Connect a .ie Domain to Wix: Nameservers, Email, DNSSEC and SSL
A business can register a .ie domain with Hoster and build its website on Wix. The domain does not need to be transferred to Wix to display a Wix site. The important decision is where DNS will be managed: at Wix through a nameserver connection, or at the existing DNS provider through pointing.
These methods affect email, subdomains, DNSSEC and who can fix a later problem. This guide walks through the choice and a safe setup sequence for Irish business domains.
Connecting is different from transferring
A registrar transfer changes which provider manages the registration, holder details and renewal billing. Connecting an existing domain to Wix changes where the website appears while registration can stay with Hoster. With a nameserver connection, Wix becomes the authoritative DNS provider. With pointing, the existing DNS provider remains authoritative and only the web records are adjusted.
Wix says a paid site plan is required to connect a custom domain. Check the Wix plan and the current Hoster domain renewal terms separately before starting.
Method one: use the Wix nameservers
Wix generally recommends a nameserver connection. Add the domain to the intended Wix site and account first. Wix will show the exact two nameservers assigned to that domain. In the Hoster dashboard, replace the existing nameserver list with those two values and save the change. Do not copy nameservers from another Wix account, site or tutorial.
After the registrar accepts the change, the .ie parent publishes the new delegation and recursive resolvers update their caches. The domain stays registered with Hoster, while DNS records are now edited in Wix. Keep the old zone available during the transition.
Method two: keep DNS where it is and point the website
Pointing leaves nameservers unchanged. Enter the website A and CNAME records Wix currently shows for the domain at the existing DNS provider. This may be the better option when the business already has many mail, verification or subdomain records that should remain with the current DNS host.
Wix notes that pointing can limit the support it can provide for records stored elsewhere. The business or DNS provider must maintain those records. Wix also warns that both the root A and www CNAME must be correct for the site to appear secure. Use the values in Wix's current instructions, not a copied IP from an old article.
Before switching nameservers, preserve email
A nameserver change moves the authoritative zone, so website records are only part of the job. Copy the mail provider's MX, SPF, DKIM and DMARC records into Wix DNS before delegation. Also copy verification records, support subdomains, payment provider records and any other active service.
Wix may import existing MX records, but its own guidance says other mail records can need manual entry. Compare the final Wix zone with the source zone line by line. If the business uses Microsoft 365, read our Microsoft 365 .ie DNS checklist before moving DNS.
Check DNSSEC before the move
If the .ie registry publishes a DS record for the old DNS provider, switching to a Wix zone that does not match that signing chain can make validating resolvers fail with SERVFAIL. A domain can then appear to have Wix nameservers while visitors cannot reliably reach the website.
Review the current DNSSEC status in the registrar and at the active DNS provider. Follow the provider's documented key rollover or DS removal procedure before relying on the new delegation. Do not assume the Wix connection screen changes a DS record at the .ie registry. Read the DNSSEC and DS record guide for diagnosis and escalation steps.
Step-by-step setup
- Confirm ownership. Sign in to the Wix account that will operate the site and the Hoster account that holds the domain.
- Connect the domain in Wix. Choose the intended site and Wix's nameserver or pointing method.
- Record the existing configuration. Export DNS and note current nameservers, MX, web records and DNSSEC state.
- Prepare the destination. For nameservers, complete the Wix zone including mail and verification. For pointing, update only the requested web records at the existing DNS host.
- Make the registrar or DNS change. Use the exact values assigned to this domain and confirm that the provider accepted them.
- Verify independently. Check parent .ie NS and DS records, authoritative web and mail answers, Wix connection status and the live HTTPS website.
- Keep monitoring. Test inbound and outbound email, forms, checkout and important subdomains after caches update.
Why does Wix still say “waiting for registrar”?
The registrar may not have accepted the new nameservers, the .ie parent may not have published them yet, or a recursive resolver may still have the old delegation cached. Query the parent .ie nameservers and compare their NS response with Wix's assigned values. If the parent still shows the old pair after a reasonable processing period, contact Hoster with the domain and Wix's exact assigned nameservers.
If the parent is correct but Wix still waits, check the Wix account's connection status and domain ownership. A domain attached to the wrong Wix account or site needs action there, not another registrar update.
Why does HTTPS or the SSL certificate fail?
Wix issues a certificate after a domain is correctly connected to a Wix site. Its SSL troubleshooting guidance starts by checking the domain connection, A and CNAME records and DNSSEC state. A working HTTP redirect is not proof that HTTPS is ready.
Test the root and www hostnames. If the parent delegation and authoritative records are correct but the TLS handshake still fails, inspect Wix's domain and certificate status and contact Wix support. Repeated nameserver changes are unlikely to fix a certificate that has not been issued or assigned to the site.
Who manages DNS records after the change?
With Wix nameservers, edit DNS in Wix. With pointing, edit DNS at the existing authoritative DNS host. Hoster continues to manage the registration and nameserver delegation if the domain remains registered here. This split matters when you need to add an email record, verify a payment provider or fix a subdomain later.
Final checks before telling customers the site is live
- The .ie parent shows exactly the intended nameservers.
- Any parent DS record matches the live signed zone, or no DS remains for an intentionally unsigned zone.
- Root and
wwwload the correct Wix site over HTTPS. - Mail MX, SPF, DKIM and DMARC records are present at the authoritative provider.
- Contact forms and confirmation emails work.
- The business knows which account controls Wix, DNS, domain renewal and recovery.
To review your registered domain, use the Hoster dashboard. If the registrar-side change is rejected or unclear, contact support with the exact domain and intended nameservers.