How to Check Domain Propagation

When you update your domain’s DNS settings—such as pointing to a new IP address, adding subdomains, or changing mail server records—those changes don’t take effect instantly. Instead, they must propagate across DNS servers worldwide, a process known as domain propagation. This can take anywhere from a few minutes to 48 hours or more, depending on factors like TTL settings and ISP caching.

If you’ve recently made DNS changes and want to check domain propagation, here’s how you can verify whether the updates have fully taken effect.

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Use Online Tools

Several online tools can help you check the status of your domain propagation. Some of the popular ones include:

• DNS Checker
• WhatsMyDNS
• IntoDNS

Enter your domain name and select the type of DNS record you want to check (A, CNAME, MX, etc.). These tools will show you the DNS query results from various locations around the world.

If you just want to check the status of a newly registered domain, select the A record.

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Command Line Utilities

Windows

nslookup: Open Command Prompt and type nslookup [your_domain_name].

C:\Users\username>nslookup google.com
Server:  one.one.one.one
Address:  1.1.1.1

Non-authoritative answer:
Name:    google.com
Addresses:  2c0f:fb50:4002:812::200e
          192.178.54.14

ping: Similarly, you can use the ping [your_domain_name] command to see if it resolves to the new IP address.

C:\Users\username>ping google.com

Pinging google.com [142.251.47.174] with 32 bytes of data:
Reply from 142.251.47.174: bytes=32 time=32ms TTL=116
Reply from 142.251.47.174: bytes=32 time=31ms TTL=116
Reply from 142.251.47.174: bytes=32 time=31ms TTL=116
Reply from 142.251.47.174: bytes=32 time=32ms TTL=116

Ping statistics for 142.251.47.174:
    Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
    Minimum = 31ms, Maximum = 32ms, Average = 31ms

macOS and Linux

dig: Open Terminal and type dig A [your_domain_name].

dig A google.com

; <<>> DiG 9.16.1-Ubuntu <<>> A google.com
;; global options: +cmd
;; Got answer:
;; ->>HEADER<<- opcode: QUERY, status: NOERROR, id: 6344
;; flags: qr rd ad; QUERY: 1, ANSWER: 1, AUTHORITY: 0, ADDITIONAL: 0
;; WARNING: recursion requested but not available

;; QUESTION SECTION:
;google.com.                    IN      A

;; ANSWER SECTION:
google.com.             0       IN      A       192.178.54.46

;; Query time: 69 msec
;; SERVER: 172.17.48.1#53(172.17.48.1)
;; WHEN: Wed Sep 06 13:10:01 SAST 2023
;; MSG SIZE  rcvd: 54

ping: Use the ping [your_domain_name] command just like in Windows. This will ping indefinitely, so press Ctrl+C (or CMD+C) to end the ping.

ping google.com
PING google.com (192.178.54.46) 56(84) bytes of data.
64 bytes from tzjnba-ad-in-f14.1e100.net (192.178.54.46): icmp_seq=1 ttl=115 time=31.4 ms
64 bytes from tzjnba-ad-in-f14.1e100.net (192.178.54.46): icmp_seq=2 ttl=115 time=31.1 ms
64 bytes from tzjnba-ad-in-f14.1e100.net (192.178.54.46): icmp_seq=3 ttl=115 time=31.3 ms
64 bytes from tzjnba-ad-in-f14.1e100.net (192.178.54.46): icmp_seq=4 ttl=115 time=31.1 ms
64 bytes from tzjnba-ad-in-f14.1e100.net (192.178.54.46): icmp_seq=5 ttl=115 time=30.8 ms
^C
--- google.com ping statistics ---
5 packets transmitted, 5 received, 0% packet loss, time 4007ms
rtt min/avg/max/mdev = 30.817/31.119/31.369/0.198 ms

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Check with your ISP

Some Internet Service Providers (ISPs) have cached DNS records, which might show you outdated information. To verify if your ISP has updated their DNS cache, you can:

1. Clear your local DNS cache by typing in ipconfig /flushdns in the Command Prompt (Windows), and pressing Enter.
2. Restart your modem/router.
3. Perform another DNS check as mentioned in the first two steps.

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Check from Multiple Devices

Sometimes, DNS caching on your device might show you outdated information. Checking from multiple devices can help you understand if the issue is localized to your device or if the DNS settings haven’t propagated fully yet.

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Check with Web Hosting or DNS Providers

If the propagation seems to be taking too long, check the settings on your hosting or DNS provider’s panel. Sometimes, errors or misconfigurations can occur, causing delays in propagation.

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Social Media and Forums

Sometimes, it’s helpful to ask community members on social media platforms or forums if they can see the changes. This way, you can get real-time information from various geographic locations.

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Manual Verification

For specific DNS records, you can directly query authoritative name servers. This is an advanced method that should be performed cautiously. You can use the dig or nslookup commands to perform these queries.

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Conclusion

Knowing how to check domain propagation is crucial after making DNS changes, as it ensures your updates—whether to IP addresses, subdomains, or mail records—are taking effect globally. By using reliable online tools, command line checks, and support from your domain provider, you can easily track the propagation status.

While DNS updates may take time, the right approach helps you confirm that your changes are visible across the internet.