Where is my domain?

One common issue our customers face is locating where their domain is hosted. While it might seem straightforward to remember where you bought your domain, changes over time can complicate this. For instance, you might have changed the Name Servers to another provider, perhaps on the suggestion of your website provider, allowing them to control your DNS without migrating your domain. In some cases, customers forget where they purchased their domain, especially if the person who handled it has left the business. Whatever the reason, here are some top tips for finding where your domain is hosted.

View DNS

There are many tools available for this, but we find the following the easiest. Visit ViewDNS, enter your domain, and click “GO.”

The results will show who your Registrar is. This is the entity your domain is registered with and, in most cases, where you can make DNS changes.

DNS Changes Not Working?

If you’ve updated your DNS but the changes haven’t taken effect, try adding a simple TXT record to your domain. Wait about 30 minutes, then check here to see if the changes are live.

It’s possible that the Name Servers were changed and pointed to another DNS server. Search for your domain again on ViewDNS, which will show the current Name Servers. To find out who they belong to, copy one of the Name Servers and search for it here.

You should be able to identify the Registrar from this information, though there can be exceptions. For instance, a result might show “Wild West Domains,” which is actually GoDaddy.

If you need any assistance, don’t hesitate to contact Quinset’s Professional Services. Our super-sleuths are here to help!