Don’t Lose Your Domain – Why Keeping Your DNS Info Updated Matters
Why Is My Email Down? The Real Reason Might Surprise You
Your emails suddenly stop working. Your website won’t load. You call your IT team in a panic – but the issue isn’t with your email provider or your hosting. It’s something far simpler… and far easier to overlook:
Your domain name has expired.
This is a surprisingly common problem, and for small businesses, it can bring operations to a halt. In some cases, failing to renew your domain on time can even mean losing ownership of your web address entirely – something that can cost thousands of dollars to recover.
At Lifeline Technology Solutions, we recently helped a customer who came dangerously close to this very situation. Let’s walk through what happened, why it matters, and how you can protect your business.
What Is a Domain Registrar and DNS Provider?
Your domain registrar is the company where you purchase and manage your domain name (your .com, .net, etc.). Popular providers include GoDaddy, Network Solutions, and Name.com.
Your DNS (Domain Name System) settings, usually managed through the same provider, control where your website points and how your email flows. If your domain expires or your DNS settings break, everything connected to that name – your website, email, and other services – goes down.
What Happens When You Forget to Renew Your Domain?
Most domain registrars require renewal every 1–3 years, depending on the term you selected. If you forget to renew:
- Your website and email stop working immediately.
- Your DNS records may disappear or revert to defaults.
- Some registrars hold the domain for 30 days before releasing it publicly.
If you miss that 30-day grace period, anyone – including competitors – can buy your domain. We’ve seen businesses forced to pay thousands of dollars to get their domain back after this kind of mistake.
Real-Life Example: A Customer Almost Lost Their Domain (True Story)
A Lifeline customer recently called us because their email had stopped working. Our team quickly investigated and found that while their email systems were perfectly fine, their GoDaddy domain had expired. The credit card on file was out of date, and automatic renewal had failed.
Luckily, we caught it just three days after the expiry. We updated the payment info, renewed the domain, and services were restored in minutes.
Had this gone unnoticed for a few more weeks, the business could have lost its domain – and with it, years of brand recognition, email continuity, and online presence.
Quick Checklist: How to Keep Your Domain (and Business) Safe
- Log into your domain registrar at least twice a year.
- Make sure your contact details and billing information are current.
- Set your domain to auto-renew whenever possible.
- Consider registering your domain for multiple years to avoid gaps.
- Ask your IT provider (that’s us!) to keep a second set of eyes on your DNS. We recommend adding Lifeline’s support@lifelinetechsolutions.com email address as a point of contact for renewals in your account.
Protect Your Business: We Can Help
At Lifeline Technology Solutions, we help New Jersey businesses stay secure, supported, and online. If you’re unsure who manages your domain – or if your business is at risk – let us help you review your setup.