For a domain name to work with an email or web hosting service, the domain must be registered and pointed at the correct servers. A domain name connects to a hosting service, or an email account by using the Domain Name System (DNS). The DNS translates a hostname – such as “www.digitaldevelopments.com.au” – into an IP address. These are assigned to specific machines with specific functions, such as the aforementioned email account or hosting service.
The connection occurs in the following order:
To allow a domain name to work correctly in conjunction with a email or website hosting service, the domain has to be pointed to a name server. This name server holds a zone file, which holds zone records that will translate hostnames – eg: mail.domain.com.au or www.domain.com.au – into IP addresses. Each IP address will represent a computer server that will manage each task in providing the appropriate service.
Should the domain name not exist, or expire, the connection to the assigned email or website service stops. As a result, a domain that expires will cause a website to disappear as the DNS can’t resolve the host name into an IP address. If the domain exists, but isn’t assigned to a name server and has inaccurate zone files, the domain will again not be able to connect to the assigned service. Further, if all is working correctly in the domain name and the zone records are correct, but there is a disruption in the service, it will not work. The Domain Name, Website or Email Services and Name Server/Zone Records all need to be connected and working properly for everything to work as intended.
If you experience any issues regarding your domain name, and believe it may be DNS related, please perform a WHOIS lockup using your domain name to ensure everything is set up correctly.
If all the above details are correct, and your service is still interrupted, please contact us and we will endeavour to remedy the problem as promptly as possible.