SYNOPSIS

       host [ -aCdlnrTwv ]  [ -c class ]  [ -N ndots ]  [ -R num­
       ber ]  [ -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  arguments  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 dotted-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 authori­
       tative  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 debugging  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.
       resolve name. The -r option  enables  host  to  mimic  the
       behaviour of a name server by making non-recursive queries
       and expecting 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  automatically  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 automati­
       cally 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
       dotted-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)

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