Overview
DNS issues are one of the most common reasons customers contact support. Understanding the difference between nameservers and DNS records, knowing where DNS is managed, and setting correct customer expectations around propagation will resolve the vast majority of cases at L1.
Key Concepts to Know
- Domain — The address/name (e.g. example.co.uk)
- Hosting — Where the website files actually live
- Nameservers — Control WHERE DNS is managed
- DNS Records — Control WHAT the domain points to
- A Record — Points domain to an IP address (where website lives)
- CNAME Record — Points domain to another domain name
- MX Record — Controls where email is delivered
- TXT Record — Used for verification, SPF, DKIM, DMARC
💡 We share nameservers with GoDaddy as they are the same parent company. This is completely normal and not an error.
How Long Does Propagation Take?
Always set realistic expectations with customers before they leave the chat:
- Most DNS changes propagate within 1 to 4 hours
- Full global propagation can take up to 24 to 48 hours in some cases
- TTL (Time to Live) settings on existing records affect how quickly changes are picked up
- The customer's ISP may cache old DNS longer than others
💡 Always share this DNS checker with customers to monitor propagation in real time: https://www.whatsmydns.net/
Step 1 — Identify Where DNS Is Managed
Before touching anything, confirm where the nameservers are pointing. If nameservers point elsewhere, DNS cannot be managed from our platform.
- Nameservers pointing to us — manage DNS from Client Area
- Nameservers pointing to Cloudflare — customer must manage DNS from their Cloudflare account
- Nameservers pointing to GoDaddy — customer must log into GoDaddy to manage DNS records. The message "This domain's DNS is managed outside 123 Reg" is informational only, not an error
- Nameservers pointing to third-party host (Hostinger, Netlify, AWS etc.) — customer must manage DNS from that provider
⚠️ If the domain is registered elsewhere, we cannot use our nameservers for it. Provide A records or CNAME records instead so the customer can add them at their registrar.
Step 2 — Common DNS Record Issues
Lander Page Showing Instead of Website
This is one of the most common scenarios. A lander page is simply a default placeholder shown when the domain has no A record pointing to any hosting. It is NOT a hack or a DNS attack. The fix is straightforward:
- Add an A record at the root (@) pointing to the correct hosting server IP address
- Allow 1 to 4 hours for propagation
Parked DNS Record Conflict
A parked DNS record is a placeholder pointing to a parked page. This conflicts with actual hosting A records. Delete the parked record and replace it with the correct A record pointing to the hosting IP.
DNS Locked / Can't Edit Records
If a customer reports DNS records are greyed out or locked, check for the following causes:
- A domain forward is active — remove the forward first, then DNS records unlock
- Domain Protection is active — requires verification code before changes
- Nameservers pointing elsewhere — DNS must be managed at the external provider
Nameserver Switch — Critical Warning
Always warn customers before they switch nameservers. This is one of the most impactful changes they can make:
- Switching nameservers does NOT carry over existing DNS records
- All records must be manually re-added after the switch
- Always advise the customer to download their DNS zone file BEFORE switching
- Zone file backup: Client Area > DNS > top right dots > Import/Export Zone
- Switching nameservers does NOT delete website files — files stay on the hosting server
⚠️ Never tell a customer their DNS records will carry over when switching nameservers — they will not.
Step 3 — Third-Party Hosting DNS Setup
When a customer hosts their website with a third-party provider such as Netlify, Vercel, AWS, Base44, or Squarespace, the process is straightforward:
- Customer gets the required DNS records from their hosting provider
- We add those records to the 123 Reg DNS management panel
- We do not configure the third-party service — we only add the records they provide
- Always confirm propagation can take 1 to 4 hours, up to 48 hours
Step 4 — Historical DNS Lookup
If a customer needs to know what their DNS records looked like previously, use these free tools:
- SecurityTrails: https://securitytrails.com/domain/[domain]/history/a
- DNS History: https://dnshistory.org/
Step 5 — Cloudflare Specific Scenarios
If a customer's nameservers point to Cloudflare, all DNS must be managed from within their Cloudflare account. There are two options if they want a redirect:
- Set up a Page Rule within Cloudflare to handle the redirect
- Switch nameservers back to ours — but DNS records will not carry over and must be re-added manually
💡 No API access is available for DNS management at 123 Reg. All changes must be made manually through the Client Area.
Common Pitfalls
- Telling a customer their lander page means they've been hacked
- Assuming DNS is managed by us when nameservers point elsewhere
- Not warning a customer about DNS record loss before a nameserver switch
- Trying to manage DNS for a domain registered at another registrar
- Forgetting to check for an active domain forward when DNS records appear locked