Is there a difference between a name server lookup and a domain name lookup?
Is there a difference between a name server lookup and a domain name lookup?
A Name Server lookup retrieves the IP address associated with a Domain Name.
A Domain Name lookup (also called whois) retrieves the domain registration data (the domain owner details).
How do I perform a Name Server Lookup?
Online using a variety of name server lookup services
On Windows use nslookup
On Unix use dig.
Example output (http://ping.eu/nslookup/):
Example Output (Windows nslookup):
F:\test>nslookup redhat.com
Server: UnKnown
Address: 192.168.42.129
Non-authoritative answer:
Name: redhat.com
Addresses: 64:ff9b::d184:b769
209.132.183.105
Example Output (Linux dig):
$ dig redhat.com +nocomments +noquestion +noauthority +noadditional +nostats
; <<>> DiG 9.7.3-RedHat-9.7.3-2.el6 <<>> redhat.com +nocomments +noquestion +noauthority +noadditional +nostats
;; global options: +cmd
redhat.com. 9 IN A 209.132.183.81
How do I perform a Domain Name Lookup?
Online using a variety of domain name lookup services.
On Unix use whois.
Example Output (https://whois.domaintools.com/google.com):
Domain Name: google.com
Registry Domain ID: 2138514_DOMAIN_COM-VRSN
Registrar WHOIS Server: whois.markmonitor.com
Registrar URL: http://www.markmonitor.com
Updated Date: 2015-06-12T10:38:52-0700
Creation Date: 1997-09-15T00:00:00-0700
Registrar Registration Expiration Date: 2020-09-13T21:00:00-0700
Registrar: MarkMonitor, Inc.
Registrar IANA ID: 292
Registrar Abuse Contact Email:
Registrar Abuse Contact Phone: +1.2083895740
Domain Status: clientUpdateProhibited (https://www.icann.org/epp#clientUpdateProhibited)
Domain Status: clientTransferProhibited (https://www.icann.org/epp#clientTransferProhibited)
Domain Status: clientDeleteProhibited (https://www.icann.org/epp#clientDeleteProhibited)
Domain Status: serverUpdateProhibited (https://www.icann.org/epp#serverUpdateProhibited)
Domain Status: serverTransferProhibited (https://www.icann.org/epp#serverTransferProhibited)
Domain Status: serverDeleteProhibited (https://www.icann.org/epp#serverDeleteProhibited)
Registry Registrant ID:
Registrant Name: Dns Admin
Registrant Organization: Google Inc.
Registrant Street: Please contact , 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway
Registrant City: Mountain View
Registrant State/Province: CA
Registrant Postal Code: 94043
Registrant Country: US
Registrant Phone: +1.6502530000
Registrant Phone Ext:
Registrant Fax: +1.6506188571
Registrant Fax Ext:
Registrant Email:
Registry Admin ID:
Admin Name: DNS Admin
Admin Organization: Google Inc.
Admin Street: 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway
Admin City: Mountain View
Admin State/Province: CA
Admin Postal Code: 94043
Admin Country: US
Admin Phone: +1.6506234000
Admin Phone Ext:
Admin Fax: +1.6506188571
Admin Fax Ext:
Admin Email:
Registry Tech ID:
Tech Name: DNS Admin
Tech Organization: Google Inc.
Tech Street: 2400 E. Bayshore Pkwy
Tech City: Mountain View
Tech State/Province: CA
Tech Postal Code: 94043
Tech Country: US
Tech Phone: +1.6503300100
Tech Phone Ext:
Tech Fax: +1.6506181499
Tech Fax Ext:
Tech Email:
Name Server: ns1.google.com
Name Server: ns2.google.com
Name Server: ns4.google.com
Name Server: ns3.google.com
DNSSEC: unsigned
URL of the ICANN WHOIS Data Problem Reporting System: http://wdprs.internic.net/
Source https://whois.domaintools.com/google.com
Example Output (Linux whois):
$ whois google.com
Registrant:
Dns Admin
Google Inc.
Please contact [email protected] 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway
Mountain View CA 94043
US
[email protected] +1.6502530000 Fax: +1.6506188571
Domain Name: google.com
Registrar Name: Markmonitor.com
Registrar Whois: whois.markmonitor.com
Registrar Homepage: http://www.markmonitor.com
Administrative Contact:
DNS Admin
Google Inc.
1600 Amphitheatre Parkway
Mountain View CA 94043
US
[email protected] +1.6506234000 Fax: +1.6506188571
Technical Contact, Zone Contact:
DNS Admin
Google Inc.
2400 E. Bayshore Pkwy
Mountain View CA 94043
US
[email protected] +1.6503300100 Fax: +1.6506181499
Created on..............: 1997-09-15.
Expires on..............: 2011-09-13.
Record last updated on..: 2010-03-30.
Further Reading
- How do I find the authoritative name-server for a domain name?
- Domain Name System
- 10 Linux DIG Command Examples for DNS Lookup
- nslookup - Lookup IP addresses on a NameServer.
domain name lookup can be responded by a cache (i.e. on localhost or by your provider). A name server lookup goes directly to the nameserver, thus bypasses caches between you and the name server.