Troubleshooting Domain Connection Issues

When connecting a custom domain to your website in Recrevio, the setup is usually straightforward. However, in some cases the domain may not connect correctly, show errors, or remain in a “pending” state.

This article walks you through the most common causes of domain connection issues and how to troubleshoot them step by step.

Important to know before you start

  • Domain and DNS changes are not instant
  • DNS updates can take up to 24–48 hours to fully propagate worldwide
  • Even if settings look correct in your domain provider, external systems may still see old data for a while

If you recently made changes, waiting a bit longer is often part of the solution.

1. Verify that the domain is not connected elsewhere

A very common cause of connection issues is that the domain was previously used on another platform.

This can include:

  • A previous website hosted at your domain provider (e.g. One.com)
  • A website builder, CMS, or test site
  • A paused, unpublished, or inactive website

⚠️ Important

Unpublishing or disabling a site is not always enough. The domain should be fully removed or disconnected from the old platform.

If your domain provider offers a “Website Builder”, make sure:

  • No active or inactive website is still linked to the domain
  • The domain is no longer assigned to a site internally

2. Check DNS records (A, CNAME and AAAA)

For a domain to connect correctly, the required DNS records must exist and match the values shown in Recrevio.

You can always find the exact DNS values required for your website in:

Web Studio → Website Settings → Domain → Gear icon → Toggle DNS settings

Use these values as the single source of truth when checking your DNS.

Any of the following tools work well for troubleshooting DNS related issues:

Using more than one tool can be helpful if results look inconsistent.

DNS records: A, CNAME and AAAA

When troubleshooting domain connection issues, you should always check three types of DNS records:

  • A record
  • CNAME record
  • AAAA record (IPv6)

Below is a detailed guide on how to check each one correctly.

A record (root domain)

The A record controls where your root domain points.

What to check

  • The root domain (for example example.com   ) must point to the IP address provided by Recrevio
  • There should not be multiple conflicting A records pointing to different IPs

How to check using a DNS lookup tool

You can use any public DNS lookup tool, for example:

Steps:

  1. Enter your domain without https://   or www  

    Example: example.com  

  2. Select Type: A
  3. Run the lookup

Expected result:

  • You should see one valid A record that matches the IP shown in Recrevio
  • If you see multiple different IP addresses that do not belong to the same provider, this usually indicates a conflict

⚠️ Important note about Cloudflare and proxied DNS

If you are using Cloudflare or similar DNS services and the A record is set to Proxied (orange cloud in Cloudflare):

  • You may see multiple A records when using external DNS tools
  • These IP addresses belong to Cloudflare’s network, not your actual server
  • This is normal and expected behavior

In this case:

  • Multiple A records in lookup tools are OK
  • As long as Cloudflare shows one correct A record in your DNS settings, nothing needs to be changed

CNAME record (www subdomain)

The CNAME record controls the www    subdomain version of your domain.

This is one of the most common causes of domain connection issues.

What to check

The www    subdomain must be configured as a CNAME:

  • Host / Name: www   
  • Type: CNAME   

  • Value / Target: your root domain

    Example: example.com.   (Please note that the trailing dot is important in many DNS systems)

How to check using a DNS lookup tool

You can use any public DNS lookup tool, for example:

Steps:

  1. Enter the full www    domain without https://   or http://  

    Example: www.example.com  

  2. Select Type: CNAME
  3. Run the lookup

Expected result

  • The result should show your root domain as the CNAME target

    Example: www.example.com → example.com  

  • If the lookup result shows SOA instead of a CNAME:
    • This means the www    CNAME record does not exist
    • The DNS server is only returning zone information, not a valid record

A missing www    CNAME is a very common reason why:

  • Domains fail to connect
  • Verification gets stuck
  • SSL installation is delayed or never completes

AAAA record (IPv6)

In some cases, IPv6 (AAAA) records can interfere with domain connection.

How to check

You can use any public DNS lookup tool, for example:

Steps:

  1. Enter the root domain (no https://   or www   )

    Example: example.com  

  2. Select Type: Any
  3. Run the lookup

What to look for:

  • Check if any AAAA records are listed
  • AAAA records point to IPv6 addresses (long hexadecimal values)

What to do:

  • If AAAA records exist and are not explicitly required, remove them from your DNS settings
  • Leaving unnecessary AAAA records can prevent proper domain verification and routing

4. SSL and “Not Secure” warnings

Many users think there is an SSL problem when their site shows “Not secure” or HTTPS isn’t working yet – but in most cases, this is a domain/DNS issue, not an SSL issue.

Recrevio automatically issues a free SSL certificate once your domain is fully connected and DNS changes have propagated. SSL cannot be issued until the domain setup is complete (correct A and CNAME records, propagation, and no conflicts).

If you see “Not secure” or HTTPS errors:

  • Your domain may not yet be fully verified or connected
  • DNS records may still be propagating
  • DNS issues (missing CNAME, conflicting entries, etc.) are the common cause

For a deep dive into SSL behavior, timing, “Not secure” warnings, and what you can do, see:

👉 SSL certificates and “Not secure” warnings

3. Be aware of DNS propagation

If you recently:

  • Removed DNS records
  • Added new A or CNAME records
  • Changed nameservers

Then the issue may simply be DNS propagation.

Even if your domain provider shows the correct setup:

  • Other systems may still see old data
  • This can take anywhere from minutes up to 48 hours

During this time, domain verification and connection may fail temporarily.

4. Test from another browser or network

Browser and network caching can sometimes make it appear as if changes haven’t taken effect.

To rule this out:

  • Open the domain in an incognito/private window
  • Try a different browser
  • Try a different network (for example mobile data)

5. If the issue persists

If you have:

  • Verified the domain is not connected elsewhere
  • Confirmed A and CNAME records are correct
  • Removed conflicting records
  • Waited for DNS propagation

…and the domain still cannot be connected, please contact support and we will do our best to help you out.

Summary

Most domain connection issues are caused by:

  • Previous website connections that were not fully removed
  • Missing or incorrect DNS records (especially the www    CNAME)
  • DNS propagation delays

By following the steps above, the vast majority of domain issues can be resolved quickly.

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