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Broken DNS Redirect

The DNS redirect points to a target that is unreachable.

Severity: Warning

What is a DNS redirect?

Some DNS providers offer a "web redirect" or "URL forwarding" feature that lets you redirect one domain to another without running your own web server. For example, you might redirect old-name.com to new-name.com. The DNS provider handles the HTTP redirect on your behalf.

What does this mean?

The DNS redirect is configured, but the target URL is unreachable — it returns an error, times out, or does not exist. The redirect is effectively broken, and visitors following it will encounter an error.

Why this is a problem

  • Visitors clicking links to the redirected domain will see an error instead of reaching the intended destination
  • It may indicate that the target website has been taken down or moved
  • Broken redirects create a poor user experience and can damage trust
  • Search engines may penalize domains with broken redirects

What you should do

  • Check whether the target URL is still valid and accessible
  • If the target has moved, update the redirect to point to the new URL
  • If the redirect is no longer needed, remove it from your DNS provider
  • Test the redirect after making changes to confirm it works

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