## 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)