How Long the DNS Propagation Works?

After you found a great name for website you have, you may have lots of big ideas to do in the website. However, once you are getting ready to start after registering your domain and launching the site, you are unable to find it when going to the URL. If domain propagation happens, you need to patiently wait and grab more information about what is going on. The information below may help you to understand more about such propagation.

More Information to Know About DNS Propagation

1. Defining DNS propagation

Before defining the term of DNS propagation, it is better to firstly know what DNS stand for. DNS or Domain Name System is kind of a service that translates domain names you type in browser into IP addresses. It will tell your browser about which server to connect for loading the visited site. DNS makes thing handy by making surfing activity in internet much easier with no need to remember the website’s IP address you go to. DNS propagation in the other side is an updating process of each server across website with new information. There will be a lag during all the changes of certain servers.

2. How it works

In order to work, the transferring process of a domain into new owner will take some time. DNS server works by doing the task of translating the IP address into the domain name. What may be concerned by yourself and the visitors is that it is located in very easy name to remember. Regarding this concern, you website is actually located at less easy numerical address to remember. Every time you are about to visit a website, DNS server will take domain name that you type to process its numerical address before sending you to a website correctly. This process can be completed pretty quickly, but not for DNS change you make.

If you are moving your hosting provider into the new one or changing the domain name, the DNS servers need to register such information in order to know how they are going to translate the domain name into IP address properly. As the result, different server will receive the update information in different times.

3. How much times it needs to work

During DNS propagation you will probably notice several abnormal activities of your website or domain. The example is when a person sees new server but someone else just sees the old server instead of the new one. Another case is like when the name of your domain may work, but if you add www that proceeds, it will not work. These unusual activities are kind of normal during DNS propagation.

The propagation process normally needs 24 up to 48 or even 72 hours for it to work. So, there is no need for you to worry too much when these issues come up. However, if the problems are still found after this period, it may indicate that something is wrong. In this case, it is better for you to contact the provider of hosting service.

You may raise question of why it takes long just to propagate. In order to propagate, the request will be sent to the hosted domain server. Then it will provide browser with website. Every ISP needs to cache DNS record copy usually for 48 hours to speed website loading.