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Custom Domain Error 1000 - DNS Points to Prohibited IP

How to fix Cloudflare Zone Hold issues that block Convert Custom Domain tracking scripts with Error 1000.

Author: George F. Crewe

IN THIS ARTICLE YOU WILL:

Overview

Customers using Custom Domains with Convert may encounter Error 1000: DNS points to prohibited IP when the tracking script attempts to load from their configured subdomain. This error prevents the Convert tracking snippet from loading correctly, which impacts experiment tracking and data collection.

This issue occurs when a customer's domain owner has enabled a Cloudflare Zone Hold security feature that restricts content loading from other Cloudflare accounts.

Problem Description

Symptoms

  • The custom domain appears as "Active" in the Convert dashboard but the tracking script does not load
  • Console errors show "Error 1000 — DNS points to prohibited IP"
  • Experiments fail to execute properly on pages with the tracking code
  • Manual testing of the script URL returns an Error 1000 response

Example Error URL

When accessing the tracking script directly:

https://tracking.yourcompany.com/v1/js/{account-id}-{project-id}.js?environment=production

Returns:

Error 1000 — DNS points to prohibited IP

Root Cause

This error occurs due to Cloudflare's Zone Hold security feature. When a domain owner uses Cloudflare to manage their domain (e.g., example.com), they can enable a security setting that prevents their domain or subdomains from being added to other Cloudflare accounts as custom hostnames.

In Convert's infrastructure, we use Cloudflare to serve our tracking scripts. If a customer's domain is also managed by Cloudflare and has Zone Hold enabled, Cloudflare blocks the request to prevent potential security conflicts between different Cloudflare zones.

Solution

For Customers: Releasing the Zone Hold

To resolve this issue, the domain owner (the customer) must release the Zone Hold from within their Cloudflare account. Here are the step-by-step instructions:

Step 1: Access Cloudflare Dashboard

  • Log in to the Cloudflare account that manages the root domain (e.g., example.com)
  • Select the appropriate account and zone

Step 2: Navigate to Zone Hold Settings

You can find the Zone Hold option in one of two locations:

  • Option A: Go to Bundled Domains section in your Cloudflare dashboard
  • Option B: Follow Cloudflare's official documentation: Releasing a Zone Hold

Step 3: Release the Zone Hold

  • Locate the zone hold notification in the dashboard
  • Click on "Release Zone Hold" or similar action button
  • Confirm the action when prompted

Step 4: Verify in Convert Dashboard

After releasing the Zone Hold:

  • Wait approximately 5-10 minutes for Cloudflare to propagate the changes
  • Check your Convert Custom Domain settings page
  • The status should update from "Prohibited" to "Active"
  • Test the tracking script by visiting one of your experiments
  • Verify the tracking fires correctly in the browser console

Prevention

To prevent this issue from occurring in the future:

  • Check Cloudflare Settings Before Setup: Before configuring a Custom Domain in Convert, ensure the domain owner knows about potential Zone Hold restrictions
  • Communication with IT/Dev Teams: If you work with a team managing your domain, inform them that you're integrating Convert Custom Domains which use Cloudflare infrastructure
  • Monitor Status Regularly: Periodically check your Custom Domain status in Convert under:
    • Navigate to: Account Settings → Custom Domains
    • Ensure status remains "Active"

Troubleshooting Checklist

Use this checklist if the issue persists after releasing the Zone Hold:

  •  Verified Zone Hold has been released in Cloudflare dashboard
  •  Waited at least 10 minutes for Cloudflare propagation
  •  Confirmed CNAME record is still correctly configured with proxy disabled (orange cloud OFF)
  •  Checked browser console for any additional error messages
  •  Attempted to reload the experiment page with hard refresh (Cmd/Ctrl + Shift + R)
  •  Verified the tracking snippet URL is accessible from multiple networks
  •  Cleared browser cache and cookies
  •  Tested with incognito/private browsing mode