DNS: Troubleshooting Guide

A domain name may not resolve for various reasons (i.e. when people enter a domain name and do not arrive at the correct server). This article offers troubleshooting tips for overcoming typical domain issues.

DNS Troubleshooting Checklist ⤵
Understanding Propagation ⤵

DNS Troubleshooting Checklist

Check Nameservers

Make sure that your nameservers are correct. Several free online tools will allow you to view your domain DNS, including your nameservers. Here is the list of the most popular tools you can use:

http://leafdns.com/
http://intodns.com
https://who.is/

The correct nameservers are available in several places, including the Domain welcome email and the Account Manager.

Want to know the nameservers for your account? Click here.

Check The Validity Of The Domain

Ensure the domain is registered and not expired; you can check this with a Whois lookup tool. If the domain is expired, you need to renew it. If it is not registered, you need to register the domain. You can purchase new domains at Domain/domains.

For instructions on renewing a domain, please refer to the following article:
How To Renew Your Domain

Check If The A Records Point To The Correct IP

There are many reasons why the A records could be pointing incorrectly. This sometimes happens when you do not use our nameservers or manually change the DNS records.

For guidance on how to make changes to your DNS records, such as A records, MX records, and CNAME records, please read the following article:
How to Update DNS Records

Understanding Propagation

Updating your nameservers can take up to 48 hours to go into full effect. This period is called DNS Propagation, which refers to the time needed for DNS changes to update across the web.

DNS record changes such as the A, MX, and CNAME records usually take 4 to 8 hours to effect fully.

Note: If the nameservers or DNS records have recently been changed, the changes need to propagate. Check the settings to see if the records are set up as expected. Just because they were recently changed does not mean they were updated correctly.

Why Does Propagation Take So Long?

Propagation takes a while because computers cache (remember) the old settings for a while. What is happening is that your computer and servers on the internet only check for DNS changes every so often. They typically do not refresh the settings each time you make a request. They assume the DNS is the same as the last time they checked.

For more information about domain propagation and clearing a browser's cache, please visit the following articles:
What is Domain Propagation?
Clearing a Web Browser's Cache