When will my DNS server change propagate?

README.md

The dig command queries a nameserver and tells you all sorts of goodies. By default, it queries your local network's default nameserver. If you ask it for the NS records of a domain, you get something like what I've included in the other file below.

Each record returned has a TTL, measured in seconds. When that number of seconds expires, the cache is flushed and the nameserver will go out to the internet to get fresh values.

So, look at one of the NS records returned:

envatomarketplaces.com. 8839    IN      NS      ns7.markmonitor.com.
----------RR----------- -TTL--- -class- -type-- --------value-------

The TTL here is 8839, approximately 2.5 hours. In 2.5 hours, that record will flush, and we'll check with the internet for the most recent value.

dig

$ dig NS envatomarketplaces.com

; <<>> DiG 9.8.3-P1 <<>> NS envatomarketplaces.com
;; global options: +cmd
;; Got answer:
;; ->>HEADER<<- opcode: QUERY, status: NOERROR, id: 34514
;; flags: qr rd ra; QUERY: 1, ANSWER: 7, AUTHORITY: 0, ADDITIONAL: 6

;; QUESTION SECTION:
;envatomarketplaces.com.                IN      NS

;; ANSWER SECTION:
envatomarketplaces.com. 8839    IN      NS      ns3.markmonitor.com.
envatomarketplaces.com. 8839    IN      NS      ns6.markmonitor.com.
envatomarketplaces.com. 8839    IN      NS      ns2.markmonitor.com.
envatomarketplaces.com. 8839    IN      NS      ns1.markmonitor.com.
envatomarketplaces.com. 8839    IN      NS      ns4.markmonitor.com.
envatomarketplaces.com. 8839    IN      NS      ns5.markmonitor.com.
envatomarketplaces.com. 8839    IN      NS      ns7.markmonitor.com.

;; ADDITIONAL SECTION:
ns1.markmonitor.com.    68826   IN      A       64.124.69.50
ns2.markmonitor.com.    69874   IN      A       209.66.70.22
ns3.markmonitor.com.    77888   IN      A       217.68.151.240
ns4.markmonitor.com.    69873   IN      A       217.68.151.241
ns6.markmonitor.com.    73461   IN      A       202.167.230.241
ns7.markmonitor.com.    69875   IN      A       204.228.234.32

;; Query time: 68 msec
;; SERVER: 10.20.0.6#53(10.20.0.6)
;; WHEN: Fri Nov  1 09:11:52 2013
;; MSG SIZE  rcvd: 274

dig-google

$ dig NS @8.8.8.8 envatomarketplaces.com

; <<>> DiG 9.8.3-P1 <<>> NS @8.8.8.8 envatomarketplaces.com
; (1 server found)
;; global options: +cmd
;; Got answer:
;; ->>HEADER<<- opcode: QUERY, status: NOERROR, id: 62550
;; flags: qr rd ra; QUERY: 1, ANSWER: 4, AUTHORITY: 0, ADDITIONAL: 0

;; QUESTION SECTION:
;envatomarketplaces.com.                IN      NS

;; ANSWER SECTION:
envatomarketplaces.com. 21599   IN      NS      ns-110.awsdns-13.com.
envatomarketplaces.com. 21599   IN      NS      ns-1493.awsdns-58.org.
envatomarketplaces.com. 21599   IN      NS      ns-1842.awsdns-38.co.uk.
envatomarketplaces.com. 21599   IN      NS      ns-714.awsdns-25.net.

;; Query time: 354 msec
;; SERVER: 8.8.8.8#53(8.8.8.8)
;; WHEN: Fri Nov  1 09:19:17 2013
;; MSG SIZE  rcvd: 177