# Query timed out looking up A for **URL:** \ **Category:** Help\ **Created:** [December 9, 2019, 12:48pm UTC](https://community.letsencrypt.org/t/query-timed-out-looking-up-a-for/108202 "2019-12-09T12:48:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![robmv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/51bf81/32.png) [@robmv](https://community.letsencrypt.org/u/robmv)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2019, 12:48pm UTC](https://community.letsencrypt.org/t/query-timed-out-looking-up-a-for/108202/1 "2019-12-09T12:48:56Z")
I am trying to confirm if this message is a DNS issue or a Let’s Encrypt server failure (that has happened before for other users): ``` - The following errors were reported by the server: ... DNS problem: query timed out looking up A for ``` Can someone tell me from which IP address ranges does Let’s Encrypt make these queries?. I am testing using [https://dnschecker.org/](https://dnschecker.org/) and responses seems OK from around the world. The DNS provider for the domain I am experiencing this problem is one of those shared hosting servers that like to ban IPs too frequently, so I am inclined to think it is their problem, but want to have this information in order to open a new ticket with them. ---
**Author:** ![JuergenAuer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/letsencrypt/user_avatar/community.letsencrypt.org/juergenauer/32/26491_2.png) [@JuergenAuer](https://community.letsencrypt.org/u/JuergenAuer)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2019, 1:13pm UTC](https://community.letsencrypt.org/t/query-timed-out-looking-up-a-for/108202/2 "2019-12-09T13:13:08Z")
Hi @robmv > [@robmv](#): > > Can someone tell me from which IP address ranges does Let’s Encrypt make these queries these are not published. Read the FAQ. And answer all of the following questions: * * * Please fill out the fields below so we can help you better. Note: you must provide your domain name to get help. Domain names for issued certificates are all made public in Certificate Transparency logs (e.g. [crt.sh | example.com](https://crt.sh/?q=example.com)), so withholding your domain name here does not increase secrecy, but only makes it harder for us to provide help. My domain is: I ran this command: It produced this output: My web server is (include version): The operating system my web server runs on is (include version): My hosting provider, if applicable, is: I can login to a root shell on my machine (yes or no, or I don't know): I'm using a control panel to manage my site (no, or provide the name and version of the control panel): The version of my client is (e.g. output of `certbot --version` or `certbot-auto --version` if you're using Certbot): ---
**Author:** ![robmv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/51bf81/32.png) [@robmv](https://community.letsencrypt.org/u/robmv)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2019, 1:40pm UTC](https://community.letsencrypt.org/t/query-timed-out-looking-up-a-for/108202/3 "2019-12-09T13:40:01Z")
My domain is: [smtp.policlinicalaarboleda.com](http://smtp.policlinicalaarboleda.com) I ran this command: `certbot renew` It produced this output: ```nohighlight Saving debug log to /var/log/letsencrypt/letsencrypt.log - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Processing /etc/letsencrypt/renewal/smtp.policlinicalaarboleda.com.conf - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Cert is due for renewal, auto-renewing... Plugins selected: Authenticator webroot, Installer None Starting new HTTPS connection (1): acme-v02.api.letsencrypt.org Renewing an existing certificate Performing the following challenges: http-01 challenge for smtp.policlinicalaarboleda.com Waiting for verification... Challenge failed for domain smtp.policlinicalaarboleda.com http-01 challenge for smtp.policlinicalaarboleda.com Cleaning up challenges Attempting to renew cert (smtp.policlinicalaarboleda.com) from /etc/letsencrypt/renewal/smtp.policlinicalaarboleda.com.conf produced an unexpected error: Some challenges have failed.. Skipping. All renewal attempts failed. The following certs could not be renewed: /etc/letsencrypt/live/smtp.policlinicalaarboleda.com/fullchain.pem (failure) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - All renewal attempts failed. The following certs could not be renewed: /etc/letsencrypt/live/smtp.policlinicalaarboleda.com/fullchain.pem (failure) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1 renew failure(s), 0 parse failure(s) IMPORTANT NOTES: - The following errors were reported by the server: Domain: smtp.policlinicalaarboleda.com Type: dns Detail: DNS problem: query timed out looking up A for smtp.policlinicalaarboleda.com ``` My web server is: `Apache httpd-2.4.6` The operating system my web server runs on is: CentOS 7 My hosting provider, if applicable, is: [http://caracashosting.com](http://caracashosting.com), This hosting is only for the DNS and some static webpages, not for the server that is running this SMTP and HTTP Server I can login to a root shell on my machine: yes I’m using a control panel to manage my site: no: The version of my client is: 0.39.0 Note: I am pretty sure the problem is related to the DNS hosting provider, it is not the first time they ban things they shouldn’t, but I have no control of it, my customer decission to continue using it. The IP address range would have been useful to tell them to be more careful, but sadly, as you say, those aren’t published. ---
**Author:** ![JuergenAuer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/letsencrypt/user_avatar/community.letsencrypt.org/juergenauer/32/26491_2.png) [@JuergenAuer](https://community.letsencrypt.org/u/JuergenAuer)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2019, 2:01pm UTC](https://community.letsencrypt.org/t/query-timed-out-looking-up-a-for/108202/4 "2019-12-09T14:01:46Z")
> [@robmv](#): > > My domain is: [smtp.policlinicalaarboleda.com](http://smtp.policlinicalaarboleda.com) Checking your domain the name servers are completely buggy - [https://check-your-website.server-daten.de/?q=smtp.policlinicalaarboleda.com](https://check-your-website.server-daten.de/?q=smtp.policlinicalaarboleda.com) | X | Fatal error: Nameserver doesn't support TCP connection: [dns1.caracasdominios.com](http://dns1.caracasdominios.com): Timeout | | --- | --- | | X | Fatal error: Nameserver doesn't support TCP connection: [dns2.caracasdominios.com](http://dns2.caracasdominios.com): Timeout | | X | Nameserver Timeout checking Echo Capitalization: [dns1.caracasdominios.com](http://dns1.caracasdominios.com) | | X | Nameserver Timeout checking Echo Capitalization: [dns2.caracasdominios.com](http://dns2.caracasdominios.com) | | X | Nameserver Timeout checking EDNS512: [dns1.caracasdominios.com](http://dns1.caracasdominios.com) | | X | Nameserver Timeout checking EDNS512: [dns2.caracasdominios.com](http://dns2.caracasdominios.com) | And they don't answer correct, so it's not possible to find an A-record -\> http validation is impossible. Curious: Unboundtest sees the A-record: [https://unboundtest.com/m/A/smtp.policlinicalaarboleda.com/DEROCTKJ](https://unboundtest.com/m/A/smtp.policlinicalaarboleda.com/DEROCTKJ) There > **[DNSSEC Analyzer - smtp.policlinicalaarboleda.com](https://dnssec-analyzer.verisignlabs.com/smtp.policlinicalaarboleda.com)** > > The DNSSEC Analyzer from VeriSign Labs is an on-line tool to assist with diagnosing problems with DNSSEC-signed names and zones. are some errors: | [policlinicalaarboleda.com](http://policlinicalaarboleda.com) | | | --- | --- | | | No DS records found for [policlinicalaarboleda.com](http://policlinicalaarboleda.com) in the com zone | | | No DNSKEY records found | | | Unknown host [ns1.caracashosting.com](http://ns1.caracashosting.com) | | | Unknown host [ns2.caracashosting.com](http://ns2.caracashosting.com) | | | [smtp.policlinicalaarboleda.com](http://smtp.policlinicalaarboleda.com) A RR has value 201.249.150.109 | | | No RRSIGs found | Both name servers are unknown. Switch to another dns provider. ---
**Author:** ![robmv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/51bf81/32.png) [@robmv](https://community.letsencrypt.org/u/robmv)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2019, 2:06pm UTC](https://community.letsencrypt.org/t/query-timed-out-looking-up-a-for/108202/5 "2019-12-09T14:06:24Z")
Thanks for your reply. This will help me to tell them again to move entirely to another provider. I don’t have faith they will do it, but another confirmation like this that it is very bad is welcomed. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/letsencrypt/original/3X/c/a/ca6c06ea1ea201324bba7048c6841ce60236468d.png) [@system](https://community.letsencrypt.org/u/system)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2020, 2:06pm UTC](https://community.letsencrypt.org/t/query-timed-out-looking-up-a-for/108202/6 "2020-01-08T14:06:37Z")
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