DNS troubleshooting guide

DNS outage checklist for small businesses

When DNS breaks, websites, email, SSL, and apps can all look broken at the same time.

Check these first

  • Domain registration is active and not expired.
  • Nameservers at the registrar match the intended DNS host.
  • A, AAAA, CNAME, MX, TXT, SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records still exist.
  • Recent DNS edits, hosting moves, or registrar changes are documented.
  • TTL and propagation explain timing, not a permanent misconfiguration.

Why DNS outages spread

A single wrong nameserver change can disconnect the website, email routing, domain verification, SSL renewals, and third-party services. Restoring DNS often means rebuilding the full zone accurately.

DNS repair support

Cyber Duct Tape repairs DNS problems for Lakewood, Denver metro, Colorado, and remote clients.