Namecheap BasicDNS FortiGate DNS

Migrate DNS from Namecheap to FortiGate.

4 record types move as they are. 3 things work differently at FortiGate, and the preview shows exactly which of your records they affect.

Free preview. Read-only. Nothing changes until you apply.

What works differently

Generated from the same provider capability data the migration engine uses.

Moves as-is

A
AAAA
CNAME
MX

Alias records are converted

Namecheap alias records become CNAMEs below the apex. At the apex they need static addresses, and the preview shows which ones.

TXT, NS, CAA, URL, URL301, FRAME, MXE aren't available

FortiGate can't store TXT, NS, CAA, URL, URL301, FRAME, MXE records through its API. They're marked Unsupported with the reason, never dropped silently.

FortiGate rewrites the whole host list

Every write to FortiGate's API replaces all records. We read, merge and write once, so records outside the migration survive.

A typical Namecheap zone at FortiGate

Example records for example.com. Open any flagged row to read why it changed.

Namecheap FortiGate

UnsupportedALIAS@
Not migrated
@ is an alias to app.example-host.net at the zone apex. FortiGate doesn't support apex aliases or CNAMEs.
ExactMX@
10 mx1.mail.example.net. +1
UnsupportedTXT@
Not migrated
FortiGate doesn't support TXT records through its API.
UnsupportedCAA@
Not migrated
FortiGate doesn't support CAA records through its API.
UnsupportedTXT_dmarc
Not migrated
FortiGate doesn't support TXT records through its API.
ExactCNAMEblog
example.github.io.
UnsupportedURL301go
Not migrated
URL301 is a Namecheap redirect feature, not a DNS record. Recreate it as a redirect rule at FortiGate.
ExactCNAMEwww
example.com.

How each record at Namecheap BasicDNS translates to FortiGate DNS
Status	Type	Name	At FortiGate	TTL
Unsupported	ALIAS	@	Not migrated	—
Exact	MX	@	10 mx1.mail.example.net. 20 mx2.mail.example.net.	1h
Unsupported	TXT	@	Not migrated	—
Unsupported	CAA	@	Not migrated	—
Unsupported	TXT	_dmarc	Not migrated	—
Exact	CNAME	blog	example.github.io.	30m
Unsupported	URL301	go	Not migrated	—
Exact	CNAME	www	example.com.	1h

How the move works

1
Connect Namecheap
Connect Namecheap with read-only access (API user + API key, with our egress IP allow-listed).
2
Connect FortiGate
Connect FortiGate (Management URL + REST API admin token (Bearer) + VDOM). Write access is only used when you apply.
3
Review the preview
Check every record marked Review or Unsupported. Each one explains what changes and why.
4
Apply to FortiGate
We snapshot the FortiGate zone, write in batches, and leave Namecheap untouched.
5
Verify
We query FortiGate's own nameservers for every record and compare the answers before you switch.
6
Switch nameservers
Lower TTLs a day or two ahead, remove any DS record if DNSSEC is on, then point the domain at the new nameservers at your registrar.

Good to know about Namecheap

Namecheap's API replaces the whole host list on every write, so we always read, merge and then write.
SRV records can't be managed through the API.
URL redirect records are Namecheap-specific and aren't real DNS records.

Access we need: API access enabled under Profile → Tools, with our static IP added to the allow-list.

Good to know about FortiGate

FortiGates usually sit on private networks: we only connect if the admin HTTPS interface is exposed on a public address with a valid certificate, because private and internal addresses are refused by design.
Only A, AAAA and CNAME records plus MX at the zone apex are supported; wildcards, TXT, SRV and CAA are not, and disabled entries are left untouched.
Every change rewrites the zone's whole dns-entry table; we read and merge first so records outside the plan survive, but concurrent edits in the GUI can be overwritten.

Access we need: Admin profile with System → Configuration read for the preview, read/write to apply; restrict the REST API admin with trusted hosts.

Questions

Will there be downtime moving from Namecheap to FortiGate?

Not if both providers serve the same answers during the switch. The records are copied to FortiGate and verified before you change nameservers, so resolvers get the same answer from either side while caches expire.

Do I have to delete anything at Namecheap?

No. We never write to Namecheap. Keep the old zone for a week after cutover so you can switch back instantly if anything looks wrong.

What about DNSSEC?

If DNSSEC is on, remove the DS record at your registrar and wait for it to expire before switching nameservers. Then enable DNSSEC at FortiGate and publish its new DS record. The cutover plan walks you through each step.

Ready to see your own zone?

Start a free preview