host

Linux · Network · reference only

What it does

Makes simple DNS queries: it resolves a name to its IP address, or an IP to its name, and queries other record types.

Syntax

host [opciones] nombre [servidor]

Options and parameters

• -t tipo

  Record type: A, AAAA, MX, NS, TXT, CNAME...

• -a

  Requests all available information, equivalent to -v -t ANY.

• -v

  Verbose output, in the format of the DNS response.

• -W segundos

  Wait time for the response.

• -4

  Uses only IPv4 to talk to the DNS server.

• -6

  Uses only IPv6 to talk to the DNS server.

Usage examples

• host example.com

  Shows the IP addresses of example.com.

• host -t mx example.com

  Shows the domain's mail servers.

• host 8.8.8.8

  Does a reverse lookup: gets the name of the address.

• host example.com 1.1.1.1

  Queries using the 1.1.1.1 DNS server instead of the configured one.

Notes and common mistakes

• It is part of the bind9-host package, which may not be installed on minimal systems.
• For more advanced queries, dig is used.

Related commands

• curl
• dig
• dnsdomainname
• hostname
• ip
• netstat