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nslookup on Linux: DNS Lookup for A, AAAA and MX Records

· dinesh
nslookup linux - custom-nslookup-featured.png

nslookup on Linux remains a top search for quick DNS checks — even as dig is preferred on many teams. It is interactive, installed via dnsutils, and fine for “does this name resolve?” before you edit resolvers.

Deeper DNS: dig troubleshooting,
nmcli & netplan,
connectivity fixes.

Simple lookup

Forward lookup returns A/AAAA answers from your current resolver.

bashlookup
nslookup www.example.com
nslookup
A record

Choose a resolver

Test against public DNS to isolate local cache issues.

bashexplicit server
nslookup www.example.com 1.1.1.1
server
1.1.1.1

Record types

MX for mail, TXT for verification records — interactive set type= works.

bashdig often clearer
dig +short MX example.com
dig +short TXT example.com
MX
TXT

When it fails

Compare /etc/resolv.conf or resolved status with what you expect.

TipFor scripting, prefer dig +short or getent hosts — easier to parse than nslookup output.
NXDOMAIN
fix

Quick Reference

  • Quick: nslookup hostname
  • Resolver: nslookup host 1.1.1.1
  • Scripts: consider dig +short

Related tutorials

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