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mx record update propagation

Hi Experts,

I updated my mx record to and now when I do a DNS check from the web it shows no MX record. I did this about an hour ago and I understand the idea of propagation time but if it's a propagation issue wouldn't the old MX record appear in the DNS check.. instead of 'no record found'?

Thanks

HNM

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rcombis

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HelpNearMe

ASKER

rcombis:

I de-activated the old ones, couldn't edit them. The support tech I spoke to when I did it said that the prop time is minutes in the case of MX the next tech I spoke to when I asked WTF? after an hour said it could take up to 48.

Nice now that I blew up my work email. I guess I'll need to just wait it out. I did double check the addresses as you suggested. What point should I start thinking something's wrong 2 hours.. 12.. 48?

What do you think?

Thanks!

HNM

rcombis

Try running an nslookup command.

What you want to do here is to query your DNS provider's DNS server.

You want to determine if they have the correct MX record out on their DNS server.

(You can find out which DNS server's you are attached to by doing a whois on your domain record)

Let's choose Espn.com as a test. (Use yours)

Do a who is to find out DNS servers for this domain:

http://www.networksolutions.com/whois/index.jsp

Name Server.......... dns3.espn.com
Name Server.......... dns2.espn.com
Name Server.......... dns4.espn.com
Name Server.......... dns1.espn.com

Now from a windows command prompt type nslookup:

Like this:
C:\Users\rcombis>nslookup
Default Server: myserver.mydomain.com
Address: 192.168.1.14

> server dns3.espn.com
Default Server: dns3.espn.com
Address: 192.234.3.11

> set type=mx
> espn.com
Server: dns3.espn.com
Address: 192.234.3.11

espn.com MX preference = 10, mail exchanger = mx004.espn.com
espn.com MX preference = 10, mail exchanger = mx005.espn.com
espn.com MX preference = 10, mail exchanger = mx006.espn.com
espn.com MX preference = 10, mail exchanger = mx002.espn.com
espn.com MX preference = 10, mail exchanger = mx003.espn.com
espn.com nameserver = dns4.espn.com
espn.com nameserver = dns1.espn.com
espn.com nameserver = dns2.espn.com
espn.com nameserver = dns3.espn.com
mx002.espn.com internet address = 192.234.2.155
mx003.espn.com internet address = 192.234.2.156
mx004.espn.com internet address = 192.234.2.157
mx005.espn.com internet address = 192.234.2.158
mx006.espn.com internet address = 192.234.2.159
dns1.espn.com internet address = 192.234.2.11
dns2.espn.com internet address = 192.234.2.12
dns3.espn.com internet address = 192.234.3.11
dns4.espn.com internet address = 208.85.66.235
>

What you are doing here is querying your DNS server for the MX records. If they are there, then you did your job correctly and they just need a little time to propagate out on the internet.

If they are not there then call your DNS hosting company and tell them you did an nslookup on the DNS servers and the MX records are not there.

If they are correct on your DNS servers then nothing else to do but wait, should propagate mostly overnight, but it may take a little longer.

It also depends on the ttl of your DNS records.

Let me know if this makes sense.

Papertrip

This could be a negative cache issue. If the resolver you are querying got an NXDOMAIN previously (when the old record was deleted but before the new record was added) then it will cache that result for the duration of the minimum value in your SOA. Put your domain into http://www.kloth.net/services/dig.php , change Query to MX and click Look it up. This assumes that kloth.net does not have a cached result for your query.

HelpNearMe

ASKER

rcombis: see attachment for the results of your instructions. Not sure what to make of that.

Papertrip: Here's what your suggestion returned:
; <<>> DiG 9.3.2 <<>> @localhost mydomain.com MX
; (2 servers found)
;; global options: printcmd
;; Got answer:
;; ->>HEADER<<- opcode: QUERY, status: NOERROR, id: 51914
;; flags: qr rd ra; QUERY: 1, ANSWER: 0, AUTHORITY: 1, ADDITIONAL: 0

;; QUESTION SECTION:
;mydomain.com. IN MX

;; AUTHORITY SECTION:
mydomain.com. 3600 IN SOA ns.myhosting.com. me@live.com. 12623433544 14300 7240 2429200 3600

;; Query time: 102 msec
;; SERVER: 127.0.0.1#53(127.0.0.1)
;; WHEN: Wed Nov 9 01:15:00 2011
;; MSG SIZE rcvd: 95

Papertrip

Looks like your MX record addition is not taking. Let's see what your authoritative nameservers have to say about it.

Put your domain back into kloth.net, change Query to NS, take note of one of the servers in the ANSWERS section. Go back to the main kloth.net page, put your domain in, put the server you noted into the server field, change query type to MX.

If your authoritative nameservers do not have your updated MX record, then the change did not take.

SOLUTION

Papertrip

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ASKER

I'm getting pretty much the same thing as the other query. I've taken the new MX addresses and sent them to my hosting support. I'll leave it with them as it seems like something on their end.

Thanks for the help both of you!

HNM