HOST linux command manual
HOST(1) HOST(1)
NAME
host - DNS lookup utility
SYNOPSIS
host [ -aCdlnrTwv ] [ -c class ] [ -N ndots ] [ -R number ] [ -t
type ] [ -W wait ] name [ server ]
DESCRIPTION
host is a simple utility for performing DNS lookups. It is normally
used to convert names to IP addresses and vice versa. When no argu-
ments or options are given, host prints a short summary of its command
line arguments and options.
name is the domain name that is to be looked up. It can also be a dot-
ted-decimal IPv4 address or a colon-delimited IPv6 address, in which
case host will by default perform a reverse lookup for that address.
server is an optional argument which is either the name or IP address
of the name server that host should query instead of the server or
servers listed in /etc/resolv.conf.
The -a (all) option is equivalent to setting the -v option and asking
host to make a query of type ANY.
When the -C option is used, host will attempt to display the SOA
records for zone name from all the listed authoritative name servers
for that zone. The list of name servers is defined by the NS records
that are found for the zone.
The -c option instructs to make a DNS query of class class. This can
be used to lookup Hesiod or Chaosnet class resource records. The
default class is IN (Internet).
Verbose output is generated by host when the -d or -v option is used.
The two options are equivalent. They have been provided for backwards
compatibility. In previous versions, the -d option switched on debug-
ging traces and -v enabled verbose output.
List mode is selected by the -l option. This makes host perform a zone
transfer for zone name. The argument is provided for compatibility
with older implementations. This option is equivalent to making a
query of type AXFR.
The -n option specifies that reverse lookups of IPv6 addresses should
use the IP6.INT domain and "nibble" labels as defined in RFC1886. The
default is to use IP6.ARPA and binary labels as defined in RFC2874.
The -N option sets the number of dots that have to be in name for it
to be considered absolute. The default value is that defined using the
ndots statement in /etc/resolv.conf, or 1 if no ndots statement is
present. Names with fewer dots are interpreted as relative names and
will be searched for in the domains listed in the search or domain
directive in /etc/resolv.conf.
The number of UDP retries for a lookup can be changed with the -R
option. number indicates how many times host will repeat a query that
does not get answered. The default number of retries is 1. If number
is negative or zero, the number of retries will default to 1.
Non-recursive queries can be made via the -r option. Setting this
option clears the RD -- recursion desired -- bit in the query which host
makes. This should mean that the name server receiving the query will
not attempt to resolve name. The -r option enables host to mimic the
behaviour of a name server by making non-recursive queries and expect-
ing to receive answers to those queries that are usually referrals to
other name servers.
By default host uses UDP when making queries. The -T option makes it
use a TCP connection when querying the name server. TCP will be auto-
matically selected for queries that require it, such as zone transfer
(AXFR) requests.
The -t option is used to select the query type. type can be any
recognised query type: CNAME, NS, SOA, SIG, KEY, AXFR, etc. When no
query type is specified, host automatically selects an appropriate
query type. By default it looks for A records, but if the -C option
was given, queries will be made for SOA records, and if name is a dot-
ted-decimal IPv4 address or colon-delimited IPv6 address, host will
query for PTR records.
The time to wait for a reply can be controlled through the -W and -w
options. The -W option makes host wait for wait seconds. If wait is
less than one, the wait interval is set to one second. When the -w
option is used, host will effectively wait forever for a reply. The
time to wait for a response will be set to the number of seconds given
by the hardware's maximum value for an integer quantity.
FILES
/etc/resolv.conf
SEE ALSO
dig(1), named(8).
BIND9 Jun 30, 2000 HOST(1)