Unable to set nameservers: DNS query refused

Documentation Domains and DNS
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Before you can add a domain name to your account, you need to point it to the InfinityFree nameservers first. However, some domain providers show an error like this when trying to change the nameservers:

DNS Query Refused

If that happens, your registrar will tell you that the nameservers must be configured first.

What causes this issue

Before you can add your domain to your InfinityFree account, you need to verify you can control the domain. The usual way to do so right now is by setting the nameservers at your registrar.

When setting the nameservers for your domain, your registrar may check whether the InfinityFree nameservers contain DNS records for your domain name. This will fail, because the DNS records for your domain name are created when the domain name is added to your hosting account.

Which domain names are affected by this

Nameserver validation checks can be done by either the domain registrar or the domain registry.

If the nameserver check is enforced by your domain registrar (the company licensed to issue domain names), you can check with them to see if there is a way to circumvent these checks. Some domain registrars may be able to update your domain’s nameservers anyways. If that’s not possible, you can transfer the domain name to a different domain registrar which doesn’t enforce such checks. For example, Spaceship doesn’t enforce additional nameserver checks.

If the nameserver check is enforced by the domain registry (the company responsible for the operation of the domain extension), it’s not possible to circumvent this. The registries of the following (non-exhaustive) list of domain extensions are known to enforce such checks at the registry level.

  • .com.br
  • .de
  • .dk
  • .hu
  • .it

How can I solve this

If the nameserver check is done by the domain registrar, you can get around it by transferring your domain to a domain name provider that does support this.

Alternatively, InfinityFree has an alternative domain verification method that involves setting a CNAME record on your domain’s existing nameservers. You can read more about how to do that here:

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