← ACARA Digital Technologies Years 9–10

The nslookup command

A command that asks a DNS server for the IP address that matches a domain name. The reply shows which DNS server answered and the Address line with the site's IP.

Part of: ACARA Digital Technologies Years 9–10 — Networked Systems and Access Control — Module 34, WA Computer Science ATAR Year 11 — Network Communications — Module 73

Understanding The nslookup command in ACARA Digital Technologies Years 9–10

What it does: nslookup plus the domain name is the command that asks a DNS server for the matching IP address. The Server line near the top of the nslookup reply tells you which DNS server answered your question. If nslookup fails to find an address, the problem could be with DNS. nslookup only reads information. It does not change anything.

Common mistakes: The Address line under Server is the DNS server's IPv4 address. An IPv4 number can't be above 255, so 8.8.8.256 is invalid. It should be 8.8.8.8. The Name line repeats the domain that was looked up. We asked about bbc.co.uk, so the reply should say bbc.co.uk, not bbc.com.

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Free printable worksheet with full answer key — or add this module to a class and your students practise it interactively.

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This module's key terms are also in a printable crossword (Modules 12–34) and word search (Modules 12–55).

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Learning
Duo
Which command asks a DNS server for the IP address of example.com?
nslookup example.comnslookup 93.184.216.34 example.com
Matches
nslookup 93.184.216.34
↓
This gives an IP address, but the command should be given a domain name like example.com so the DNS server can find the matching IP address.
Applying
Meanings
Term
nslookup example.com
Meaning
A command that asks a DNS server for the IP address that matches a domain name. The reply shows which DNS server answered and the Address line with the site's IP.
Practice
nslookup example.com
Testing
Gaps
example.com
Check Answer
Spots
2Server: dns.google
3Address: 8.8.8.256

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Quick Questions

1. Which command asks a DNS server for the IP address of example.com?
A. nslookup example.com ✓
B. nslookup 93.184.216.34 example.com
nslookup is followed by the domain name you want to look up. The DNS server replies with the matching IP address.
2. What does nslookup example.com do?
A. Asks a DNS server for the IP address that matches the domain name ✓
B. Sends your password to the website example.com
nslookup is a lookup tool. It turns a domain name into an IP address by asking a DNS server.
3. In the nslookup reply, where do you find the website's IP address?
A. In the very first word of the command you typed
B. On the Address line listed under the domain Name ✓
You typed the domain name. The IP address is the answer, and it appears on the Address line that comes after Name.
4. The first Server and Address lines in an nslookup reply show:
A. The server that hosts the website's pages
B. Which DNS server answered your question ✓
The top lines name the DNS server that replied. The Address line after the domain Name is the website's IP address.
5. You run nslookup example.com. Which part of the reply is the answer to your lookup?
A. The Address line below Name: example.com ✓
B. The Address line next to Server at the top
The Address next to Server is the DNS server's own address. The Address below the Name is the site's IP.

Match the Pairs

nslookup example.com → Asks a DNS server for the IP address that matches the domain name example.com
Address: 93.184.216.34 → The line in the nslookup reply that shows the IP address of the website you asked about
Look up the IP address for a website called example.com using a DNS server → nslookup example.com
The reply starts with the DNS server that answered, showing its name and its own address → Server: dns.google
nslookup 93.184.216.34 → This gives an IP address, but the command should be given a domain name like example.com so the DNS server can find the matching IP address.
Server: 93.184.216.34 (this is the address of example.com) → The Server line shows the DNS server that answered, not the website. The website's IP is on the Address line after the Name line.

Key Term

nslookup example.com
A command that asks a DNS server for the IP address that matches a domain name. The reply shows which DNS server answered and the Address line with the site's IP.

Fill in the Blanks

1. nslookup example.com
Hint: Type the command name that asks a DNS server for the IP address of a domain.
2. nslookup example.com
Hint: Type the domain name that the command should look up, using the example site from this module.
3. Name: example.com Address: 93.184.216.34
Hint: Type the label on the reply line that shows the website's IP address.
4. Server: dns.google Address: 8.8.8.8
Hint: Type the label on the first reply line, which names the DNS server that answered.
5. > nslookup wikipedia.org Name: wikipedia.org
Hint: Type the command that turns this domain name into an IP address by asking DNS.

Spot the Error

Question 1
A > nslookup example.com
B Server: dns.google
C Address: 8.8.8.256
D Name: example.com
E Address: 93.184.216.34
Line C — The Address line under Server is the DNS server's IPv4 address. An IPv4 number can't be above 255, so 8.8.8.256 is invalid. It should be 8.8.8.8.
Question 2
A > nslookup bbc.co.uk
B Server: 192.168.1.1
C Name: bbc.com
D Address: 151.101.0.81
Line C — The Name line repeats the domain that was looked up. We asked about bbc.co.uk, so the reply should say bbc.co.uk, not bbc.com.
Question 3
A > nslookup https://example.com
B Server: dns.google
C Address: 8.8.8.8
D Name: example.com
E Address: 93.184.216.34
Line A — nslookup needs only the domain name, not a full URL. Remove the https:// and type: nslookup example.com.
Question 4
A > nslookup abc.net.au
B Server: abc.net.au
C Address: 8.8.8.8
D Name: abc.net.au
E Address: 13.224.1.10
Line B — The Server line shows which DNS server answered, not the site we looked up. It should show the DNS server's name, such as dns.google.
Question 5
A > ping google.com
B Server: dns.google
C Address: 8.8.8.8
D Name: google.com
E Address: 142.250.70.14
Line A — ping checks whether a device replies. It doesn't ask a DNS server for an address. The command should be nslookup google.com.

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