How to use the DNS Lookup
- Enter a domain name (e.g.
example.com) — a full URL works too, we strip the path. Enter an IPv4 address to run a reverse (PTR) lookup. - Tick the record types you need. A, AAAA, CNAME, MX, TXT, NS, SOA and CAA are selected by default.
- Press Look up DNS (or Ctrl+Enter). Records are grouped by type with their TTL; MX records are sorted by priority.
- Check the Email authentication panel for SPF and DMARC problems, then copy the results or share the URL (
?domain=).
What is a DNS lookup?
The Domain Name System translates names like example.com into the IP addresses and settings computers need. A DNS lookup asks a resolver for a domain’s records — the same thing dig or nslookup do on the command line. This tool queries Cloudflare’s public resolver (1.1.1.1) over HTTPS, so you see what the public internet sees rather than your local cache.
DNS record types explained
| Type | Purpose | Example value |
|---|---|---|
| A | IPv4 address of the host | 93.184.215.14 |
| AAAA | IPv6 address | 2606:2800:21f:cb07::1 |
| CNAME | Alias to another hostname | proxy-ssl.webflow.com. |
| MX | Mail servers, lowest priority number first | 10 mx1.mail.example. |
| TXT | Free text: SPF, DKIM, DMARC, site verification | v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com ~all |
| NS | Authoritative name servers for the zone | ns1.example-dns.com. |
| SOA | Zone metadata: primary NS, admin, serial, timers | ns1. hostmaster. 2026102501 … |
| CAA | Which certificate authorities may issue SSL certificates | 0 issue "letsencrypt.org" |
What does TTL mean?
The TTL (time to live) is how many seconds resolvers may cache a record. A TTL of 3600 means changes can take up to an hour to reach everyone. Before migrating a site — for example pointing a domain to Webflow, Vercel or a new host — lower the TTL to 300 a day in advance, make the change, then raise it again.
SPF and DMARC: why they matter
SPF is a TXT record listing which servers may send mail for your domain; it must start with v=spf1, there must be only one, and evaluating it may need at most 10 DNS lookups (include, a, mx, redirect…). It should end in ~all (soft fail) or -all (fail) — never +all. DMARC lives at _dmarc.yourdomain and tells receivers what to do when SPF/DKIM fail: p=none (monitor), p=quarantine or p=reject. Since 2024 Gmail and Yahoo require SPF, DKIM and DMARC for bulk senders, so the summary above flags missing or weak policies.
Common DNS problems
- CNAME at the root: a bare domain can’t have a CNAME next to its NS/SOA records — use your DNS provider’s ALIAS/ANAME/flattening, or A records.
- Two SPF records: merge them into one, or both become invalid (permerror).
- Old records after a migration: stale A records or a leftover AAAA record can send part of your traffic to the old server. Then check the certificate with the SSL Checker.
Tools that pair well with the DNS Lookup
- Website Down Checker — Find out in seconds whether a website is down for everyone or just for you — with status code, response time and troubleshooting tips.
- What Is My IP — Your public IP address and everything your browser reveals to the websites you visit — user agent, screen, language, timezone and request headers.
- Redirect Checker — Follow a URL hop by hop to see every redirect, its status code and timing, and check that the http, https, www and non-www versions of your domain all end at one canonical address.
- HTTP Header Checker — Fetch any URL and see exactly what the server sends back — status code, redirect chain and every response header, with a plain-English explanation of the ones that matter for SEO, caching and security.
Frequently asked questions
Why don’t I see my new DNS records yet?
How do I do a reverse DNS (PTR) lookup?
in-addr.arpa form and returns the PTR hostname, which is useful for verifying crawlers like Googlebot.What is the difference between ~all and -all in SPF?
~all (soft fail) asks receivers to accept but mark mail from unlisted servers; -all (hard fail) asks them to reject it. With DMARC in place either works; +all lets anyone send as you and should never be used.