After you change nameservers or DNS records, different people may see the old or new value for a while. This is called DNS propagation, and it is really caching: resolvers keep answers for the record's TTL. Knowing how to check what a domain resolves to saves a lot of waiting and guessing.
Before you start
- Know which record you changed and its expected value, e.g. the
Arecord should be your MdmHost shared IP (shown in cPanel General Information).
Use cPanel Track DNS
- Open cPanel → Advanced → Track DNS.
- Under Domain Lookup, enter a domain such as
example.comand click Look Up. You see its A, MX, NS and other records as seen from the server. - Under Trace Route, click Trace to see the network path from the server to your own connection, which helps when the site is slow only for you.
Check from your computer
On Windows (PowerShell or Command Prompt), macOS or Linux:
nslookup example.comnslookup -type=MX example.comnslookup -type=TXT example.comTo ask a specific public resolver, add it at the end, for example nslookup example.com 1.1.1.1 or 8.8.8.8. On macOS and Linux, dig example.com +short gives a compact answer and dig NS example.com shows the nameservers.
Ask the authoritative nameserver
The authoritative nameserver always has the newest value. Query it directly to confirm your change was saved, independent of caches:
nslookup example.com ns1.your-nameserver.exampleUse the nameserver names from your MdmHost welcome email. If this shows the new value, the change is correct and you only need to wait for caches.
How long does it take?
| Change | Typical time |
|---|---|
| Record edit on MdmHost nameservers | Up to the old TTL (often 4 hours, many resolvers sooner) |
| Nameserver change at the registrar | A few hours, up to 24–48 hours |
| New domain registration | Usually under an hour |
Tip: Before a planned change, lower the TTL to 300 in Zone Editor a day in advance.
Clear local caches
- Windows:
ipconfig /flushdns - macOS:
sudo dscacheutil -flushcache; sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder - Browsers keep their own cache; restart the browser or use a private window.
- Your router and ISP also cache; testing from mobile data shows another view.
Troubleshooting
- Authoritative server shows old value: the change was not saved, or you edited the zone on the wrong DNS provider. Check which nameservers the domain uses with the WHOIS checker.
- Some resolvers show new, others old: normal during propagation; wait for the TTL.
- NXDOMAIN: the record does not exist, or the domain is expired or not yet active at the registrar.