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DNSmigrator

Zone transfer (AXFR/IXFR) Namecheap BasicDNS

Migrate DNS from Zone transfer to Namecheap.

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

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

Zone transfer to Namecheap DNS migration differences

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

Moves as-is

  • A
  • AAAA
  • CNAME
  • MX
  • TXT
  • NS
  • CAA

TTLs below 60s are raised

Namecheap's minimum TTL is 60 seconds. Shorter TTLs are raised to 60s and shown as translated.

Namecheap rewrites the whole host list

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

Namecheap needs BasicDNS turned on

Namecheap only accepts records while the domain uses its BasicDNS nameservers, so records are written at cutover time rather than staged in advance.

A typical Zone transfer zone at Namecheap

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

Zone transfer Namecheap

  • ExactA@

    192.0.2.70

  • ExactAAAA@

    2001:db8::70

  • 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"

  • UnsupportedSRV_sip._tls

    Not migrated

    Namecheap doesn't support SRV records through its API.

  • ExactCNAMEwww

    example.com.

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. 1

    Connect Zone transfer

    Connect Zone transfer with read-only access (Primary server(s) that allow zone transfers to our egress IP, optionally with a TSIG key).

  2. 2

    Connect Namecheap

    Connect Namecheap (API user + API key, with our egress IP allow-listed). Write access is only used when you apply.

  3. 3

    Review the preview

    Check every record marked Review or Unsupported. Each one explains what changes and why.

  4. 4

    Apply to Namecheap

    We snapshot the Namecheap zone, write in batches, and leave Zone transfer untouched.

  5. 5

    Verify

    We query Namecheap's own nameservers for every record and compare the answers before you switch.

  6. 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 Zone transfer

  • Read-only source: zone transfer connections can be migrated from, monitored and backed up, but never written to.
  • We reach primaries only over TCP port 53 at public addresses; private, loopback, link-local and metadata addresses are refused.
  • A transfer shows what the server publishes: proxied (CDN) addresses, flattened apex CNAMEs and provider-managed records can't be recovered from it.
  • DNSSEC signatures and keys (RRSIG, NSEC/NSEC3, DNSKEY, CDS/CDNSKEY) are dropped; the destination signs the zone itself.
  • We can't receive NOTIFY messages, so changes are picked up by polling the SOA serial, then IXFR when the server supports it.

Access we need: Read-only: the primary must allow AXFR (and ideally IXFR) to our egress IP, optionally restricted to a TSIG key. Nothing is ever written back.

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.

Questions

Will there be downtime moving from Zone transfer to Namecheap?

Not if both providers serve the same answers during the switch. The records are copied to Namecheap 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 Zone transfer?

No. We never write to Zone transfer. 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 Namecheap and publish its new DS record. The cutover plan walks you through each step.

Related migrations

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