Why Is My Domain Not Opening or Loading?

If your domain shows "this site can't be reached" or "site cannot be reached", this is almost always caused by DNS propagation, incorrect nameservers, missing website files, or a cached result on your own device. This article explains how to tell which one applies to you and how to fix it.

First check: is it down for everyone?

Before troubleshooting further, open your site on your phone using mobile data (not Wi-Fi). If it loads there but not on your computer, the problem is local to your device or network, not your domain or hosting.

Common causes and fixes

DNS propagation is still in progress

When you register a new domain or change nameservers, the update needs to spread across DNS servers worldwide. This is called DNS propagation and typically takes between 30 minutes and 24 hours, though it can occasionally take up to 48 hours.

During propagation, your site may load for some visitors but not others, and the www and non-www versions of your domain may behave differently. This is normal and resolves itself with time.

To check propagation progress: go to whatsmydns.net, enter your domain, select NS and click Search. If Hostking's nameservers are appearing in most locations, propagation is underway. If some locations show old settings and others show new ones, the fix is to wait, not to make further changes, as repeated edits can restart the propagation window.

Your domain is not pointed to Hostking

If your domain is registered elsewhere, you need to update the nameservers at your registrar to point to Hostking. Your Hostking nameservers are listed in your welcome email and in the client area at my.hostking.host. DNS records managed in cPanel or DirectAdmin only take effect once the domain's nameservers point to Hostking; otherwise they are not authoritative and changes will not appear online.

No website files uploaded yet

If your domain is pointed correctly but the site shows a blank or default page, it just means no website files have been uploaded yet. Install WordPress through Softaculous in your control panel, use the Site.pro website builder included with your hosting plan, or upload your website files to the public_html folder.

Incorrect or duplicate DNS records

Duplicate or conflicting A records for the same domain are a common cause of a site loading inconsistently or not at all. This can happen if records were added manually and not cleaned up afterwards.

If the zone looks badly misconfigured, you can reset it to Hostking's defaults from the Zone Editor by clicking Manage, then Actions, then Reset DNS Zone. This removes any custom A, MX or CNAME records you added, so note these down first if you need to re-add them. In DirectAdmin, open a support ticket and we can check or reset the zone for you.

Clear your local DNS cache

If the site loads for other people but not for you, your device or browser may be holding an outdated DNS result from before the change.

The domain is in a 60-day lock period

A 60-day lock only prevents transfers to another registrar. It does not affect whether your website loads, so this is not the cause if your site isn't opening.

Still not loading after 48 hours?

Open a support ticket from the client area at my.hostking.host, or use live chat on the Hostking website, and include your domain name. Live chat is available 7 days a week, and we'll check your DNS configuration and server status for you.