Pillar: Fix errors fast: broken domains, DNS issues, lost accounts, bad redirects, and every other thing that can break a live site.
Start by identifying the failure layer
Domain and hosting problems usually fall into one of five layers: domain registration, DNS records, website hosting, redirects, or SSL/TLS. Check them in that order before changing settings.
- Domain registration: Confirm the domain is active, not expired, and using the nameservers you expect.
- DNS: Check A, AAAA, CNAME, MX, and TXT records with tools such as
dig,nslookup, DNSChecker, or WhatsMyDNS. - Hosting: Confirm the domain is assigned inside your website platform or host. External DNS can be correct while the host still has not attached the domain.
- Redirects: Use the correct HTTP status code. Use 301 for a permanent move and 302 or 307 for temporary routing.
- SSL/TLS: Treat certificate errors separately from DNS errors. A domain can resolve correctly and still fail HTTPS validation.
Important caveats before changing DNS
Changing nameservers delegates all DNS management to the new provider. Before switching, copy any existing MX, SPF, DKIM, DMARC, verification, and subdomain records you still need. Otherwise email, analytics verification, or other services can stop working.
DNS propagation is affected by TTL values, resolver caches, and authoritative DNS behavior. Many changes appear within minutes, but some networks can take up to 48 hours to update.
If DNSSEC is enabled, a bad DNSSEC chain can make a working domain look broken. For SSL/TLS, remember that CDN modes matter: a "Flexible" TLS mode can encrypt browser-to-CDN traffic while leaving CDN-to-origin traffic unencrypted.
Domains and DNS
Buying, connecting, transferring, and renewing domain names.
Hosting and site errors
Walk-throughs for the most common hosting, deploy, and browser errors.
Email and deliverability
Custom email on your domain, SPF/DKIM/DMARC, and inbox issues.
