Free DNS Lookup Tool

What the DNS records mean

Every visit to yourdomain.com begins with a question put to a DNS server: which IP address belongs to this name? The records that answer it are held by your domain's nameservers. These are the record types you will see most often:

• A record: the IPv4 address the name resolves to, for example 203.0.113.10. Browsers use it to find the server that holds the website.
• AAAA record: the IPv6 equivalent of an A record.
• CNAME: makes one name an alias of another, for instance www.yourdomain.com pointing to yourdomain.com.
• MX record: tells other mail servers where to deliver the domain's email, which makes it vital for business addresses.
• NS record: names the authoritative nameservers that answer for the domain.
• TXT record: free-form text, used for SPF, DKIM and DMARC email authentication and to prove you control the domain.
• SOA record: administrative details of the zone, such as its serial number and refresh interval.
• CAA record: lists which Certificate Authorities may issue SSL certificates for this domain.

When a DNS lookup helps

• After moving to a new host, to confirm the nameserver change has spread.
• When email goes missing and you need to look at MX, SPF and DKIM.
• To check that your CAA records let an SSL or AutoSSL setup work.
• To see how a competitor or supplier has set up its infrastructure.