DNS Lookup

1. Enter the Domain Name: Input the domain you want to query (e.g., example.com). Do not include http:// or paths—enter the bare domain name only. Subdomains like www.example.com or mail.example.com are valid inputs.
2. Select Record Type: Choose the DNS record type to query. Use "A" for IPv4 addresses, "AAAA" for IPv6, "MX" for mail servers, "TXT" for SPF/DKIM records, or "All Records" for a comprehensive view.
3. Review the Results: Examine the returned records including values and TTL (Time To Live). TTL indicates how long resolvers cache the record—lower values mean faster propagation but more DNS queries.
4. Troubleshoot Issues: Compare expected values with actual results. Missing A records indicate the domain doesn't resolve. Incorrect MX records cause email delivery failures. TXT record errors break SPF/DKIM email authentication.

DNS (Domain Name System) is a hierarchical, distributed database that translates human-readable domain names to IP addresses. When you query a domain, resolvers traverse the hierarchy from root servers (.) to TLD servers (.com) to authoritative nameservers for the specific domain. Results are cached at each level according to TTL values.

This tool uses DNS-over-HTTPS (DoH) via Cloudflare's resolver (1.1.1.1), bypassing your local DNS configuration for consistent results. Record types serve different purposes: A/AAAA map domains to IPs, MX specifies mail server priority, TXT holds arbitrary text (SPF, DKIM, domain verification), CNAME creates aliases, NS delegates zones, and SOA defines zone authority parameters including refresh intervals and negative caching TTL.

• Expecting Instant Propagation: DNS changes take time to propagate globally. Even with low TTL values, cached records at intermediate resolvers must expire. Plan 24-48 hours for full propagation after DNS changes, though most updates visible within minutes to hours.
• Confusing CNAME and A Records: CNAME creates an alias to another domain (requires additional lookup), while A directly maps to an IP. You cannot have a CNAME at the zone apex (bare domain)—use an A record or provider-specific ALIAS/ANAME record types.
• Ignoring MX Priority: MX records include a priority value—lower numbers have higher priority. Mail servers try lowest-priority MX first, falling back to higher values. Setting all MX records to the same priority distributes load but doesn't provide proper failover.

Need to find who owns a domain you're investigating? Use our WHOIS Lookup tool for registration details. To test connectivity to the resolved IP addresses, try the Ping & Traceroute tool.