing A Records — What Is the Difference?
It is important to understand the distinction between changing nameservers and editing individual DNS records (such as an A record):
- Changing nameservers hands over complete control of your domain's DNS to Momo Cloud. All DNS records — website, email, subdomains — are then managed from your Momo Cloud account. This is the recommended approach when you are moving your entire hosting to Momo Cloud.
- Editing an A record at your current registrar points only your domain's root address (or a specific subdomain) to a new IP address, while leaving everything else — including email — with your existing provider. This is useful when you want to move just the website without changing your email or other services.
If you are moving your website and email to Momo Cloud, updating the nameservers to ns1.momo.tz and ns2.momo.tz is the correct and simplest approach. Momo Cloud will then manage all DNS records for you.
Common Problems and Fixes
My website still shows the old host after 24 hours
First, verify that the nameservers were saved correctly by running a WHOIS or dig NS check as described above. If the nameservers are correct in WHOIS but the site is not loading, check that your website files have been uploaded to Momo Cloud's cPanel and that your domain is added as an addon or primary domain in cPanel. Contact Momo Cloud support if the issue persists.
My email stopped working after changing nameservers
When you switch nameservers to Momo Cloud, your mail DNS records (MX records) must also exist in Momo Cloud's DNS zone. If you are using Momo Cloud business email hosting, these records are created automatically. Log in to your cPanel, go to Email Accounts, and confirm your email accounts are listed. Then configure your email client with these settings:
- Incoming server (IMAP/POP3):
mail.momo.tz - Outgoing server (SMTP):
mail.momo.tz
If you use a third-party email service (such as Google Workspace), you will need to re-add your MX records in the Momo Cloud DNS zone after switching nameservers. Open a support ticket and our team will assist you.
I get a "This site can't be reached" error
This usually means propagation is still in progress, or your hosting package has not yet been activated. Check your Momo Cloud client area to confirm your hosting service is active and that your domain is correctly assigned to it. If the service shows as active but the error continues beyond 48 hours, contact Momo Cloud support.
Next Steps
Once your nameservers are pointing to ns1.momo.tz and ns2.momo.tz and propagation is complete, you are ready to build and manage everything from Momo Cloud:
- Upload your website files or install WordPress via cPanel's Softaculous.
- Set up your business email accounts in cPanel under Email Accounts.
- Manage DNS records (A, CNAME, MX, TXT) from the Zone Editor in cPanel.
- Renew your domain, add new services, or raise a support ticket from your Momo Cloud client area.
Need help at any stage? Momo Cloud offers 24/7 local Tanzanian support — reach us through your client area's support ticket system and our team will guide you through the process.
Was this article helpful?