nslookup

NSLOOKUP is a command line tool used for querying the Domain Name System (DNS) to obtain information about domain names, IP addresses, and related information. It is commonly available on most operating systems.

The primary purpose of NSLOOKUP is to perform DNS lookups and troubleshoot DNS-related issues. It allows you to check the DNS records of a specific domain, such as A, AAAA, MX, NS, PTR, SOA, and TXT records.

With NSLOOKUP, you can retrieve the IP address associated with a domain name or vice versa. The tool also provides the ability to perform reverse DNS lookups to obtain the domain name associated with a given IP address.

It offers options to set the DNS server to use for the lookup, which enables you to check the records on different DNS servers. This can be helpful in diagnosing DNS configuration problems.

NSLOOKUP provides additional commands to view a complete list of DNS records for a domain, trace the route to a specific DNS server, and perform iterative queries to identify the DNS servers responsible for a domain.

The tool allows you to perform debug and troubleshooting tasks by enabling you to test the connectivity and response time of DNS servers. It can help identify DNS resolution issues, such as incorrect DNS server IP addresses or misconfigurations.

NSLOOKUP also provides a built-in interactive mode, where you can enter commands directly without launching the tool multiple times. This mode can streamline the DNS query process and allows you to perform consecutive queries efficiently.

Overall, NSLOOKUP is a versatile command line tool that offers many features to analyze and troubleshoot DNS-related problems. It is widely used by system administrators, network engineers, and developers to ensure proper DNS functionality and resolve domain name resolution issues.