Propagation – The Global Update Delay
Think of DNS Propagation like a major news story. When an event happens, it takes time for the information to spread from the source to every newspaper and radio station around the world. Until the news reaches a specific place, people there are still seeing yesterday’s headlines.
1. Why Does Propagation Take 24–48 Hours?
When you change your nameservers or DNS records at Jiinubi, the update happens instantly on our primary DNS servers. However, the internet itself is made up of millions of independent Internet Service Providers (ISPs) worldwide.
- ISPs cache (store) DNS information to improve browsing speed.
- They only refresh this information based on a setting called TTL (Time to Live).
- Some users see the new site immediately, while others still see the old site for up to 48 hours.
2. What You May Experience During Propagation
During the propagation window, inconsistent behavior is completely normal. Common examples include:
- The “Flicker”: Your phone (mobile data) shows the new site, but your home Wi-Fi shows the old one.
- Email Delays: Some emails arrive on the new server while others still go to the old inbox.
- Regional Differences: A visitor in Nairobi sees the update, while someone in New York does not.
3. Factors That Affect Propagation Speed
| Factor | Impact |
|---|---|
| TTL Settings | Lower TTL values (e.g., 300 seconds) propagate faster than higher ones (e.g., 86400 seconds). |
| ISP Caching | Some ISPs refresh DNS every 15 minutes; others only once per day. |
| Domain Registry | gTLDs like .com update faster than some ccTLDs like .ke or .tz. |
4. How to Track DNS Propagation
Instead of guessing, you can check propagation progress using global DNS tools:
- Visit a DNS lookup tool such as DNSChecker or WhatsMyDNS.
- Enter your domain name.
- Select the record type (A, NS, MX, etc.).
- Review the global results showing updated and non-updated locations.
5. Can I Speed Up DNS Propagation?
You cannot control how fast global ISPs refresh their caches, but you can eliminate delays on your own side:
- Flush Local DNS Cache: On Windows, open Command Prompt and run
ipconfig /flushdns. - Clear Browser Cache: Your browser may still be loading a cached version of the site.
- Use a VPN: Switching regions can help confirm whether the update is live elsewhere.
The most common mistake during propagation is assuming something is broken and changing DNS settings again. Each change resets the propagation timer. Once updated, the safest action is to wait.
