Domain does not resolve

Quick answer: Test with dig yourdomain.com from a public resolver: NXDOMAIN means the domain or its DNS zone is broken at the registrar level (expired domain, wrong nameservers), while a wrong IP in the answer means a bad A record. Fix happens where the DNS is hosted — usually your registrar's panel, not the server.

Overview

When a domain stops resolving, the server is usually innocent: Cloud2Y does not host your DNS zone, so resolution problems live at the registrar or DNS provider. This incident guide pins down which link in the chain failed.

Before you start

• Access to your registrar / DNS provider account.
• The correct server IP from the Client Area service page.

Step-by-step guide

1. Query a public resolver directly:

   dig @8.8.8.8 yourdomain.com A
   dig @1.1.1.1 yourdomain.com A

2. Status NXDOMAIN? The domain itself is the problem: check at the registrar that it is not expired and that the nameservers are correct. See the NXDOMAIN deep dive.
3. Wrong IP in the answer? Update the A record at your DNS provider to the server's Dedicated IP.
4. Correct IP but the site still fails? DNS is fine — switch to domain does not open (server/web-server side).
5. Check the authoritative servers agree:

   dig NS yourdomain.com +short
   dig @ns1.yourprovider.com yourdomain.com A

   If the authoritative answer is right but public resolvers lag, it is propagation — old TTLs need to expire.

Common issues

• Expired domain: the #1 cause of sudden global NXDOMAIN — renew at the registrar.
• Nameservers changed but zone not copied: new NS with an empty zone = resolution dies.
• Propagation impatience: a record edited an hour ago with a 24h TTL will still serve old data to many resolvers.
• Local DNS cache: your machine remembers the old answer — test via dig @8.8.8.8 to bypass it.

When to contact support

DNS zones are managed at your registrar, but if the A record is correct and propagated while the server does not answer on its IP, open a ticket — include your dig outputs.

Frequently asked questions

What does NXDOMAIN mean in dig output?

The DNS system says this name does not exist at all — typically an expired domain, wrong nameservers or a deleted zone. It is fixed at the registrar or DNS provider, not on the server.

DNS records look correct — why do some visitors still fail?

Old answers live in resolver caches until the previous TTL expires, so parts of the internet lag behind an edit. With a 24-hour TTL, full propagation can genuinely take a day.

Related articles

• How to troubleshoot a domain that does not open
• How to troubleshoot DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN
• Website is down: first steps
• SSL certificate error

Need a hand? Contact Cloud2Y support →