How to Find IP Address of Domain Name in Linux

The host command in Linux is used to perform DNS lookups and translate domain names to IP addresses or vice versa. It’s a simple yet powerful tool for querying DNS records and troubleshooting network issues. Below are practical examples to master host:

Lookup the IP Address of a Domain

host example.com  

Resolves example.com to its IP address(es).

Reverse DNS Lookup (IP to Domain)

host 93.184.216.34  

Finds the domain name associated with the IP address 93.184.216.34.

More Read

How to Change Current Working Directory in Linux

How to Monitor Running Linux Processes

How to Print or View Contents of File in Linux

How to Search Text or String in Files on Linux

Query a Specific DNS Record Type

host -t MX example.com  

• -t MX: Queries the Mail Exchange (MX) records for example.com.

Query All DNS Records for a Domain

host -a example.com  

• -a: Displays all DNS records (A, MX, TXT, etc.) for example.com.

Use a Specific DNS Server

host example.com 8.8.8.8  

Queries the DNS server 8.8.8.8 (Google DNS) for example.com.

Check the TTL (Time to Live) of a DNS Record

host -v -t A example.com  

• -v: Verbose output, including TTL values.
• -t A: Queries the A record (IPv4 address).

Query the NS (Name Server) Records

host -t NS example.com  

Displays the authoritative name servers for example.com.

Query the TXT Records

host -t TXT example.com  

Displays TXT records (e.g., SPF, DKIM) for example.com.

Query the CNAME (Canonical Name) Record

host -t CNAME www.example.com  

Finds the canonical name for www.example.com.

Query the SOA (Start of Authority) Record

host -t SOA example.com  

Displays the SOA record, which contains administrative information about the domain.

Query the PTR (Pointer) Record

host -t PTR 34.216.184.93.in-addr.arpa  

Performs a reverse DNS lookup using the PTR record.

Display Verbose Output

host -v example.com  

• -v: Shows detailed information about the DNS query.

Query IPv6 Address (AAAA Record)

host -t AAAA example.com  

Displays the IPv6 address(es) for example.com.

Check the DNS Resolution Path

host -d example.com  

• -d: Debug mode, showing the steps taken to resolve the domain.

Query the SRV (Service) Record

host -t SRV _sip._tcp.example.com  

Finds the SRV record for a specific service (e.g., SIP over TCP).

Key Notes:

• DNS Record Types: Common types include A, AAAA, MX, NS, TXT, CNAME, and SOA.
• Verbose Mode: Use -v for detailed output, including TTL and additional records.
• Custom DNS Server: Specify a DNS server to bypass your default resolver.