SSL / DNS

NXDOMAIN / name not resolved

DNS couldn't find that domain — there's no record for the name.

What it looks like

DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN
;; ->>HEADER<<- opcode: QUERY, status: NXDOMAIN, id: 4121

What does "NXDOMAIN / name not resolved" mean?

Shown by the browser (and returned by dig and nslookup) when DNS answers that the name does not exist. It is a definite “no such domain”, not a timeout — so either the name is wrong or its DNS records are missing.

What causes "NXDOMAIN / name not resolved"?

The domain is misspelled.
DNS records are missing or not propagated.
The domain expired, or local DNS is broken.

How do I confirm the cause?

Check the spelling, then query a public resolver directly: dig example.com @1.1.1.1.
Check the domain’s registration has not expired, and that its nameservers point where you think (dig NS example.com).
If you just added the record, check its TTL — resolvers that cached the earlier NXDOMAIN keep it until that expires.
If only one machine fails, flush its DNS cache (ipconfig /flushdns on Windows) — it may still be holding an old “no such domain” answer.

How do I fix "NXDOMAIN / name not resolved"?

Check the spelling of the domain.
Verify the DNS records exist (dig/nslookup).
Wait for propagation after changes; try a public resolver (8.8.8.8).

How do I stop it happening again?

Turn on auto-renewal for domain registrations.
Lower the TTL before planned DNS changes, and check new records from more than one resolver.

Got a different error? Paste it into the Explain This Error tool → Identifies the family and the fix — runs locally, nothing uploaded.