Queries to a name server may be formulated as follows:
/dig @server name type
server | Name or IP address of the name server that is to be used; |
name | Name of the resource record for which the desired information is to be obtained |
type | Type of query; |
DIG provides a help function which displays a detailed list of the possible arguments (see example 3).
Example 1
/dig mgp4711a.mgp.example.net a : mgp4711a.mgp.example.net. 10800 IN A 171.10.11.12 /dig mgp4711a.mgp.example.net aaaa : mgp4711a.mgp.example.net 10800 IN AAAA 3ffe:1:1000:2000:260:6dff:fe93:8c15
Example 2
/dig -x 171.10.11.12 (short form of the following command)
/dig 12.11.10.171.IN-ADDR.ARPA. PTR : 171.12.11.10.IN-ADDR.ARPA. 10800 IN PTR mgp4711a.mgp.example.net.
/dig -x 3ffe:1:1000:2000:260:6dff:fe93:8c15 (short form of the following command)
/dig 5.1.c.8.3.9.e.f.f.f.d.6.0.6.2.0.0.0.0.2.0.0.0.1.1.0.0.0.e.f.f.3.ip6.arpa. PTR : 5.1.c.8.3.9.e.f.f.f.d.6.0.6.2.0.0.0.0.2.0.0.0.1.1.0.0.0.e.f.f.3.ip6.arpa. 10800 IN PTR mtp4711a.mgp.example.net
Example 3
dig -h supplies the help information for the dig program:
/dig -h
:
Usage: dig [@global-server] [domain] [q-type] [q-class] {q-opt}
{global-d-opt} host [@local-server] {local-d-opt}
[ host [@local-server] {local-d-opt} [...]]
Where: domain is in the Domain Name System
q-class is one of (in,hs,ch,...) [default: in]
q-type is one of (a,any,mx,ns,soa,hinfo,axfr,txt,...) [default:a]
(Use ixfr=version for type ixfr)
q-opt is one of:
-x dot-notation (shortcut for reverse lookups)
-i (use IP6.INT for IPv6 reverse lookups)
-f filename (batch mode)
-b address[#port] (bind to source address/port)
-p port (specify port number)
-q name (specify query name)
-t type (specify query type)
-c class (specify query class)
-k keyfile (specify tsig key file)
-y [hmac:]name:key (specify named base64 tsig key)
-4 (use IPv4 query transport only)
-6 (use IPv6 query transport only)
d-opt is of the form +keyword[=value], where keyword is:
+[no]vc (TCP mode)
+[no]tcp (TCP mode, alternate syntax)
+time=### (Set query timeout) [5]
+tries=### (Set number of UDP attempts) [3]
+retry=### (Set number of UDP retries) [2]
+domain=### (Set default domainname)
+bufsize=### (Set EDNS0 Max UDP packet size)
+ndots=### (Set NDOTS value)
+edns=### (Set EDNS version)
+[no]search (Set whether to use searchlist)
+[no]showsearch (Search with intermediate results)
+[no]defname (Ditto)
+[no]recurse (Recursive mode)
+[no]ignore (Don't revert to TCP for TC responses.)
+[no]fail (Don't try next server on SERVFAIL)
+[no]besteffort (Try to parse even illegal messages)
+[no]aaonly (Set AA flag in query (+[no]aaflag))
+[no]adflag (Set AD flag in query)
+[no]cdflag (Set CD flag in query)
+[no]cl (Control display of class in records)
+[no]cmd (Control display of command line)
+[no]comments (Control display of comment lines)
+[no]question (Control display of question)
+[no]answer (Control display of answer)
+[no]authority (Control display of authority)
+[no]additional (Control display of additional)
+[no]stats (Control display of statistics)
+[no]short (Disable everything except short form of answer)
+[no]ttlid (Control display of ttls in records)
+[no]all (Set or clear all display flags)
+[no]qr (Print question before sending)
+[no]nssearch (Search all authoritative nameservers)
+[no]identify (ID responders in short answers)
+[no]trace (Trace delegation down from root)
+[no]dnssec (Request DNSSEC records)
+[no]multiline (Print records in an expanded format)
global d-opts and servers (before host name) affect all queries.
local d-opts and servers (after host name) affect only that lookup.
-h (print help and exit)
-v (print version and exit)