We use a tool called NSLOOKUP (name server lookup) to check the status of domains. We usually check the root servers to determine where the domain is pointing, then check the name servers of the domain itself to look at the records.

Some versions of Windows come with the NSLOOKUP feature built it. If you have this tool, you will be able to use it via the command prompt. We have some basic instructions on using this program in knowledge base article 819.

There are also tools you can use to do a NSLOOKUP. Programs like CyberKit & NetScan can be downloaded at http://www.tucows.com, or at other software distribution sites.

Most of the available NSLOOKUP tools require some technical knowledge. Therefore, you may want to use a more simple means of checking your DNS records. Specifically, there are web sites out there which will do all of the work for you: they will check the root servers, follow them to the name servers, and return the information. Some of these sites are:
http://samspade.org
http://dnsstuff.com/
http://www.dnsreport.com/
Just type in your domain name (without the www.) in the box provided, select the type of information you want, and submit the query.

If you check the DNS information for your ISP's name server, you will know whether or not the new DNS information has propagated to that server. Please note that this does not mean that propagation is complete, as there may be other DNS servers out there which don't have the new information.