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DNS Lookup: A, AAAA, MX, TXT, NS, SOA, CAA
Look up every DNS record for a domain in one go, with plain-English notes on mail setup (SPF, DMARC), IPv6 and CAA.
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Record types, briefly
- A / AAAA: the IPv4 and IPv6 addresses of the server that answers for the name.
- CNAME: an alias pointing to another name, common for www and for SaaS services.
- MX: the mail servers that receive email for the domain, lowest priority number first.
- NS: the nameservers that hold the domain’s records. They should match what the registrar has.
- TXT: free-form text, mostly used for SPF, DMARC and ownership verification (Google, Microsoft, Meta).
- SOA: the zone’s primary nameserver, admin contact, serial number and cache timers.
- CAA: which certificate authorities may issue SSL certificates for the domain.
The lookup queries each type separately, rather than asking for “ANY”, which most DNS servers no longer answer in full. We also query _dmarc so you can see the domain’s email policy next to its SPF record.
Frequently asked questions
- How long do DNS changes take to show up?
- As long as the old record's TTL (time to live). Resolvers that cached the old answer keep it until the TTL runs out, so a record with a 3600-second TTL can take up to an hour to update everywhere. Lower the TTL a day before a planned change, make the change, then raise it again. “Propagation takes 48 hours” is only true for very long TTLs or nameserver changes at the registry.
- Why can't I add a CNAME record at the root of my domain?
- A CNAME says “this name is an alias, look up that other name instead”, so it can't sit next to other records. The root of a domain (example.com) must have SOA and NS records, so a CNAME there is invalid. Many DNS hosts offer ALIAS, ANAME or CNAME flattening to get the same effect; it shows up here as ordinary A and AAAA records.
- What are SPF, DKIM and DMARC records?
- They are TXT records that protect a domain's email. SPF lists the servers allowed to send mail for the domain. DKIM publishes a key that receivers use to verify message signatures (it sits at a selector name like google._domainkey, so a lookup of the domain alone won't show it). DMARC, at _dmarc, tells receivers what to do when SPF and DKIM fail: nothing (p=none), spam folder (quarantine) or reject.