DNS Server Check: How to Verify DNS Propagation Globally

Performing a Dns Server Check is crucial to ensure your website is accessible worldwide after making DNS record changes. Our DNS Propagation Test tool offers an extensive network of over 100 global DNS servers, making the process of global DNS checks easier and more efficient than ever. Unlike text-based reports, our tool visually displays DNS propagation results on a map, enhancing your understanding and simplifying the identification of regional inconsistencies or issues. Monitor and effectively manage your DNS records with our comprehensive tool.

Here’s how to use our free online DNS Server Check tool:

Input Your Domain or Hostname

Begin by entering the website domain name you wish to examine for DNS propagation.

Choose the DNS Record for Status Verification

Select the specific DNS record you want to check for its propagation status. Click the dropdown menu next to the search bar and choose from these record types:

• A Record: Shows the IPv4 address associated with the hostname.
• AAAA Record: Displays the IPv6 address information for the hostname.
• CNAME Record: Also known as a Canonical Name record, it aliases a subdomain to a domain, for example, directing www.example.com to example.com. Gain detailed insights into a domain’s CNAME records with our CNAME record lookup.
• MX Record: Specifies where emails for your domain should be routed and the priority of mail servers. Learn more about a domain’s MX records with our MX record lookup tool.
• NS Record: Provides information about the authoritative nameservers for a domain. Our NS Checker will list all nameservers linked to a domain.
• PTR Record: Used in reverse IP lookups to connect an IP address to a domain name, helping identify the host associated with an IP address.
• SRV Record: Specifies the location and setup of services like email or VoIP, enabling clients to find and connect to the correct server.
• SOA Record: The Start of Authority record contains essential information about the DNS zone.
• TXT Record: Commonly used for DNS record configurations such as SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records.
• CAA Record: Helps in SSL validation by indicating which Certificate Authorities are allowed to issue certificates for a domain.
• DS Record: Functions as a Delegation Signer, establishing a chain of trust between parent and child DNS zones. Explore further with our DS record Lookup tool.
• DNSKEY Record: Contains public signing keys like Zone Signing Key (ZSK) and Key Signing Key (KSK). Investigate DNSKEY records for more details.

Initiate the DNS Server Check

Once you have configured your settings, click “Search” to launch our DNS server check tool. It will process your request and present the results, highlighting server locations and their respective propagation statuses.

Understand the DNS server check results:

• ✔️ Indicates successful DNS record propagation.
• ❌ Indicates DNS records have not yet propagated.

In simpler terms, a green checkmark signifies that the queried DNS record is available on the DNS server, while a red cross indicates its absence. The green check may also confirm that the DNS record matches an updated value you’ve set in the expected value field. Conversely, the cross might mean the value does not align with your expected or updated value.

Adding a Custom DNS Server

Our tool allows you to easily add a DNS server. Click the “+” button and provide the required details:

• DNS Name
• DNS IP
• DNS Provider
• DNS Map Latitude
• DNS Map Longitude

DNS Name and DNS IP address are mandatory fields.

You also have the option to add your custom DNS server to the public DNS list.

Specifying Expected IP Address Value

If your IP address has recently changed, you can use smart controls to define the expected new IP address value by selecting “regular expressions,” “containing numbers,” or “exact match number.”

Advanced DNS Server Check Options

In the “DNS Lists” section, you can utilize our tool’s intelligent search capabilities to check DNS propagation status for your website based on specific criteria:

• IP Address
• Continent
• Country

Simply click on the desired IP address type, continent, or country (server location). The DNS status checker will refresh, allowing you to input the hostname or IP and verify its propagation status accordingly.

For example, to check DNS propagation in Asia, click on “Asia” and proceed as previously described. The tool will show whether the DNS for your hostname has propagated across Asia. This functionality extends to IPv4, IPv6, and countries worldwide.

Frequently Asked Questions About DNS Server Checks

Get the essential insights you need about DNS!

What is the Domain Name System (DNS)?

The Domain Name System (DNS) is a decentralized hierarchical system that translates domain names into IP addresses. It acts as the internet’s phonebook, converting human-readable domain names into the numerical IP addresses that computers use to locate each other on the internet.

What is DNS Resolution?

DNS resolution is the process of converting a domain name into its corresponding server IP address. You need a site’s IP address to pinpoint its location on the internet.

Four types of DNS servers collaborate in a sequence to resolve a domain name to its IP address, enabling your browser to load the requested web resource.

Here’s how the DNS resolution process unfolds:

• Recursive DNS Server (DNS Resolver): These are the initial servers in the DNS query process. They receive DNS queries from clients and work to resolve domain names into IP addresses. The resolver searches for and remembers the IP address for the domain or hostname queried.
• Root DNS Servers: Situated at the apex of the DNS hierarchy, these servers direct resolvers to the appropriate top-level domain (TLD) servers.
• TLD Name Servers: These servers point to the authoritative name servers for each domain. They manage requests for specific TLDs like .com, .org, and .net. For instance, the .com TLD name servers will handle requests for domains ending in .com, but not .org.
• Authoritative DNS Servers: These servers are the final destination in the DNS resolution process. As the definitive source for DNS records, authoritative nameservers hold the actual DNS records and respond to queries with accurate IP addresses.

How Does the DNS Process Work?

Imagine you type https://example.com into your browser’s address bar. Here’s what happens behind the scenes:

1. Your browser sends a DNS query to a recursive DNS server (resolver), typically provided by your Internet Service Provider (ISP).
2. The recursive resolver checks its cache to see if it already has the DNS information for example.com. If found, it sends it back to your computer, completing the process swiftly.
3. If the information isn’t cached, the resolver queries the root DNS servers, which maintain a directory of all top-level domain names (.com, .org, .net, etc.).
4. The root servers direct the resolver to the TLD DNS servers that are relevant to the query (e.g., .com TLD servers for example.com).
5. The TLD DNS servers respond by pointing to the authoritative DNS servers for example.com. These servers hold the DNS records for the domain.
6. The authoritative DNS servers provide the requested DNS records for example.com back to the resolver.
7. The resolver caches these updated DNS records and sends them to your computer, which then uses this information to connect to example.com.

What is DNS Propagation?

DNS propagation is the process where DNS changes are distributed and updated across the internet globally. This update process can take up to 48 hours to fully propagate worldwide. Use our Global DNS Propagation Checker for a free and fast report on your DNS propagation status.

How Do DNS Records Propagate?

When you modify your DNS records, these changes can take up to 48 hours to disseminate across the internet. During this period, Internet Service Providers (ISPs) around the world update their DNS caches with the new DNS information for your domain.

The time for DNS records to propagate varies because of different DNS cache levels at various ISPs. Consequently, some visitors might be directed to your website’s old server IP address until the global DNS propagation is complete. However, most users will see updated DNS records shortly after changes are made. You can check A, AAAA, CNAME, and other DNS records using our comprehensive DNS lookup tool.

Why Does DNS Propagation Take Time?

When you change your domain’s nameservers and then try to access your domain in a web browser, your request doesn’t directly reach your hosting server. Instead, each ISP node first consults its DNS cache to check if it has DNS information for your domain. If not found, it retrieves DNS information from the domain’s authoritative DNS server to fulfill your request. It also stores this information for future requests to speed up DNS lookups. Therefore, new nameserver settings aren’t instantly propagated. ISPs have varying cache refresh intervals, meaning some may still have outdated DNS information in their cache.

Why is DNS Not Propagating?

ISPs worldwide use different caching levels. DNS clients or servers may cache DNS record information, which is stored temporarily. DNS servers will seek updated DNS information when the Time to Live (TTL) period expires.

Note: If your DNS changes are still not reflecting, use a DNS health check to verify that your DNS settings are correctly configured and compliant with standards. You can also flush your DNS cache to expedite the recognition of changes on your local machine.

What Happens if a Domain Name Does Not Exist?

If a domain name doesn’t exist, the DNS server will return a name error, known as an NXDomain response (Non-Existent Domain). This response indicates that the domain name queried does not exist in the DNS system.

What Port Does DNS Use?

DNS primarily uses UDP port 53, which is the most common port for DNS queries as it’s used for communication between a client computer and a DNS server to resolve domain names. UDP 53 is preferred due to its speed, especially for smaller query packets, which are typically under 512 bytes.

TCP port 53 is also used by DNS, mainly for Zone Transfers—the process of replicating DNS records between DNS servers—and for DNS messages that exceed 512 bytes. This is often the case when DNSSEC (Domain Name System Security Extensions) is implemented, as it adds extra data to DNS query packets. You can test server ports with a port scanner online.

What is DNS Failure?

DNS failure occurs when a DNS server is unable to resolve a domain name into an IP address within a TCP/IP network. This can happen on a private network or across the internet, preventing users from accessing online resources associated with that domain name.

Which Are the Best DNS Servers?

Here are some of the top Global DNS servers available:

1. Google Public DNS:
   • IPv4:
     • Primary: 8.8.8.8
     • Secondary: 8.8.4.4
   • IPv6:
     • Primary: 2001:4860:4860::8888
     • Secondary: 2001:4860:4860::8844
2. OpenDNS:
   • IPv4:
     • Primary: 208.67.222.222
     • Secondary: 208.67.220.220
   • IPv6:
     • Primary: 2620:119:35::35
     • Secondary: 2620:119:53::53
3. Quad9 (Malware Blocking Enabled):
   • IPv4:
     • Primary: 9.9.9.9
     • Secondary: 149.112.112.112
   • IPv6:
     • Primary: 2620:fe::fe
     • Secondary: 2620:fe::9
4. DNS.Watch:
   • IPv4:
     • Primary: 84.200.69.80
     • Secondary: 84.200.70.40
   • IPv6:
     • Primary: 2001:1608:10:25::1c04:b12f
     • Secondary: 2001:1608:10:25::9249:d69b
5. Comodo Secure DNS:
   • IPv4:
     • Primary: 8.26.56.26
     • Secondary: 8.20.247.20
6. Cloudflare:
   • IPv4:
     • Primary: 1.1.1.1
     • Secondary: 1.0.0.1
   • IPv6:
     • Primary: 2606:4700:4700::1111
     • Secondary: 2606:4700:4700::1001

Explore a comprehensive list of Public DNS Servers by country, including the best IPv4 and IPv6 public DNS servers worldwide.