codynet

DNS

Online NSLookup Tool

Free online nslookup tool. Run DNS queries for A, AAAA, CNAME, NS, and other records straight from your browser — same answers as the nslookup command, clean readable output.

Run NSLookup

Resolve common NSLookup record types using the shared DNS service.

Results come from deterministic DNS APIs or HTTPS RDAP endpoints.

Results

Run a lookup to see structured results here.

Practical guide

How to use the NSLookup tool

NSLookup is the lookup most administrators learn first because it ships with Windows and macOS. This page gives you the same workflow without a terminal: pick a record type, enter a name, and read the answer.

What this tool checks

NSLookup resolves the most common DNS record types — A (IPv4 address), AAAA (IPv6 address), CNAME (alias), and NS (nameserver) — and returns a clean answer that mirrors what you would see in a terminal. It is the fastest way to check whether a domain points where you think it points.

When to use it

Use NSLookup for the everyday cases: confirming a website points at the right IP, checking which nameservers a domain delegates to, verifying a CNAME points at a hosted service, or sharing a quick lookup result with a colleague. For deeper DNS troubleshooting — flags, response codes, TTLs, signatures — switch to the DIG tool.

How to read the result

An A record will show one or more IPv4 addresses, AAAA shows IPv6 addresses, CNAME shows the canonical (real) hostname an alias points to, and NS shows the list of authoritative nameservers for the domain. If a CNAME is present, every other record type for that name is effectively answered from the target name. NSLookup will follow the chain for you.

Common errors and what they mean

NXDOMAIN means the name does not exist — usually a typo or an unregistered domain. SERVFAIL means the resolver could not complete the query, often a DNSSEC problem on the authoritative side. An empty answer with no error means the name exists but has no record of the requested type — for example, looking up an AAAA record on an IPv4-only host.

Example NSLookup query

Example input
example.com (type: A, resolver: Cloudflare)
Example result
Name:    example.com
Address: 93.184.216.34

An A record is a name-to-IPv4 mapping. If you wanted the IPv6 equivalent, switch the record type to AAAA. The 'Non-authoritative answer' line you see in a terminal is omitted here for clarity.

Related tools

DIG Lookup

When you need the protocol-level detail nslookup hides.

Open tool

DNS Lookup

Broader record-type support including TXT, MX, CAA, SRV.

Open tool

Multi-Resolver Compare

Same query against Cloudflare, Google, Quad9, and OpenDNS side by side.

Open tool

Related guides

DNS Records Explained

Background on the A, AAAA, CNAME, and NS record types this lookup returns.

Read guide

NXDOMAIN vs SERVFAIL

When nslookup says 'non-existent domain' versus 'server failed', here is what each one actually means and how to fix it.

Read guide

FAQ

Why does nslookup show different results than dig?
nslookup is older and historically shipped with Windows; dig is the modern troubleshooting tool. They can return slightly different formats and may use different default resolvers. The actual DNS answer should be the same — if it is not, the two tools are talking to different resolvers. Use this NSLookup tool and the DIG tool against the same resolver to compare directly.
What does 'Non-authoritative answer' mean?
It means the answer came from a recursive resolver's cache, not directly from the domain's authoritative nameservers. This is normal and expected for almost every lookup you run. You only see authoritative answers when you query the nameservers themselves with a tool like dig.
How do I look up an MX record with nslookup?
On a desktop, you would run 'nslookup -type=MX example.com'. Here, switch the record type in the form to MX and submit. Switch to TXT for SPF, DKIM, and DMARC, or NS to list a domain's nameservers.
Why am I getting 'server can't find example.com: NXDOMAIN'?
NXDOMAIN is the DNS code for 'this name does not exist'. Check the spelling, including the TLD. If the name is correct, the domain may genuinely not be registered, or the authoritative nameservers may be broken. Read 'NXDOMAIN vs SERVFAIL' for the difference between the two most common DNS errors.
Can I use NSLookup to test a specific nameserver?
On the command line you would run 'nslookup example.com 8.8.8.8' to query Google's resolver. Here, use the resolver picker to choose Cloudflare, Google, Quad9, or OpenDNS. For testing one specific authoritative server (not a recursive resolver), use the DIG tool which exposes that level of control.

Last reviewed: 2026-05-20.