What this check looks at
“The domain exists in public DNS and answers queries.” - the wording shown beside this check while it runs.
DNS - the Domain Name System - is the public directory the internet reads to
turn a name such as yourcompany.com into the records that say where its website
lives, where its mail goes, and which servers may send as it. We ask that directory whether
your domain is there and getting an answer.
Why it matters
Nothing else on this page can be true if this is false. Every other check reads a record published under this domain, so if the domain itself does not answer, the rest of the result is not "bad" - it is unknown.
A domain that stops resolving is usually an expired registration or nameservers pointed somewhere that no longer serves the zone. Both take your website and your email down at the same time, and both are invisible from inside your own network for a while because of caching.
What each verdict means here
- Pass
- The domain answers public DNS queries.
- Fail
- Public DNS has no answer for this name. Check the spelling first, then whether the registration is still live and the nameservers are the ones you expect.
What to do
- Confirm the domain is spelled correctly - a typo produces exactly this result.
- Sign in to your registrar and check the registration has not expired.
- Check the nameservers listed at the registrar match the DNS provider you actually use.
What this check does not do
We read public DNS only. A name that resolves inside your own network but not publicly is correctly reported here as not resolving, because the receiving mail servers of the world can only see the public answer.