DNS trace (dig + trace)

Using DNS trace, you can troubleshoot your DNS. You can use it on Linux OS, Mac OS and even on Windows (using Cygwin). You will trace the route of a DNS query. If there is a problem, you will see exactly where it is.

$ dig +trace www.cloudns.net

(you can write your website)

First, you request a webpage, for example, www.cloudns.net.

The query gets to the root name server for it.

This name server will show you the TLD authoritative server.

Your recursive resolver queries the .com TLD authoritative server for www.cloudns.net.

The .com TLD authoritative server refers your recursive server to the authoritative servers for cloudns.net.

Your recursive resolver queries the authoritative servers for www.cloudns.net and receives the IP as the answer.

Your recursive resolver caches the answer for the duration of the time-to-live (TTL) specified on the record and returns it to you.

This is how domain resolution works. You can get valuable information about the speed and accuracy of the answer.

Additionally, DNS trace is invaluable for diagnosing and understanding DNS propagation issues. It helps identify delays in DNS updates or misconfigurations across different levels of the DNS hierarchy. By understanding the path a DNS query takes, administrators can pinpoint issues more efficiently and ensure that DNS records are correctly resolved. Additionally, DNS trace is an excellent educational tool for those learning about the complexities of internet addressing and domain name resolution.

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Online Ping

Online Ping is a DNS tool that administrator use for checking the connectivity and the speed. Using this command, you send a small data packet to a particular IP address. Then wait to get a feedback packet. You can also use it to ping a name resolution. If you get an answer when you do a ping to an IP but not when you do it to a name, then the two don’t match.

ping www.cloudns.net

Beyond checking connectivity and speed, Online Ping can be used to monitor the availability and response time of a server or network device continuously. This is crucial for maintaining high uptime for critical services and websites. Regular ping tests can alert administrators to network congestion, latency issues, or outages that may affect user experience. It’s a simple yet powerful tool for ensuring that network paths are optimal and services remain accessible.

What is ICMP Ping monitoring?

Traceroute

Tracing the route is similar to the ping. Using this DNS tool, you send a packet of data to an internet host, and it gives you back a result for every hop your query makes in seconds. If your website has a slow response, using this tool you can see where exactly it is the problem.

Try our Free DNS tool! 

traceroute www.cloudns.net

Traceroute not only helps in identifying where problems lie in the network path but also in understanding network infrastructure and performance. By showing the route data packets take to reach their destination, traceroute can reveal unexpected routing behavior or bottlenecks. This insight is useful for network optimization and planning, as well as for security purposes to detect any unauthorized or suspicious network paths.

DNS lookup (nslookup)

You can use this tool on different Operating systems for making DNS queries to get to an IP address or for specific DNS records. You can use it to see if you have any problems with any kind of DNS record that you are using.

nslookup www.cloudns.net

In addition to querying IP addresses or specific DNS records, nslookup is also useful for verifying and troubleshooting DNS configurations and propagation status. This tool can help ensure that your DNS settings are correctly implemented and propagated across the internet, which is critical for website accessibility and performance. It’s also beneficial for security analysis, allowing administrators to check for DNS-based threats or misconfigurations.

10 most used nslookup commands

Reverse DNS lookup

It does what it says, here you start with an IP address and you can find the domain name. This process uses PTR records that show exactly that. You can use it for troubleshooting.

dig -x 136.243.33.126

Reverse DNS lookup is not only crucial for troubleshooting but also plays a significant role in network security and anti-spam efforts. By verifying the domain name associated with an IP address, administrators can identify potential sources of spam or malicious activity. Furthermore, reverse DNS lookups are used in email authentication processes to reduce spam by verifying that the IP address sending the email matches the domain from which it claims to come.

Read more for the Reverse DNS and PTR records in our article: rDNS explained in detail

Conclusion

In conclusion, mastering the use of essential DNS tools like DNS trace, Ping, Traceroute, Nslookup, and Reverse lookup is paramount for network administrators and troubleshooters. These tools offer invaluable insights into diagnosing connectivity issues, optimizing network performance, and ensuring the smooth operation of online services. By harnessing their capabilities effectively, administrators can navigate the complexities of DNS management with confidence, ultimately leading to a more stable and reliable networking environment.

The post Тools – DNS trace, Ping, Traceroute, Nslookup, Reverse lookup appeared first on ClouDNS Blog.

However, like every other IT problem, DNS issues can be resolved. You just have to know the right tools and commands. In this blog post, we’ll delve into some of these essential DNS troubleshooting tools and commands that every network administrator ought to arm themselves with.

Common DNS Issues 

Before we dive into the tools and commands, let’s understand the most common DNS issues that most administrators often encounter:

1. DNS Downtime: This occurs when DNS servers that translate domain names are temporarily unavailable.
2. Incorrect DNS Configuration: This involves errors in the setup of DNS settings which may lead to problems accessing certain websites or the internet.
3. DNS Cache Poisoning: Also known as DNS Spoofing, it refers to fraudulent entries in the DNS cache, causing traffic to be directed to the wrong place.
4. DNS Propagation Delays: This happens when you make changes to your DNS records and they are not immediately effective due to the time taken to update network servers around the globe.

Now that we have a basic understanding of common DNS issues, let’s explore the essential DNS troubleshooting commands that can help you diagnose and resolve these problems.

DNS Troubleshooting Tools

There are plenty of tools that you can use. The tools can be specific for Linux, Windows, or Mac OS, or they can be browser-based. Most of the tools that we will show you overlaps in functionality, and it will be your decision which one you would use in the future.

Check if the problem is not just in your device

Before you start with the DNS troubleshooting, check if the problem is only local. If you are trying to access your website, but you are getting this message “DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN” the problem might be in your device. We recently wrote a way to fix it. Go and read the article. 

Dig command

The ‘dig’ command, which stands for ‘Domain Information Groper,’ is a handy command-line tool used in the DNS name resolution process. It sends a DNS query to a specified DNS server and gets a response. It’s a useful tool for finding DNS-related issues. 

With this command you can see all the DNS records. You can use it on Linux and Mac OS, but you can search for a port for Windows too. A typical dig command will show you an Authority Section. You can see if the DNS is pointing correctly.

Use it with +trace in dig +trace combination “dig +trace YOURDOMAIN” to see the whole route of your query. This way you can locate the exact problem.

ClouDNS Free DNS tool

ClouDNS brings to you a valuable Free DNS tool that has transformative capabilities to enhance your DNS troubleshooting tactics. With this tool, you can inspect the DNS records for a specific host and assess the speed of DNS queries. Aside from these, you can also create a comprehensive audit, a feature that helps in in-depth analysis and identification of problematic areas.

Designed to facilitate the work of their customers, the ClouDNS Free DNS tool is user-friendly and accessible, making DNS troubleshooting a breeze even for beginners in the field. All you need to do is enter your domain and host into the tool, select the tool type as “DNS Records”, and choose ‘Google’ as your DNS resolver, then hit ‘CHECK’. 

What’s more, this powerhouse tool is free of cost, making it a stellar choice for efficient network management. The value it provides, particularly in terms of insight into DNS records and query speed, can go a long way in troubleshooting DNS-related problems swiftly and effectively.

Traceroute

The ‘traceroute’ command enables you to track the pathway that a packet takes from the host to the destination server. As the name suggests, this will be ideal for checking the entire route of a DNS query. You can use it on Windows as Tracert, Linux and Mac OS as traceroute. You can try it with a domain or IP address, and you will see a result with all the hops and response time.

NSLookup

‘NSLookup‘ stands for ‘Name Server Lookup’. This command-line tool is used for obtaining information about DNS settings. It allows users to enter a host name and find out the corresponding IP address, or vice versa.

This command lets you check any type of DNS record. You can use it to see all the available DNS records, or you can look for a specific type like – A, AAAA, SOA, MX, PTR, NS, etc. You can use it to troubleshoot a domain using a particular port too. 

Host command

‘Host’ command is very similar to the NSLookup but available only on Linux. You have to write the commands in the Terminal, and you can see the different types of DNS records.

One thing that you can troubleshoot if you have problems with your emails are the TXT records. You can see if there is a SPF record. It is a TXT record that prevents spoofing and stops your outgoing emails from going directly into the spam folder.

Generate SPF record for free!

Conclusion

There are plenty of useful tools that you can use for DNS troubleshooting. Try all of these and find the right one for you and your problem. Many overlaps in functionality, but have some small differences that can help you in a specific case.

As you saw, there are utilities for every operating system so that you can find the problem easily. After you see where the problem is, it is easy to fix it.  

The post DNS Troubleshooting – tools and commands appeared first on ClouDNS Blog.