External DNS zones

An external zone is a DNS zone you host in Expanse Panel for a domain that is registered somewhere else. Expanse is not the registrar; we only answer DNS once you delegate the domain to us.

When to use an external zone

• The domain is registered at another company and you want to keep it there.
• You are ready to (or already did) set the domain’s nameservers to Expanse so the world asks our DNS servers for your records.

When not to use it

• If you registered or transferred the domain through Expanse Panel, a zone is created as part of that flow—you normally do not add a second “external” zone for the same name.

How to add one

1. Go to Networking → Add external zone.
2. Enter the zone name (your domain, usually in the form example.com).
3. Complete the steps shown. On success, the panel opens the zone so you can add DNS records.

The page explains that this flow is for when nameservers already point to Expanse or you are about to point them; the panel also shows the hostnames you should set at your registrar.

Nameservers to set at your registrar

Set all of the following authoritative nameservers for the domain (order does not matter):

• pulsar.expanse.host
• quasar.expanse.host
• vega.expanse.host

Use exactly these hostnames unless your registrar requires a trailing dot—some forms accept either. After delegation propagates (often minutes to hours), the panel’s delegation check can show the zone as active when the public DNS delegation matches Expanse.

If the panel shows a different list in the “add external zone” screen, that list is loaded from your team’s live configuration—when in doubt, use what the panel displays for your account.