Key facts
- £45 an hour + VAT for diagnosis and fixes
- We start at the registrar, then the authoritative nameservers
- Cached answers checked separately from live ones
- DNSSEC DS mismatches spotted early
- Duplicate SPF and proxied mail hostnames are common faults
- Expired .uk domains are suspended 30 days after expiry
How we trace a DNS fault
DNS problems look alike from the outside: the site does not load, or email bounces. The cause could be at any of several layers, so we work through them in order rather than guessing.
- Registration: is the domain active, or has it expired or been suspended?
- Nameservers: which DNS provider does the registry actually point to?
- Authoritative answers: what do those nameservers say, asked directly?
- DNSSEC: does the DS record at the registry match the zone's signing keys?
- Caches: are some resolvers still holding an old answer within its TTL?
Asking the authoritative servers directly tells us whether the fault is in the zone itself or just in old cached copies.
Faults we see most often
| Symptom | Likely cause |
|---|---|
| Changes have no effect | Records edited at a provider the nameservers do not point to |
| Domain fails for some people, works for others | DNSSEC DS mismatch, or old answers still cached |
| Email stops arriving after a Cloudflare move | Mail hostname set to proxied instead of DNS only |
| Mail failing SPF | Two SPF records, or more than 10 lookups |
| Site and email both down | Expired domain, or nameservers pointing at a closed host |
| Platform says domain not verified | Verification TXT missing or on the wrong name |
Expired domains and registry problems
Not every outage is a record fault. A .uk domain that is not renewed is suspended 30 days after expiry, at which point the website and email stop working even though nothing in DNS changed. It can still be renewed until the end of the 90th day after expiry. For .com and other gTLDs, the registrar's grace period varies, followed by a redemption period with a restore fee.
If that is the problem, see expired domain recovery or the domain expired guide.
Checking DNS yourself
Before you call, a few checks help. Look up your nameservers and main records with a public DNS lookup tool, and compare what you see with what your provider's panel shows. If they differ, the panel is probably not the one in use. Our guide on how to check DNS records walks through it.
Note the time the problem started and anything that changed around then: a new website, an email move, a renewal reminder ignored, or a developer given access. That usually shortens the diagnosis a great deal.
When only email fails
If the website works but email does not, the fault is narrower. We check that MX records point to hostnames rather than IP addresses or CNAMEs, that the mail hostname resolves, and that old MX records from a previous provider are not splitting delivery. For mail being rejected or marked as spam, we read the SPF, DKIM and DMARC results in the headers of a test message.
If you run your own mail server, reverse DNS matters too. That PTR record is set by whoever owns the IP address, usually your broadband or server provider, not in your own zone, so we tell you exactly what to ask them for.
How dijitul helps
DNS troubleshooting is £45 an hour + VAT. We tell you what we found, fix it with your agreement, and suggest what would stop it happening again, such as moving DNS into a managed zone or putting the domain on auto-renew in the dijitul client portal.
Something down right now? Call 01623 650333 or contact us.
How it works and what it costs
Domains are priced live in the client portal. DNS management and 10 mailboxes are included with dijihost Complete Hosting at £1 a day + VAT. On their own, DNS and email set-up is £45 an hour + VAT or a fixed quote.
Tell us what you have
Your domains, who they are registered with, where your DNS and email live today, and what you want to change.
Plan the change
We list every DNS record and mailbox first, so nothing is forgotten, and agree a time to switch.
Make the switch
Transfers, nameserver changes, DNS records and mailbox moves, done carefully with low TTLs and a rollback plan.
Check it works
We test the website, email delivery, SPF, DKIM and DMARC from the outside before calling it done.
Look after it
Renewals, records and email stay looked after, and you can call a person when something changes.
Frequently asked questions
Why does my website work for me but not for others?
Different resolvers may hold different cached answers until their TTL runs out, so you and a customer can see different results after a change. A DNSSEC mismatch can also make a domain fail only for people behind validating resolvers. Asking the authoritative nameservers directly shows which it is.
I changed my DNS but nothing happened. Why?
Most often the change was made at a provider your nameservers do not point to, such as an old host or the registrar's unused DNS panel. Check which nameservers the domain uses and make the change there. Otherwise, the old answer may simply still be cached.
Can an expired domain cause DNS problems?
Yes. A .uk domain is suspended 30 days after expiry, which stops the website and email even though the records are untouched. It can still be renewed until the end of the 90th day after expiry. Other extensions follow their registrar's grace and redemption periods.
Why did my email stop after moving to Cloudflare?
The most likely cause is a mail hostname set to proxied. Cloudflare's proxy only carries web traffic, so mail records must be DNS only. A missing MX or SPF record that the import did not pick up is the next thing to check.
How much does DNS troubleshooting cost?
dijitul charges £45 an hour + VAT for DNS troubleshooting, covering diagnosis and the fix. Many faults, such as a proxied mail hostname or a duplicate SPF record, are quick to correct once found. We explain the cause before making changes.
Related
Get domains, DNS and email sorted
Set up properly, records checked, and real people to call. DNS and email are included with dijihost hosting.