🔍 DNS Lookup
The DNS Lookup tool examines the DNS (Domain Name System) records of any domain. DNS is the phone book of the internet: it translates a human-readable name like example.com into the IP addresses and configuration data computers actually use.
What it does
The DNS Lookup tool examines the DNS (Domain Name System) records of any domain. DNS is the phone book of the internet: it translates a human-readable name like example.com into the IP addresses and configuration data computers actually use.
How to use it
To use it, open the IPChecks homepage and click the DNS Lookup card, then type any domain (for example google.com) and press Lookup. The tool resolves the most common record types:
- A — the IPv4 address where the site is hosted
- AAAA — the IPv6 address
- MX — the mail servers that handle email for the domain
- TXT — text records such as SPF, DKIM and DMARC email-security policies
- NS — the authoritative name servers
- CNAME — canonical alias records
Real-world example
Say you just migrated your website to a new host. You can run a DNS Lookup on your domain to confirm the A record now points at the new server's IP and the MX record still points at your email provider. If the A record is wrong, visitors land on the old server — the lookup shows the change (or its absence) immediately, which is far faster than waiting for users to report a problem.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why would a DNS record not show up right after I changed it?
DNS changes need time to propagate. Most records carry a TTL (time-to-live) that tells resolvers how long to cache the old value, typically anywhere from a few minutes to 48 hours. If you just edited a record, wait for the TTL to expire and retry the lookup.
What is the difference between an A record and a CNAME?
An A record points a domain directly at an IPv4 address, while a CNAME points a domain at another domain name (an alias). You cannot use a CNAME on the root domain (apex), but it is handy for subdomains like www or mail.
Can a DNS Lookup show who owns a domain?
No. DNS records describe how a domain is reached, not who registered it. To find the registrant, registrar and expiration date, use a separate WHOIS Lookup.