DIG (Domain Information Groper)

is a tool used primarily for querying Domain Name System (DNS) servers. It is widely used by network administrators and users to debug DNS-related issues. By querying DNS servers directly, DIG helps diagnose problems such as incorrect DNS configurations, DNS resolution failures, or discrepancies in DNS records by providing detailed output, including query time, authoritative DNS server information, TTL (time to live) values, and flags related to the DNS response, allowing for in-depth analysis of DNS interactions.

Perform a DIG using macOS or Linux Terminal

A DIG can be performed on a Mac or Linux machine without any additional third-party software or by using a website that can perform a DIG without knowledge of terminal commands.

Open Terminal:
Go to `Applications` > `Utilities` > `Terminal`, or use Spotlight (Cmd + Space) and type "Terminal" to open it.
Run `dig` Command:
In the Terminal window, type `dig` followed by the domain name you want to query and optionally the type of DNS record. For example, to query the CNAME record for `example.com`, type
```
dig example.com CNAME
```
If you want to query other types of records, replace `CNAME` with the desired record type (e.g., MX for mail exchange, NS for name servers, TXT for text records)
Review Results:
After entering the command, Terminal will display the results of the DNS query. This typically includes information such as the queried domain's IP address, authoritative DNS servers, TTL (time to live) values, and other DNS-related details. If the CNAME or A Records that appear in the results do not match the records in your DNS configuration you will need to make modifications in your DNS configuration or contact your DNS provider for additional support.

Perform a DIG using an external DNS lookup tool

An Alternative to using the Terminal in macOS or Linux, or If you are using a Windows machine and do not want to install a third-party utility to perform a DIG, you can use a third-party DNS lookup tool.

GOOGLE DIG (DOMAIN INFORMATION GROPER)

Updating DNS configurations is not always immediate. Depending on the DNS provider, it can take anywhere from a few minutes to several hours for the changes to propagate across DNS servers on the internet. To check if the changes have started propagating, you can use this simple DIG tool by following these steps:

Enter the domain name (URL) in the name field without the https://
Select CNAME or A Record.
Review the results and confirm they match the provided CNAME and A Records.

DNS CHECKER

DNS Checker is another service that offers a free DNS propagation check. It allows you to verify Domain Name System records against a selected list of DNS servers in multiple regions worldwide. You can quickly perform a DNS propagation lookup for any hostname or domain and check the DNS data collected from all available DNS servers to confirm that the DNS records are fully propagated.

Enter the domain name (URL) in the example.com field.
Select CNAME or A Record (Based on the record created in your DNS configuration) from the drop down list.
Click Search.
A list of DNS servers will appear. A Red X indicates no record found, while a green checkmark indicates the record was found. Review the results and confirm they match the provided CNAME and A Records.

NSLOOKUP (Name Server Lookup)

NSLOOKUP is a tool used primarily for querying Domain Name System (DNS) servers to obtain DNS-related information. The primary function of `nslookup` is to resolve domain names to IP addresses which helps determine the IP address associated with a domain name or find the domain name associated with an IP address. It is also a valuable for diagnosing network connectivity issues related to DNS. It can help determine if DNS resolution is working correctly or if there are issues with DNS servers or configurations. It can also be used to verify DNS servers, and Check DNSSEC signatures for domain names.

To perform an NSLOOKUP on Windows, follow these steps:

Open Command Prompt:
- Press `Win + R` to open the Run dialog box.
- Type `cmd` and press Enter to open Command Prompt.
Run `nslookup` Command:
- In the Command Prompt window, type `nslookup` followed by the domain name or IP address you want to look up. For example, to look up the IP address of `example.com`, type:
```
nslookup example.com
```
Review Results:
After entering the command, Command Prompt will display the results of the DNS lookup. This includes the IP address associated with the domain name, or the domain name associated with the IP address in case of a reverse lookup. It also provides information about the DNS server that responded to the query. If requested, for troubleshooting purposes, please provide the results to EBSCO.

To Perform an NSLOOKUP using macOS or Linux Terminal

An NSLOOKUP can be performed on a Mac or Linux machine without any additional third-party software or by using a website that can perform a DIG without knowledge of terminal commands.

Open Terminal:
Go to `Applications` > `Utilities` > `Terminal`, or use Spotlight (Cmd + Space) and type "Terminal" to open it.
Run `nslookup` Command:
In the Terminal window, type `nslookup` followed by the domain name you want to query.
```
nslookup example.com 
```
Review Results:
After entering the command, Terminal will display the results of the DNS lookup. This includes the IP address associated with the domain name, or the domain name associated with the IP address in case of a reverse lookup. It also provides information about the DNS server that responded to the query. If requested, for troubleshooting purposes, please provide the results to EBSCO.