Tools and Commands For Checking DNS Record Propagation Make it Rain Paper

Note: DNS changes can take up to 48 hours to fully propagate globally.

Prerequisites

• A computer with internet access.
• Access to the command line interface (Terminal on macOS/Linux, Command Prompt on Windows).
• The domain name for which you want to check DNS records.

Method 1: Using Online DNS Checker Tools

Online DNS checkers provide a quick way to verify DNS propagation from multiple servers worldwide. Here are two popular tools:

• DNS Checker
• DNS Propagation Checker

Steps to Check DNS Records Online

1. Select the required DNS record type (A, MX, TXT, etc.).
2. Enter the record name in the corresponding field:

Type: TXT
Domain record: _acme-challenge.example.com

Note: Replace example.com with your actual domain name.

Method 2: Using the nslookup Command

You can also check DNS records using the nslookup command from your terminal or command prompt.

Steps to Use nslookup

On macOS or Linux, open the Terminal app. On Windows, start the Command Prompt.

Checking A DNS Record

To check the A DNS record and find the associated IP address:

nslookup example.com 8.8.8.8

The required IP addresses (IPv4 and/or IPv6) will be displayed in the last address fields.

Checking MX DNS Record

To define the MX DNS record for your domain:

nslookup -q=MX example.com 8.8.8.8

The output will show the MX record value, such as mail.example.com.

Checking TXT DNS Record

To view all existing TXT DNS records:

nslookup -q=TXT example.com 8.8.8.8

Checking TLSA DNS Record

To check the TLSA DNS record for secure email:

nslookup -q=TLSA _25._tcp.mail.example.com 8.8.8.8

The result will be displayed in the Non-authoritative answer section.

Gotchas to Avoid

• Ensure that you are using the correct DNS record type when checking.
• Remember that DNS changes can take time to propagate; do not expect immediate results.
• Check multiple DNS servers to confirm consistent results across different locations.