Chapter 18 · 18.7
My domain isn't working yet after a transfer or change
You've ordered or transferred a domain, changed nameservers or a DNS record, or added a domain to your package. But you still see the old website, a WebOké page, an error message, or nothing at all. Often it's just a matter of waiting. Sometimes a step is still missing. Here's how to find out which of the two it is.
Step 1: check your domain with Domain health
Go to www.weboke.nl/en/domein-gezondheid, enter your domain name and click Check. You'll see a green, orange or red dot for each item. Click the circle with the i for an explanation of a line.
If you're logged in to My WebOké, open your domain under My Domains. You'll find the Domain / Email health card there with the same checks. For some issues, there's a Repair button, for example Update ns1/ns2 or Update key at registry. This lets you fix it with a single click.
Step 2: what the result means
| Item | What do you see? | What do you do? |
|---|---|---|
| Registration | The transfer has not started yet or is still in progress | The transfer isn't finished yet. Check that you've entered the correct transfer code and confirmed the email from your old provider or the registry. Check the Transfer centre under My Domains. |
| Status and expiry | Expired or cancelled | The domain hasn't been renewed. Contact support. |
| Owner verification | Suspended: the owner's email address has not been verified | Click the link in the confirmation email, or have the email resent using the button in My WebOké. |
| Name servers | External nameservers | Your DNS is managed elsewhere, for example at your old provider or Cloudflare. Changes in DirectAdmin then have no effect. Make the changes there, or point the nameservers to WebOké's (see DNS in My WebOké and with external name servers such as Cloudflare). |
| A record | Points to ..., not to the server of your hosting package | The domain still points to an old server. Update the A record (see Adding or changing an A or AAAA record). If there's also an incorrect IPv6 address (AAAA), update or remove that too. |
| www | has no record | Add a record for www (see Adding or changing an A or AAAA record and CNAME records and the trailing dot). |
| Website | Responds with a server error | The domain works, but the website itself shows an error. Read My website is blank or shows a 500 error. |
| SSL certificate | The certificate does not match this domain or No HTTPS | Request a certificate as soon as the domain points to your package (see Requesting a free Let's Encrypt certificate and Let's Encrypt not working: causes and solutions). |
| DNSSEC | The key at the registry does not match the zone | This often happens after a transfer. Use the Update key at registry button in My WebOké, or ask your old provider if the domain is still registered there. |
Step 3: everything's green, but you still see the old site?
Then your computer or internet connection has still remembered the old answer.
- Reload the page with Ctrl+Shift+R (Mac: Cmd+Shift+R), or open your site in a private window.
- Try it on your phone via 4G or 5G, with Wi-Fi switched off.
- Restart your computer or router, so it looks up the DNS again.
How long should I wait?
| Change | Usually completed within |
|---|---|
| Changing a record in DNS Administration (A, CNAME, MX, TXT) | A few minutes to a few hours, depending on the TTL (see When does a change take effect? Waiting time and TTL) |
| A new subdomain | Usually within an hour, sometimes up to four hours. It's best not to open the subdomain before it has been created. |
| Changing nameservers | A few hours, sometimes up to 24 to 48 hours |
| A domain transfer | From a few minutes (such as with .nl with a valid transfer code) to several days for some extensions |
Do you see a WebOké page instead of your website?
Then the domain does point to us, but it hasn't been added to your hosting package yet, or your website isn't in the right folder yet.
- Check under My Products and Domains per package in My WebOké whether the domain is linked to the right package (see Can I also do this in My WebOké? Domains per package and Forwarders).
- Check under Domains in DirectAdmin whether the domain is in the list (see Viewing the domains in your package).
- Is there still a default index.html page in public_html alongside your own website? Remove it (see Opening File Manager: the directories in your package).
What about my email?
Does your website work but not your email, or the other way round? Check MX (receiving) in the Domain health result. Read on in Ik ontvang geen e-mail meer and After the move: MX Records and your devices.
Tip: Want to preview your website at WebOké before the transfer is complete? You can, using Preview your website before transfer (see Testing my website before the domain has moved).
Handy tools
- Domain health: www.weboke.nl/en/domein-gezondheid
- WHOis lookup: see which provider a domain is registered with and which nameservers it has, at www.weboke.nl/en/toondomein
- SSL check: check a certificate, at www.weboke.nl/en/sslchecker