Namecheap BasicDNS Selectel DNS Hosting
Migrate DNS from Namecheap to Selectel.
8 record types move as they are. 1 things work differently at Selectel, and the preview shows exactly which of your records they affect.
Free preview. Read-only. Nothing changes until you apply.
Namecheap to Selectel DNS migration differences
Generated from the same provider capability data the migration engine uses.
Moves as-is
- A
- AAAA
- CNAME
- MX
- TXT
- NS
- CAA
- ALIAS
URL, URL301, FRAME, MXE aren't available
A typical Namecheap zone at Selectel
Example records for example.com. Open any flagged row to read why it changed.
Namecheap Selectel
- TranslatedALIAS@
app.example-host.net.
Stored as a Selectel ALIAS record to app.example-host.net.
- ExactMX@
10 mx1.mail.example.net. +1
- ExactTXT@
"v=spf1 include:_spf.example.net -all"
- ExactCAA@
0 issue "letsencrypt.org"
- ExactTXT_dmarc
"v=DMARC1; p=reject; rua=mailto:dmarc@example.com"
- ExactCNAMEblog
example.github.io.
- UnsupportedURL301go
Not migrated
URL301 is a Namecheap redirect feature, not a DNS record. Recreate it as a redirect rule at Selectel.
- ExactCNAMEwww
example.com.
| Status | Type | Name | At Selectel | TTL | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Translated | ALIAS | @ |
| 30m | |
| Exact | MX | @ |
| 1h | |
| Exact | TXT | @ |
| 1h | |
| Exact | CAA | @ |
| 1h | |
| Exact | TXT | _dmarc |
| 1h | |
| Exact | CNAME | blog |
| 30m | |
| Unsupported | URL301 | go | Not migrated | — | |
| Exact | CNAME | www |
| 1h |
Set up the connections
Use the provider-specific credential guides before you preview, then keep the migration checklist beside the cutover plan.
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 Selectel
Connect Selectel (Service user (username + password) with a project-scoped IAM token). 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 Selectel
We snapshot the Selectel zone, write in batches, and leave Namecheap untouched.
- 5
Verify
We query Selectel'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 Selectel
- Only DNS Hosting (actual) zones are supported. Zones still on DNS Hosting (legacy, API v1) must be moved to the actual version in the control panel first.
- Zones belong to a project; this connection only sees the project it signs in to.
- Apex NS and SOA records are created and managed by Selectel and can't be changed.
- A CNAME can't be placed at the zone apex; use ALIAS instead.
- Each record set can hold at most 100 values.
- Records you disabled in Selectel are left untouched and aren't imported.
- Selectel doesn't publish API rate limits; requests are retried with backoff when throttled.
Access we need: Create a service user with the member role scoped to only the project that holds your zones. The reader role on that project is enough for read-only exports.
Questions
Will there be downtime moving from Namecheap to Selectel?
Not if both providers serve the same answers during the switch. The records are copied to Selectel 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 Selectel and publish its new DS record. The cutover plan walks you through each step.
Ready to see your own zone?