Note: Before reporting a domain problem, please see our FAQ entry on Diagnosing Domain Problems.

Note: Problem reports relating to domains do not neatly fit the general error-reporting scheme discussed earlier. Please use your common sense to provide diagnostic information, using the following only as a rough guideline.

Note: vvv means software version, release, etc., where available.

Check our official announcements (see http://www.rahul.net/howto/announcements.html) for the last few weeks, to make sure that no major system change has occurred that might be associated with the problem. Then please provide the following information in your problem report.

MENTION that you did not find a solution in any RECENT OFFICIAL ANOUNCEMENT.

COMPUTER SYSTEM: what type of computer system. E.g., PC running Microsoft Windows version vvv. E.g., Macintosh running MacOS vvv. E.g., PC running Linux vvv. E.g., handheld PDA model vvv.

USER: Who you are; your login name, custom domain if any, server name if any, and any other identifying information available.

How CONNECTED: Specify DSL, Cable, dial-up, commercial T1, public Wifi in a cafe, etc, and who the service provider is.

PROGRAM: Which program(s) were you using when you encountered a malfunctioning domain? For example: ping, traceroute, telnet, ssh, web browser(s). Always use multiple dissimilar programs. E.g.: ping and ssh. E.g.: ping and web browser. See also the ACTIVITY section below.

ACTIVITY: What activity are you unable to perform due to a malfunctioning domain? Mention at least one specific activity. For example, if you cannot ping a certain host name, state which host name you cannot ping. If you cannot access a certain web site, specify its URL beginning with “http” or “https”. (If the URL does not begin with “http” or “https” it's not a web site URL.) Also tell us why you think the problem is due to a malfunctioning domain.

SERVER: Which specific server(s) did you expect to reach using the malfunctioning domain? Specify the host name of the server, if available; or a description of which of our servers you expected to reach. For example: sunbeam.rahul.net (Cpanel environment). For example: sunshine.rahul.net (DirectAdmin environment). For example: old Linux servers (green.rahul.net, mauve.rahul.net, violet.rahul.net).

If you have a web site named using the malfunctioning domain, specify the domain of the web site and tell us on which server the web site resides.

Who created the initial web site URL?

Did you do so yourself? If so, how? E.g.: “I used the Cpanel addon domain feature to add EXAMPLE.COM”. E.g.: “I added EXAMPLE.COM to my DirectAdmin account from the domain management menu.”

Did we do it for you? E.g.: “I asked support@rahul.net to add EXAMPLE.COM to the old Linux servers and I got confirmation that this had been done.”

DNS. Who provides DNS for the malfunctioning domain? If your web site is on our old Linux servers or on a Cpanel server, then see:

http://www.rahul.net/howto/registerdomain.html

If your web site is on a DirectAdmin server, then see: Domains in DirectAdmin

E.g.: “I provide my own DNS via my domain registrar's nameservers.”

E.g.: “DNS is provided by a2i communications on its nameservers <specify>.”

E.g.: “DNS is automatically provided by the DirectAdmin environment.”