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Networking Fundamentals · Foundational

Name Server Lookup (nslookup)

A command-line tool on Windows, Linux and macOS for querying DNS servers.

Definition

nslookup can query specific record types and servers, which helps determine whether a name resolution problem lies with the client, the resolver or the authoritative server.

Example

nslookup -type=mx example.com 8.8.8.8 queries MX records using Google's resolver.

Exam tip

Use nslookup or dig when ping by IP works but by name fails.

Related terms