About this tool
What it is, why it matters, and how to use it without common mistakes.
What is it?
DNS lookup queries public resolvers for records (A, AAAA, MX, TXT, CNAME, NS) for a hostname.
Why use it?
Email delivery, SSL issuance, and outages often start with wrong or stale DNS. Checking records confirms what the internet currently sees.
How it works
- Enter a hostname.
- Select record types to query.
- Compare results to your DNS provider's intended config.
- Allow for TTL/propagation when changes are recent.
Examples
Typical A record
example.com → 93.184.216.34
Best practices
- Verify both apex and www when both are served.
- Confirm SPF/DKIM/DMARC TXT records after email setup.
Common mistakes
- Assuming local dig matches global propagation instantly.
- Editing the wrong zone (staging vs production).
FAQ
- Why do different tools show different IPs?
- Anycast, geo-DNS, and incomplete propagation can make answers differ by resolver and location.