Linux nslookup Guide

Complete beginner-friendly guide to nslookup on Linux, covering Arch Linux, CachyOS, and other distributions including DNS queries, domain lookups, and network troubleshooting.

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Table of Contents

1. nslookup Installation
2. nslookup Basics
3. DNS Queries
4. Interactive Mode
5. Troubleshooting

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nslookup Installation

Install nslookup

Arch/CachyOS:

# Install bind-tools
sudo pacman -S bind

Debian/Ubuntu:

sudo apt install dnsutils

Fedora:

sudo dnf install bind-utils

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nslookup Basics

Lookup Domain

Basic usage:

# Lookup domain
nslookup example.com

# Shows DNS information

Query IP

IP lookup:

# Lookup IP
nslookup 8.8.8.8

# Reverse DNS lookup

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DNS Queries

Query Type

Specific type:

# Query MX records
nslookup -type=MX example.com

# Query AAAA records
nslookup -type=AAAA example.com

Custom DNS Server

Use server:

# Use specific DNS server
nslookup example.com 8.8.8.8

# Second argument = DNS server

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Interactive Mode

Start Interactive

Interactive mode:

# Start interactive
nslookup

# Then type commands:
# > example.com
# > set type=MX
# > example.com
# > exit

Interactive Commands

Commands:

# In nslookup:
# > set type=MX
# > example.com
# > server 8.8.8.8
# > example.com

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Troubleshooting

nslookup Not Found

Check installation:

# Check nslookup
which nslookup

# Install if missing
sudo pacman -S bind

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Summary

This guide covered nslookup usage, DNS queries, and network troubleshooting for Arch Linux, CachyOS, and other distributions.

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Next Steps

• dig Guide - Advanced DNS queries
• host Guide - DNS lookup
• DNS Servers - DNS server setup
• nslookup Documentation: man nslookup

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This guide covers Arch Linux, CachyOS, and other Linux distributions. For distribution-specific details, refer to your distribution's documentation.