TOOLS / MX LOOKUP
To use our smart DNS lookup tool, you just need to follow the simple steps explained below.
Step 1: Enter Domain
In the first step, enter the domain name in the search box of our tool, after typing in the domain name, click on the “Lookup” button to start the DNS lookup process.
Step 2: Fetch Records
The tool will then search through several DNS servers and fetch the requested records.
Step 3: Get The Results
In the final step, you can interpret the results, including the domain’s A Records, CNAME records and MX Records.
Why is a DNS Lookup Important?
A DNS record lookup is quite important for different reasons. Some of the common reasons are listed below.
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What is a DNS?
Domain Name System or DNS in short is the directory of the internet. Users like us search for information through the web from different domains. Web browsers fetch us this information by interacting with IP addresses. According to Cloudflare, DNS lookups transform a domain name into a corresponding IP address so that internet resources can be loaded.
So, with a DNS lookup tool, we do not need to remember complicated IP addresses. Users can easily access desired websites. A DNS server lookup works by sending a DNS query to the DNS server to find the exact IP address.
Types of DNS Records
DNS records are simply the instructions in authoritative DNS servers that provide insights regarding a domain including its IP address and how it handles requests from users. A combination of written text files known as DNS syntax are contained in these records. Some common types of DNS records have been listed below.
MX Records
A MX record is also known as DNS mail exchange record is used to direct emails to a mail server. A MX record typically says how email messages must be routed in accordance with Simple Mail Transfer Protocol.
A Records
A stands for address and this is the main type of DNS record. It tells you the exact IP address of a given domain.
AAAA Records
A DNS AAAA record typically stores a domain’s IPv6 address instead of storing IPv4 address as in A records.
CNAME Records
CNAME records are also known as canonical name records used to locate a particular domain, instead of an IP address.
What are the Types of DNS Lookups
In general, there are two types of DNS lookups including forward and reverse DNS lookups.
Forward DNS Lookups
A forward DNS lookup is also called Forward DNS. It involves proceeding with the standardized DNS journey. This requires users to type in a URL or domain and fetch the relevant IP address in response to their request. In this entire DNS lookup process, the domain name is translated to the device’s address responsible for handling server-side communication
Reverse DNS Lookups
In reverse DNS lookups, the lookup request is used to get the domain name that is related to an IP address. A reverse DNS lookup is used by email servers to validate the servers they are receiving messages from. This process is completed by establishing a pointer record in the mail server
