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Why is a DNS-update taking so long?

In this article we will explain to you why a DNS-update is taking so long and how your internet provider or DNS-service is included in this process.

While you are surfing through the internet, you use a domain to reach a certain website. Therefore the DNS-service is working in the background – it resolves the domain to an IP-address. Behind this IP-address a server is processing the requests and makes the desired website available.

If you want to provide a website with your domain from your vServer or your webspace, the domain has to resolve to the IP-address of your service. That’s why you have to connect your domain and your webspace or server.

These DNS-changes will be deposited in our Kramer-DNS nameserver. But your DNS-resolver won’t call up the nameserver of your domain provider every time as you are connecting to a website. To keep queries to these servers as low as possible – all DNS servers temporarily store the DNS entries of the domains. This is why the providers don’t instantly notice changes in the entries. Generally, most providers (e.g. windstream internet service provider) store them for 12-72 hours to ensure quick loading of the website.

Even Google (8.8.8.8) or Cloudflare (1.1.1.1) are using techniques like this.

Please be patient with the time the changes will take. This applies as well for SRV entries or if you change your domain’s nameserver.

Time-To-Live for DNS changes

Each DNS entry also has a TTL (Time To Live) specification. This specifies how many seconds another DNS server may cache this entry before it can query our name server again for the current content. We have set the value to 12 hours. But most ISP cache DNS servers ignore it. That’s why we decided to make this value not adjustable for customers.

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How can I change the nameserver?

When it comes to domains, you have probably heard the term nameserver before. In general, a domain always requires at least two nameservers.

What is a nameserver?

A nameserver responds to DNS queries for a domain. There are different types of nameservers.

Authoritative nameserver

An authoritative nameserver is the nameserver responsible for a domain. For example, when you order a domain from Prepaid-Hoster, we set our 3 kramer-dns.de servers as authoritative nameservers. These are then the main nameservers for your ordered domain. All DNS records are stored here.

But you can also use your own nameservers. For example, Cloudflare. There is also the option to use your own infrastructure. It is important that all nameservers respond with a valid SOA record.

There are rules for your own nameservers:

  • The nameservers must return a valid SOA for the domain (authoritative)
  • All nameservers must return the same records
  • You must operate at least 2 nameservers with different IPs
  • Advantageous: The nameservers are provided by two different providers

Recursive nameserver

A recursive nameserver is equivalent to a cache nameserver. To prevent a domain nameserver from suffering from the load of many queries, your internet provider inserts its own nameservers, which cache queries. The most well-known ones are Google DNS (8.8.8.8) and Cloudflare DNS (1.1.1.1). These servers cannot be used as nameservers for a domain.

Changing domain nameservers

Log in to the web interface and navigate to the domain list. Then click on “Nameserver” for the domain for which you want to change the nameservers.

Then click on “Edit” to set new nameservers.

A form will open. Please enter an authoritative nameserver that you want to set.

Change nameserver form

By clicking on “Next”, Vionity checks the other nameservers based on the NS entries in the entered server and suggests setting them. If the nameserver is not accessible, does not respond, or does not know your domain, the process fails.

Set and use recognized nameservers

By clicking on “Set these nameservers” the change is submitted to our registrar. This can take a few minutes, but it is processed in the background.

Your nameservers should become active within the next 24 hours.

Glue records

If you need a glue record, please contact our support. We will need the nameserver domains and associated IP addresses. We will set it up for you as soon as possible.