What is propagation?

When visitors type your domain name into their Web browsers, their request is referred to a nameserver that indicates the physical location (the IP address) of your domain on the Internet. When your site location changes to a new IP address, or when you deploy a new site with a new domain name, nameservers around the world must be notified of the change. This process of notification is referred to as propagation.

Propagation typically takes 48 to 72 hours. During this time, if you are transferring your domain, some nameservers will still refer to your site's old location while nameservers that have already been notified of the change will refer to the new location. As a result, visitors accessing your site may be directed to either the old or new location, depending upon which nameserver they connect to.

If some visitors are still being directed to your old site location after 72 hours have elapsed, you should contact your previous Internet Presence Provider and request that they update their DNS and delete your domain from their servers. Once this has been done, and this change has been completely propagated, the transfer to your new location will be complete.

If your site is new, your site may not be recognized by all nameservers until the propagation period has completed.

  • 0 Users Found This Useful
Was this answer helpful?

Related Articles

What is a domain name?

A domain name is the label used to identify your web site; for example: MyCompany.com. It usually...

Can I have more than one domain name? Can they both point to the same web site?

You can have as many domain names as you like. You can have each domain name point to a different...

Can I keep my domain name if I switch my web hosting over to your servers?

Absolutely! Although each registrar has it's own policy for releasing domains and some may charge...

How can I avoid downtime while I wait for the new information to propagate throughout the Internet?

While waiting for the new nameserver information to propagate throughout the Internet, we...

How do I register my domain name?

Once you have decided on a domain name and have checked that it is available, VirtualReality can...