Ooops! My domains are all down!

[nate]

I've always wondered how much affect the nameserver has on the time it takes to resolve.

I think there are like 10 or 12 sets of root nameservers, and everything propogates from them. So your new address has to go to them, then get propogated out to the millions of other dns servers like the one your browser talks to for resolving. Sometimes those guys cache longer than they should instead of obeying the ttl in your zone records. You cant really force that, but if you control the numbers instead of waiting for your host to do it for you, you can speed it up a little.

I think afraid has been around so long they are hardwired to the root nameservers.

A new domain will resolve pretty quick because the roots dont know where it is and haven't passed on any information to ISPs, so the ISPs dont have them cached and will ask upstream which will then ask the various registrars and return an answer. No cache means a little slower response, but not 3 hours slower.

Its pretty technical. CD34 will show up soon, make me look stupid and answer your question the right way.