What does your DNS actually return?

A misconfigured DNS record breaks mail, breaks verification, and sometimes breaks the site. This reads the records a resolver sees and reports what is there and what is missing.

Resolves public DNS records for the domain. Nothing is stored.

How this check works

Shipwork resolves the domain's A, AAAA, CNAME, MX, NS and TXT records, and surfaces the SPF and verification records among the TXT values. It reports missing A/AAAA, load-balanced addresses, CNAMEs, and whether the domain receives mail.

What the DNS check resolves

The check queries public DNS for your hostname and reports the A, AAAA, CNAME, MX, NS and TXT records a resolver returns. From the TXT values it picks out the SPF record and any site-verification strings. For NS records it checks the hostname first and, if none are returned, the parent name, because name servers are set at the zone and a subdomain legitimately has none.

It reports missing address records as an error, multiple addresses as a load-balanced setup, a CNAME alias, the mail exchanges if any, and whether the domain has name servers. It reads one resolver's answers, so it reflects what is published and currently cached, not the full configuration of every provider.

How to read the DNS result

A clean set means the host resolves to at least one address, name servers are returned and any records you expect, such as MX or an SPF string, are present. That is enough for visitors to reach the site and for mail or verification to work, as far as the DNS is concerned.

No A or AAAA record is an error and means the name cannot be reached. No MX is informational unless you use the domain for mail. Missing NS is a warning. A verification string that is stale or duplicated is worth checking. The check does not test whether a record's target is correct, only what the DNS answers.

Common causes and why they matter

The most common fault is a record changed or removed during a migration: mail stops, a verification string goes missing, or an old address lingers alongside a new one. Duplicate A records can split traffic to an address you forgot. A CNAME on a name that also needs other records can fail because the two cannot coexist.

DNS problems are silent until they are not. A missing MX means replies to your support address bounce. A removed verification record can disable a service. Because resolvers cache answers, a change can appear fixed for some people and broken for others until the cache expires.

How to fix what the check reports

Correct the records at your DNS host. If the host does not resolve, point its A or AAAA record at the right address or add the alias. Restore missing MX records to the mail provider's exchanges. Remove stale or duplicate verification strings and keep one per service. Add NS records only if you run your own name servers; a managed host sets them.

Avoid a CNAME on a name that must also carry TXT or MX records. After editing, wait for the old record's time to live before judging the result, then rerun the check. On a platform like Shopify, follow the provider's instructions for the specific records it expects. Keep a dated note of the values you set, so the next migration starts from what actually works.

When to use related DNS and delivery checks

Use email security to judge SPF and DMARC rather than just list them, and TLS check when a certificate or connectivity issue follows a DNS change. Use redirect check for what the host does with HTTP.

For the broader context, the free website audit checklist places DNS alongside the other delivery checks.

Questions

What is the most common DNS problem?

A missing or wrong record after a migration: mail stops, or a verification record is removed. This shows the records a resolver actually returns.

What is a CNAME?

An alias that points one name at another. Common for subdomains and third-party services; it cannot coexist with other records on the same name.

Why does MX matter?

MX records say where mail is delivered. No MX means the domain does not receive mail, which matters if you use it for support or orders.

How do I check the TXT records?

The TXT section lists every value the resolver returns, including your SPF record and any site-verification strings. Think of it as a plain TXT DNS check: a missing SPF, a duplicate, or a stale verification record is the usual fault.

How do I check my DNS records?

The check resolves your hostname and reports the A, AAAA, CNAME, MX, NS and TXT records a resolver returns. It surfaces the SPF and verification strings among the TXT values, and checks the parent name for NS records when the hostname itself has none.

How do I check my TXT records?

The TXT section lists every value the resolver returns, including your SPF record and any site-verification strings. A missing SPF, a duplicate record or a stale verification value is the usual fault. For a judgement of SPF and DMARC rather than a list, use the email security check.

What is a CNAME record?

An alias that points one name at another. It is common for subdomains and third-party services. A CNAME cannot coexist with other records on the same name, so placing one where TXT or MX records are also needed can break those records.

Why do NS records show on the parent name?

Name servers are set at the zone cut, so a subdomain often returns none while the parent name returns the real list. The check looks at the parent before warning, which avoids reporting a problem that is not one. A managed host sets these records for you.

Keep reading

What this reads

Reads public pages from outside your network, the way a crawler does.
No signup, and nothing is stored on the free checks.
One of 83 checks across discovery, content, markup, trust and catalogue data.

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Cool, just ran an audit and got some insights! Let’s see if I can fix them :)

Tenta Dev, @DevTenta

Whoah! this site is crazy, nothing to roast at all

Ainreek, @AinreekAI

cool as heck, tried it on my blog and the insights it gave are helpful and not bluff.

Refaat 🍉 (Mouse), @1Mouse__