DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN with hosting static website with Google Cloud Platform

Question

I followed the instructions on hosting-static-website and successfully set up an website with the ip 34.120.167.35, where I am able to view my site.

My DNS and domain name are both provided by BlueHost. I used the TXT verification and have my SSL certificate activated on Google's end.

I also added my ip as an A record on Bluehost's DNS config.

Once everything is setup, I entered my domain name lihenghenrychang.com in the browser and worked. However, a day after, the domain name would give back the following error: lihenghenrychang.com’s server IP address could not be found. DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN. Meanwhile, I can still successfully view my site at the ip 34.120.167.35.

I have no idea where the problem could be and how to resolve this issue. I think there's a problem with the DNS, however, the customer support from bluehost said I should contact Google in terms of the problem. Would appreciate if anyone could help.

Answer 1

It looks like an issue with DNS configuration. As I can see at the screenshot, you've configured records for lihenghenrychang.com and www.lihenghenrychang.com

but only lihenghenrychang.com resolves:

$ dig lihenghenrychang.com @8.8.8.8
...
;; ANSWER SECTION:
lihenghenrychang.com.   14399   IN      A       34.120.167.35
...

$ dig lihenghenrychang.com @1.1.1.1
...
;; ANSWER SECTION:
lihenghenrychang.com.   14400   IN      A       34.120.167.35
...

and

$ dig www.lihenghenrychang.com @8.8.8.8
...
;; OPT PSEUDOSECTION:
; EDNS: version: 0, flags:; udp: 512
;; QUESTION SECTION:
;www.lihenghenrychang.com.      IN      A

;; AUTHORITY SECTION:
lihenghenrychang.com.   299     IN      SOA     ns1.bluehost.com. dnsadmin.bluehost.com. 2020083001 86400 7200 3600000 300
...

$ dig www.lihenghenrychang.com @1.1.1.1
...
;; OPT PSEUDOSECTION:
; EDNS: version: 0, flags:; udp: 1232
;; QUESTION SECTION:
;www.lihenghenrychang.com.      IN      A

;; AUTHORITY SECTION:
lihenghenrychang.com.   300     IN      SOA     ns1.bluehost.com. dnsadmin.bluehost.com. 2020083001 86400 7200 3600000 300
...

As a result, lihenghenrychang.com is reachable:

but www.lihenghenrychang.com isn't:

To solve this issues you can try to follow the documentation DNS Records Explained and configure A record for lihenghenrychang.com:

For example, an A Record is used to point a logical domain name, such as "google.com", to the IP address of Google's hosting server, "74.125.224.147".

and CNAME record for www.lihenghenrychang.com:

These records point www.example.com to example.com...

If nothing helped, you should reach Bluehost support.