Removed A record pointing to old site, new site went down

Support
1

Netlify site name: main-site-astro.netlify.app
Apex domain: owaves.com
Error message: This site can’t be reached DNS address could not be found. Diagnosing the problem. DNS_PROBE_POSSIBLE.

Prior to yesterday morning, our apex domain had been using AWS Route 53 for DNS records, and pointing to a Bluehost-hosted site via A record. Yesterday morning (08:00 PST) we changed the NS records for apex at Route 53 to Netlify nameservers so we could use Netlify DNS. We added an A record around that time pointing to the old website (Bluehost IP address), as a temporary redirect, while we worked on our subdomains. At that moment we were trying to also connect our headless WordPress site (hosted at AWS) to a subdomain and our universal links AASA file (also hosted at AWS) to another subdomain.

We were not able to get the AWS WordPress site to work with Netlify DNS (because AWS load balancer URLs weren’t working), so we moved it to WPEngine and got it connected to the Netlify site (main-site-astro.netlify.app). We decided to defer connecting it to a subdomain. At this time, around 12pm PST, owaves.com was correctly displaying the Netlify site. By the evening we had our universal links AASA file up and running on a subdomain, connected to a second Netlify site (owaves-applinks). Everything was working as expected and so we made the new site launch announcement around 10pm PST.

This morning I removed the temporary A record pointing to the old Bluehost site, and owaves.com immediately stopped connecting to the Netlify site (main-site-astro.netlify.app). It has now been approximately 90 minutes and DNS propagation checks are still showing no A record.

The only records we currently have in Netlify DNS are the two NETLIFY records pointing to the two Netlify sites, and MX records for Google Workspace.

On the main site page in Netlify, under Domain Management, both apex and www apex are back to showing the Awaiting External DNS status, whereas last night they were showing Active status.

Please let me know if I can provide any additional information. We want our Netlify site back!

2

Upon adding a custom domain to a Netlify site NETLIFY type records are automatically created—one for the apex and one for the www subdomain. Based on what you have said, I guess these are for another site and not the main site.

I suggest removing the domain from the site (not from Netlify DNS) then readding it.

3

One NETLIFY record is for the main site and the other is for the subdomain site.

4

I would still remove the domain from the site (both apex and www) and readd them.

5

I removed and re-added the domain. Still says Awaiting External DNS.

6

This might require further investigation by a support engineer.

ping @luke @Melvin

7

NS Lookup

www.owaves.com
Server:  dsldevice6.attlocal.net
Address:  2600:1700:4e30:9870::1

*** dsldevice6.attlocal.net can't find www.owaves.com: Server failed

Changed NS Lookup to point to a Netlify name server

server dns1.p04.nsone.net
Default Server:  dns1.p04.nsone.net
Addresses:  2620:4d:4000:6259:7:4:0:1
          198.51.44.4

owaves.com
Server:  dns1.p04.nsone.net
Addresses:  2620:4d:4000:6259:7:4:0:1
          198.51.44.4

Name:    owaves.com
8

Also FWIW our subdomain site (owaves-applinks) is still working. It only has a single file on the server, but you can view it here:

https://applinks.owaves.com/.well-known/apple-app-site-association

9

Is it possible to escalate this? The site has been down for almost 8 hours. Thank you.

10

I suggest this is due (in part, if not entirely) to how you handled the DNS changeover from AWS to Netlify. You would have done well to read [Support Guide] How do I migrate a domain to Netlify DNS with zero downtime? before proceeding.

I am a community member. I do not have power to escalate issues. I have pinged two of Netlify’s engineers in a previous post. If you are on a paid plan that includes support you can try submitting a support ticket. You might also this compilation of support guides for troubleshooting DNS issues. Otherwise you will need to wait. There is no guaranteed response time in the forum as far as I know.

11

Thanks, dig. I’m new here. I didn’t realize there was another level of support. We do have a paid plan. I’ll open a ticket.

12

I opened a ticket but the response time is 4 days. Does anyone know how to get urgent support? I saw a link to something called “Netlify Core” in the ticket email but it’s a little confusing.

13

@dig the zero downtime Support Guide had a link to a site migration checklist blogpost. From there we diagnosed that we needed to add an A record for the load balancer. The site is back up now. It’s very strange that it was working last night witthout that record, and with a A record pointing to the old site on a non-Netlify server. But…it’s working now. So thank you!

14

You only use the load balancer when using external DNS configuration.

This is not the solution to your issue.

15

So what is the solution then?

16

Use patience and wait for official support from Netlify.

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