DNS
Do the records still resolve, and still point where they should?
Looks up a record and, if you ask it to, checks what comes back.
Use it when
You want to catch a registrar change, an expired domain, a nameserver problem, or someone editing a record they should not have. A DNS mistake can point your domain somewhere else entirely while every other check you own keeps passing.
What to enter
| Field | Notes |
|---|---|
| Host | The name to look up. A URL works; we take the hostname. |
| Record type | A (default), AAAA, CNAME, MX, TXT or NS. |
| Expected value | Optional. Blank means "just needs to resolve". |
| Resolver | Optional. An IP address, like 8.8.8.8. Blank uses ours. |
A custom resolver is for checking a specific nameserver rather than whatever the system would use — useful for confirming a change has landed on your own authoritative servers.
Exactly when it's DOWN
- The lookup fails.
- The lookup returns no records.
- An expected value is set and no record matches it.
Matching ignores case and a trailing dot.
What it doesn't do
- Matching accepts substrings. An expected value of
1.2.3.4is satisfied by a record of11.2.3.45. It is worth knowing before you rely on it to detect a changed address: pick expected values that are not prefixes of plausible other answers. - It does not check DNSSEC, propagation across the internet, or every nameserver in the zone — one lookup, from the regions you selected.
- It does not tell you whose records changed, only that the answer did.
Example
Host example.com, record type A, expected value your load balancer's address. Or record type MX with your mail provider's hostname, which catches a domain transfer wiping your mail routing.
Alerts
Down, recovered. The alert names what came back instead, which is usually the whole diagnosis.
Last updated 4 October 2026
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