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DNS Verification Issues

When DNS Verification fails for QUIC.cloud CDN, it is usually due to an incorrect configuration for your domain. Let's take a look at some of the things that can go wrong, and how you can fix them.

In order for QUIC.cloud to act as a reverse proxy for your site, you need to do one of two things:

  1. Change the CNAME record at your DNS Provider so that it points to a domain that QUIC.cloud has provided to you. The domain will look something like c12345.tier1.quicns.com.
  2. Let QUIC.cloud be your DNS provider by changing the nameservers at your domain registrar to nameservers that QUIC.cloud provides. The nameservers will look something like kevin.quicns.com.

The issues that may arise with your configuration will vary depending on which of the above methods you used.

The CNAME Method

CNAME Not Supported on a Root Domain

Most DNS providers do not support adding a CNAME record to a root (or apex) domain. If your website uses a root domain by default, please confirm with your DNS provider that they support CNAME flattening or ANAME/ALIAS records. If they do not, you have three possible courses of action:

  1. Switch your DNS provider to QUIC.cloud. We offer a DNS service that is free to use, easy to switch to, and tightly integrated into the CDN.
  2. Switch to another DNS provider of your choice which supports CNAME flattening or ANAME/ALIAS records. Learn more about how to configure your DNS for a root domain.
  3. Shift your website away from a root domain and into to a www domain or a subdomain. This method might have SEO-related ramifications, and you'll need to be sure that old links forward properly to the new subdomain. So please be cautious while choosing this option. Learn more about how to switch from a root domain to a subdomain.

The Map Both www/non-www Option is Incorrectly Enabled

When the Map Both www/non-www option is turned ON, QUIC.cloud will require that a CNAME record exists for both the root domain and the www domain. In order to use this option then, your DNS provider must support CNAME flattening or ANAME/ALIAS records.

If your website's exact domain is a www domain or a subdomain (and you don't use the root domain), then turn Map Both www/non-www OFF. This configuration will be supported by any DNS provider.

CNAME is updated for www but not Root Domain

If your website's exact domain is a root domain (example.com) and you do not use the www domain, you should not have a CNAME record for the www domain. This setup is incorrect. If QUIC.cloud finds a CNAME record for the www domain, verification will fail. Please restore your previous DNS setup and then refer to CNAME not supported on a Root Domain above to find a suitable solution that will allow you use QUIC.cloud with your root domain.

QUIC.cloud CNAME is Incorrectly Configured

QUIC.cloud provides a domain that must be added to a CNAME record in your domain's DNS zone. The Name of the CNAME record should be your exact domain (www.example.com), and the Record should be the domain provided to you by QUIC.cloud (c12345.tier1.quicns.com). It is common to reverse these two fields, but that would be incorrect, as illustrated in the image below.

Both AAAA and CNAME Records Exist for Your Domain

If www.example.com and/or example.com are pointed to QUIC.cloud via a CNAME record (e.g. c12345.tier1.quicns.com), there should not be any AAAA records for www.example.com or example.com in your DNS zone. If both AAAA and CNAME records exist, please delete the AAAA records.

Cloudflare Shows an Orange Cloud

If you're using Cloudflare as your DNS provider, and the DNS record for your website's exact domain displays the orange cloud icon, your configuration is incorrect. An orange cloud indicates that your site is proxied by Cloudflare, which means it will not work with QUIC.cloud. Update your configuration so that the gray cloud icon is displayed. This indicates that Cloudflare will be bypassed and QUIC.cloud's infrastructure will be utilized correctly, as illustrated in the image below.

The QUIC.cloud DNS Method

Nameservers Added to DNS Zone

It may seem like you should add NS records to your DNS Zone in order to start using QUIC.cloud's nameservers, but this is incorrect and will not pass verification. Nameservers should be added at your domain registrar, as illustrated in the images below.

  • Incorrect:
  • Correct:

DNSSEC in Use

DNSSEC is not supported by QUIC.cloud. If you're using DNSSEC on your domain, verification will fail. Please disable DNSSEC in order to use QUIC.cloud. Even after verification succeeds, you must keep DNSSEC disabled, as QUIC.cloud will not work correctly with DNSSEC in use.

To test DNSSEC on your domain, try Google Public DNS. You can toggle DNSSEC validation to see records with and without DNSSEC.

DNS Not Yet Propagated

Changing nameservers can take anywhere from two to 24 hours. This is dependent on a lot of factors including your top-level domain, and your domain registrar. If you've recently changed your nameservers and have not made any of the previously listed mistakes, please wait for the nameserver changes to propagate and check again later.

Terminology

  • Exact Domain: When we say "Exact domain", we mean the specific domain name that appears in your site's URL. There can be three types of exact domains: apex or root, www, and subdomain.
    • Root Domain: A root domain is also called an apex domain, or a top-level domain. You might also hear it referred to as a naked domain or a bare domain. It is the domain name without a www. or other subdomain in front of it. Example: example.com.
    • www Domain: If your URL is www. + your apex domain, then you have a www domain. Example: www.example.com.
    • Subdomain: This is similar to a www domain, and in fact a www domain is a specific type of a subdomain. You can technically use (pretty much) anything you want as a subdomain. Examples: blog.example.com, shop.example.com, i-love-subdomains.example.com.
  • DNS Provider: The DNS provider is the company whose nameservers your domain is using. If you forget who your DNS provider is, try https://gwhois.org.
  • DNS Zone: The DNS Zone is a set of records (A/CNAME/MX/TXT, etc.) hosted by your DNS provider. These records store the address to your website.
  • CNAME Flattening: CNAME flattening is a process which allows using a CNAME record for apex domains. (Usually CNAMEs are for subdomains.) The resulting records are also known as ALIAS or ANAME records, and many DNS providers do not support them.

More Help

If you are still having verification issues, and none of these situations apply, please open a support ticket and we will help you figure it out.