DNS propagation – meaning
DNS propagation is a time-consuming procedure that involves updating and disseminating new and changed information throughout a network of servers. When you make a modification to your DNS, such as creating a new DNS record or editing an old one, the authoritative DNS name server saves it.
Why the DNS propagation takes so long?
However, the network has a large number of DNS servers, including recursive ones, that are distributed across the globe in various geographical locations. As a result, each server on the network must get the updates in order to function appropriately in the DNS resolution process.
To summarize, DNS propagation is the time it takes to distribute the changes to all of the different recursive servers.
How does it work?
A DNS update is essential in many cases. For example, when you switch hosting providers, renew a website, redirect from the parent domain to subdomains, or add new services (FTP, email, etc.). All of these tasks necessitate the creation or modification of DNS records.
These changes take place directly on the authoritative DNS server. When you save the modifications, the procedure of updating starts. A copy of the new DNS records will be sent to each DNS server on the network.
Users in some countries will be able to access the latest version of your website sooner, while others will continue to receive the older version. This is due to the fact that DNS propagation does not occur at the same time for all servers.
DNS propagation checker
Yes, you can check the DNS propagation. Test to see if a domain name’s IP address has changed. This indicates that the A or AAAA records have already been changed.
Furthermore, this procedure can be time-consuming. It could take up to 72 hours depending on when the recursive DNS servers updated themselves and the TTL values of the DNS records.
Depending on your operating system (OS), we’ll show you different options:
- On Windows
You can first search for the Command Prompt. Inside it, you can use the Nslookup command within it to look up your website. Enter the command:
nslookup yourdomain.net
- On macOS and Linux
You can profit from running the dig command on macOS/Linux OS. To begin, launch the Terminal application on your computer. Following that, you can write the following:
dig yourdomain.net
In addition, change the domain name in the yourdomain.net example to what you want to check.
Conclusion
DNS propagation is a crucial operation that you will come across on a frequent basis when maintaining DNS. You can sway it in your favor by changing TTL settings. However, to master this, you must have a thorough understanding of the process.
