When you add hosting to a domain name, change hosting providers, or just change your nameservers, you need to wait for the changes to propagate around the world.
But what does DNS propagation even mean? And how can you check the current status of your site? Keep reading to find out more.
What Is DNS Propagation?
As you probably know, every website has a unique IP address. It’s a string of digits that hard to remember. To make life easier for ourselves, we use memorable URLs instead (such as makeuseof.com).
When you enter a URL into your browser, the nameserver is responsible for telling your browser which IP address it should send you to.
Whenever you alter your nameservers—such as when changing hosting provider—you need to wait for the updated information to spread around the web. It’s like updating your profile on Facebook and waiting for everyone to notice.
The process, called DNS propagation, can take up to 48 hours to complete. But sometimes it can take much less time. So, how can you get an update on the status? Just use one of the sites below.
3 Ways to Check DNS Propagation Status
Use one of these three sites to check the status of your site’s DNS propagation.
- DNS Checker: The site checks propagation from 22 worldwide locations.
- ViewDNS: ViewDNS has 25 different DNS tools you can use; the propagation tool is just one part of it. Other tools include everything from Reverse MX Lookup to Traceroute.
- WhatsMyDNS: The site has 21 locations around the world. It can check multiple records, including A, AAAA, CNAME, MX, NS, PTR, SOA, and TXT.
If you’d like to learn more about DNS, check out our articles on using Cloudflare’s DNS to improve your privacy, how DNS can help speed up your internet connection, and a list of five DNS servers that’ll improve your safety.
