Domain Name Record Change Duration

By Gavin Payne - More articles by this Author

Typically dot au (.au) domain names take up to 48 hours to propagate and all other domains can take up to 5 days. You may be thinking to yourself, “I’ve heard something like this before, but what does it actually mean?”

Firstly, let me explain a few terms. A name server takes a name or identifier recognisable by humans (e.g. your domain name) and maps or connects that name to another identifier or address recognisable by a computer. In other words, when you type in a web address in your internet browser, the name servers make sure the name you’ve entered takes you to the correct location, i.e. where that website actually lives (it translates the name you entered into the corresponding IP address).

A domain record can otherwise be known as the record on a name server or domain name system server (DNS server). So when we talk about changing a domain name’s records, we actually mean changing those name server records for that specific domain name, and then waiting for them to update so that they point correctly to the new corresponding IP address.

Changing name records can occur in two different ways. You can either only change the name server records (most hosts give you the facility and control to do this yourself), and leave the actual domain hosted with the current registrar. This will redirect your domain name to a new location. For example, if you have registered your domain name with one host or registrar and you have your website or email hosted elsewhere. This method, by changing or modifying your name server records would allow you to point your domain name to that host.

The other way you can do this is by transferring your domain name to a new registrar or host first. Sometimes the name servers will change and update to the new hosts, during the process. However, other times it will remain the same. To avoid complications it is recommended you change the name servers first, at your existing registrar and let them complete their propagation, and then perform the transfer.

The reason I say to avoid complications is because it can create downtime this way depending on how it is done. If you transfer the domain together with your hosting and the name servers aren’t updated correctly (and then you cancel your existing hosting), you will experience some downtime. Or if you transfer the domain successfully, but don’t move your hosting across in time, you will also experience downtime.

Either method or process you follow will result in the domain propagating. In other words, all the various servers and hardware all over the world will need to update to the new correct location. So if you are based in Australia it may take some time for your new name server location to propagate throughout the world. For example, if somebody in Europe types in your website address (URL) into their browser, it needs to complete many hops (at lightning fast speeds) to eventually get to your actual website. If some of the hardware along the way has not updated correctly their request will be sent to the old location of your site. If the old location is still available then it is ok, some users will go there and some to the new location until the 5 days have completed.

Because there are so many domain names registered and they are changed and updated on a daily basis, certain controls are put in place so that these changes don’t put unnecessary strain on the internet. This is why it can take up to 5 days for a domain name to update its name servers.