DNS Records: The Web's Phonebook (And How to Read It)

Nothing ruins your morning like hearing "the website's down" - only to discover it's just a DNS issue. I've spent more hours than I'd like to admit chasing DNS problems. Here's what I wish someone had told me when I started.

Quick check: Our DNS lookup tool shows you exactly what the internet sees when it looks up your domain. No fluff, just records.

DNS Basics for the Frustrated

DNS converts human-friendly names (like networkwhois.com) to computer-friendly numbers (IP addresses). When it breaks, everything breaks. Here's what matters:

A Records: Point your domain to an IP address
MX Records: Tell the world where your email lives
TXT Records: The "notes section" of DNS (used for verification, SPF, etc.)
NS Records: Say which servers are in charge of your domain
CNAME: Makes one domain an alias for another

A Real-World Example

example.com. 300 IN A 192.0.2.1
example.com. 3600 IN MX 10 mail.example.com.
example.com. 300 IN TXT "v=spf1 include:_spf.example.com ~all"

This shows a basic setup: website at 192.0.2.1, email handled by mail.example.com, and SPF records for email security.

Why DNS Lookups Save Your Sanity

Here's when I reach for our DNS tool:

1. "The Website's Down!" (But Is It Really?)

Before panicking:

Check if the A record points to the right IP
Verify TTL (time-to-live) isn't crazy long (300-3600 is normal)
Look for weird CNAME chains that might break things

Gotcha: DNS changes take time to propagate. That 48-hour warning isn't just for show.

2. Email Delivery Problems

When emails bounce or get marked as spam:

MX records must point to valid mail servers
TXT records should include SPF/DKIM/DMARC
Check for unexpected CNAMEs on your root domain (most mail systems hate these)

3. Suspicious Activity

Found unexpected traffic from your domain? DNS lookups help:

Spot unauthorized subdomains (common in phishing attacks)
Detect DNS hijacking if NS records changed unexpectedly
Find old test records that might expose internal systems

Domain Details That Actually Matter

Registration Dates Explained

Created: When the domain was first registered
Updated: Last time WHOIS info changed (not always meaningful)
Expiry: Drop-dead date before it becomes available

Registrar: Who currently manages the domain (where you'd renew it)

These dates help with:

Troubleshooting: Recently updated domains often have propagation issues
Security: Very old "updated" dates might suggest abandoned domains
Acquisitions: Expiry dates tell you when a domain might become available

Common DNS Records Decoded

Record Type	What It Does	What to Watch For
A / AAAA	IPv4 and IPv6 addresses	Wrong IPs, missing records, long TTLs during changes
MX	Mail server locations	Priority numbers (lower = higher priority), missing backups
TXT	Verification and security	SPF records too strict (~all vs -all), missing DKIM
CNAME	Domain aliases	Chains that loop or point to non-existent domains
NS	Nameserver authorities	Unauthorized changes, outdated providers
SOA	Zone authority info	Serial numbers that never update (indicates broken DNS)

Pro Tips From the Trenches

After fixing thousands of DNS issues, here's my hard-earned advice:

1. TTL Matters: Lower it to 300 before making changes, then raise it back after.

2. Check From Multiple Locations: Use our tool from different networks to spot propagation issues.

3. Root Domain CNAMEs Break Email: Almost every mail system requires the root domain to have A records, not CNAMEs.

4. Expiry Dates Sneak Up: Set calendar reminders 30 days before domain expiration.

Try It With Your Domain

The best way to learn is hands-on:

Look up your own domain in our tool
Verify all records are correct and current
Check expiry dates so you don't get surprised
Test a competitor's domain to see their setup

Look Up DNS Records Now

Hit me up if you find weird records you can't explain. After 15 years in this game, I've seen some bizarre setups.