What DNS Lookup helps you do
Query common DNS record types through Cloudflare's public DNS-over-HTTPS resolver and inspect status, TTL, and answer records from your browser. Useful for mail, web, and certificate troubleshooting — not a replacement for authoritative zone editing. It answers the practical question of what a public resolver currently returns for a name.
The hostname and record type are sent to Cloudflare's encrypted DNS-over-HTTPS resolver. Haivix does not store the query.
How it works
Haivix sends the hostname (and record type) to https://cloudflare-dns.com/dns-query with JSON accept headers. PTR queries reverse IPv4 dotted quads into in-addr.arpa form automatically. The response status, TTL and answer records are rendered without contacting the domain's web server.
How to use DNS Lookup
- Enter a hostname or IPv4 address, choose A, AAAA, MX, TXT, or another supported record type, then run the lookup.
- Read the response status (NOERROR, NXDOMAIN, etc.), TTL values, and answer records in the output panel.
- Compare the answer with the zone editor or the authoritative nameserver if propagation is in question.
- Copy the result into a ticket or a change record.
When to use it
- Checking whether a domain resolves before a site launch
- Inspecting MX or TXT records for mail and verification workflows
- Confirming CAA or CNAME chains during certificate troubleshooting
- Checking whether a subdomain still points at the old host
- Reading the current TTL before a planned DNS change
- Confirming a PTR record for a mail server or an IP address
When not to use it
- Editing DNS zones (this tool is read-only lookup)
- Measuring global propagation across all resolvers worldwide
- Diagnosing DNSSEC chain validation failures in depth
- Looking up private split-horizon names that only exist inside a corporate network
Example
Query TXT on your domain to see SPF/DKIM-related records returned by the public resolver — compare TTL and values with your DNS provider's editor. If the TXT answer still lists an old verification token and the TTL is 3600, the record may simply be cached; check again after the TTL expires.
What you can do with DNS Lookup
- Look up A, AAAA, MX, NS, TXT, CNAME, SOA, PTR and CAA records.
- Choose the record type before sending the query.
- Turn an IPv4 address into an in-addr.arpa PTR query.
- Read the DNS status, TTL and answer values.
- Compare the public answer with a zone editor or authoritative server.
- Copy the result into a support ticket.
Example: check mail records before a migration
Query MX first to see which servers currently receive mail, then query TXT for SPF and verification records. If the values still point at the old provider, wait for the TTL to expire or lower it before the cutover.
Query the same name again after the change and compare the answer with the zone editor. A public resolver can hold a cached answer until the TTL expires, so an immediate mismatch is expected.
For a certificate issue, query CNAME and CAA records along the chain. A missing or unexpected CAA value can block issuance even when the A record is correct.
What to know before you start
- Queries go to Cloudflare's public DoH resolver — not your ISP or internal AD DNS.
- Haivix does not store queries, but the resolver sees the hostname and record type.
- Split-horizon or private zones may not be visible from the public internet.
- The tool does not follow CNAME chains automatically or validate DNSSEC.
- It does not measure propagation across multiple resolvers.
Common mistakes
- Assuming one resolver's answer proves authoritative zone correctness everywhere
- Querying CNAME targets without following the full chain manually
- Using cached TTL from an old answer after a recent DNS change
- Forgetting the trailing dot when comparing a fully qualified name
- Confusing an NXDOMAIN for the whole domain with a missing record type
- Testing a private hostname from the public internet
Troubleshooting
If the query returns NXDOMAIN, the name does not exist at the public resolver. Check the spelling and the parent domain first.
If a record type is missing but the name resolves, the zone may not define that type. That is different from a lookup failure.
If the answer looks stale, the TTL is still running. Wait for it to expire or query the authoritative nameserver directly.
If the result differs from your internal DNS, split-horizon or private zones are the likely cause; public resolvers cannot see them.
If the lookup fails entirely, the resolver may be unreachable from your network. Try again or use another DoH endpoint in a terminal.
Related standards and documentation
- DNS over HTTPS (RFC 8484)
- Common record types (A, AAAA, MX, TXT, CNAME, NS, SOA, CAA, PTR)
How Haivix queries DoH, what TTL and status codes mean, and when to check authoritative nameservers.
- Read the status, TTL and answer together.
- Cached answers can lag a recent change.
- Private zones need internal DNS.