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Why DNS Changes Take Time and How to Speed Them Up

Have you ever updated your domain’s A record and noticed that, for several hours, your new website appeared on one device (like your smartphone) while the old version remained on another (like your home computer)? Or perhaps you’ve modified your MX records and found that some emails were still being routed to the old mail server instead of the new one?

If so, you’re not alone. Many website owners experience frustration when DNS changes don’t take effect immediately across all devices and networks. The culprit? DNS propagation delays.

In this guide, we’ll explore:

  • What DNS propagation is and why it happens

  • How DNS caching affects propagation times

  • The role of TTL (Time to Live) in controlling propagation speed

  • Best practices for minimizing delays when updating DNS records

By the end, you’ll understand why these delays occur and how to manage them effectively—so you can make DNS changes with confidence.

What Is DNS Propagation?

DNS (Domain Name System) is like the internet’s phone book, translating human-friendly domain names (e.g., example.com) into machine-readable IP addresses (e.g., 192.0.2.1). Unlike a centralized system where changes update instantly everywhere, DNS is distributed, meaning updates must propagate (spread) across multiple servers worldwide.

Why Does Propagation Take Time?

When you update a DNS record (such as an A record, MX record, or CNAME), the change doesn’t immediately reflect across all networks. Instead:

  1. Your DNS provider updates its authoritative nameservers with the new record.

  2. Internet Service Providers (ISPs), browsers, and public DNS resolvers (like Google DNS or Cloudflare) cache (store) the old record based on its TTL (Time to Live).

  3. Only after the TTL expires do these systems check for an updated record.

This caching mechanism reduces DNS lookup times and decreases server load, but it also means changes aren’t instantaneous.

How DNS Caching Affects Propagation

Every time a device or resolver looks up a domain, it stores the DNS record temporarily. The duration it keeps this record is determined by the TTL value (measured in seconds).

Example Scenario:

  • You update your A record from 192.0.2.1 to 203.0.113.1.

  • Some ISPs have the old record cached with a TTL of 4 hours (14400 seconds).

  • Until those 4 hours pass, those ISPs will keep serving the old IP.

This explains why:

  • Your smartphone (using mobile data) might see the new site immediately.

  • Your home computer (using a cached ISP record) still sees the old version.

How to Reduce DNS Propagation Delays with TTL Optimization

While you can’t force every network to update instantly, you can control how long they cache your records by adjusting the TTL before making changes.

Step-by-Step Guide to Faster DNS Updates

  1. Check Current TTL Values

    • Before modifying any records, note their existing TTL (e.g., 14400 = 4 hours).

  2. Lower the TTL in Advance

    • If you plan to change an A record, reduce its TTL to a low value (e.g., 300 = 5 minutes) at least one full TTL cycle before making the switch.

    • Example: If the current TTL is 4 hours, update it 4+ hours before the actual IP change.

  3. Make the DNS Change

    • After the reduced TTL period, update the record (e.g., change the IP).

    • Most networks will now refresh the record within the new TTL window (e.g., 5 minutes).

  4. Restore the TTL (Optional)

    • Once propagation is complete, you can increase the TTL back to a standard value (e.g., 14400) to reduce unnecessary DNS queries.

Why This Works

  • Lowering the TTL ensures caches expire faster.

  • Planning ahead gives all networks time to adopt the new TTL before the record change.

How Long Does DNS Propagation Take?

While TTL adjustments help, full global propagation can still take up to 48 hours due to:

  • ISP caching policies (some ignore TTL and enforce longer cache times).

  • Public DNS resolvers (Google DNS, Cloudflare, OpenDNS) may have their own refresh rates.

  • Browser caching (Chrome, Firefox, etc. sometimes cache DNS longer than expected).

How to Check Propagation Status

Use tools like:

These show which DNS servers worldwide have updated to your new record.

Best Practices for Managing DNS Changes

To minimize downtime and confusion:

  • Plan ahead — Lower TTLs at least a day before changes.

  • Use a CDN or Anycast DNS — Services like Cloudflare can speed up propagation.

  • Avoid frequent DNS changes — Each update resets propagation time.

  • Test changes in stages — Use a subdomain or staging environment first.

Final Thoughts

DNS propagation delays are a natural part of how the internet works—not a flaw in your hosting or DNS provider. By understanding TTL settings and planning changes strategically, you can significantly reduce downtime and ensure smoother transitions.

Need help with DNS management? Consider using enterprise-grade DNS hosting with built-in propagation optimizations, consult your domain registrar for best practices, or shoot us a note and we’ll help you the best we can.

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Our Privacy Policy

Last Updated: June 18th, 2025

Introduction

Western Mass Hosting (“we,” “our,” or “us”) respects the privacy of all individuals and organizations that interact with our services. This Privacy Policy establishes our practices regarding the collection, use, disclosure, and protection of personal information for visitors to our website and clients utilizing our managed hosting and WordPress services. By accessing our website or engaging our services, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this policy in its entirety.

Scope and Applicability

This Privacy Policy governs our handling of information collected through our corporate website and in the course of providing managed hosting, WordPress maintenance, and development services. In accordance with global privacy regulations, we serve as a Data Controller for information related to our business operations and client relationships. When processing data on behalf of our clients through hosted services, we act as a Data Processor under applicable data protection laws.

Information We Collect

We collect various categories of information necessary to provide and improve our services. This includes personal contact and payment details provided during account registration, technical information such as IP addresses and device characteristics for security purposes, and records of communications through support channels. For clients utilizing our hosting services, we may process end-user data stored within client websites, though we do not control or monitor the collection practices of such data.

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We process personal information only when we have proper justification under applicable laws. The primary legal bases for our processing activities include the necessity to fulfill contractual obligations to our clients, our legitimate business interests in maintaining and improving our services, and in limited cases, explicit consent for specific marketing communications. We maintain detailed records of processing activities to demonstrate compliance with legal requirements.

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The information we collect serves multiple business purposes. Primarily, we use this data to deliver and maintain reliable hosting services, including server provisioning, performance monitoring, and technical support. We also utilize information for business operations such as billing, customer relationship management, and service improvement initiatives. Security represents another critical use case, where we analyze data to detect and prevent fraudulent activity or unauthorized access to our systems.

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We engage with carefully selected third-party service providers to support our operations, including cloud infrastructure providers, payment processors, and customer support platforms. These relationships are governed by strict contractual agreements that mandate appropriate data protection measures. We may disclose information when legally required to comply with court orders, government requests, or to protect our legal rights and the security of our services.

International Data Transfers

As a global service provider, we may transfer and process data in various locations worldwide. When transferring personal data originating from the European Economic Area or other regulated jurisdictions, we implement appropriate safeguards such as Standard Contractual Clauses and rely on adequacy decisions where applicable. Our subprocessors, including AWS Lightsail, maintain robust compliance certifications to ensure the protection of transferred data.

Data Retention Practices

We retain personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this policy. Client account information is typically maintained for five years following service termination to comply with legal and financial reporting obligations. Backup data associated with hosting services is automatically purged after thirty days, as specified in our Terms of Service. For data processed on behalf of clients, retention periods are determined by the respective client’s policies and instructions.

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We implement comprehensive technical and organizational security measures to protect personal information against unauthorized access, alteration, or destruction. Our security program includes network encryption protocols, regular vulnerability assessments, strict access controls, and employee training on data protection best practices. We maintain incident response procedures to address potential security breaches and will notify affected parties where required by law.

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Policy Updates and Notifications

We periodically review and update this Privacy Policy to reflect changes in our practices or legal obligations. Material changes will be communicated to affected clients through email notifications at least thirty days prior to implementation. Continued use of our services following such notifications constitutes acceptance of the revised policy.

Contact Information

For questions or concerns regarding this Privacy Policy or our privacy practices, please contact our Data Protection Officer at [email protected] or by mail at:

Western Mass Hosting
22 Orlando. St.,
Feeding Hills, MA 01030.

We take all privacy-related inquiries seriously and will respond promptly to legitimate requests. For clients with specific data processing agreements, please reference your contract for any additional terms that may apply to our handling of your data.

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