IP Address With Domain Name: How to Find It
An IP address with domain name resolution comes from looking up that hostname’s DNS records: an A record returns IPv4 addresses and an AAAA record returns IPv6 addresses. Type the hostname into an online website IP checker, or run nslookup or dig. You get what DNS publishes right now, which may be a CDN address instead of the site’s origin server.
What a domain lookup actually finds
The Domain Name System (DNS) is a distributed directory that turns names such as shop.example.com into network addresses. A recursive resolver, often run by your ISP, asks DNS servers and may reuse a cached reply. The DNS standard describes the system, which is a shared directory, not one master phone book.
The hostname is the part that matters. In https://shop.example.com/products?color=blue, it is shop.example.com. The scheme, path, and query are not looked up. Include the exact hostname, because example.com and www.example.com can have different records. DNS treats them as separate names, so you should too.
An A record maps a name to IPv4, and an AAAA record maps it to IPv6. A site may publish several addresses, and answers can change over time or between resolvers. The result answers one question: “what address does this lookup return now?” See RFC 3596 for the AAAA record definition.
Choose the lookup method that fits
| What you need | Use | What it tells you |
|---|---|---|
| A quick answer, no terminal | An online site IP checker | Addresses returned by the tool’s resolver; check whether it shows A and AAAA results. |
| The answer your computer gets | nslookup or dig | The DNS response from your configured resolver, including multiple answers when present. |
| The address your browser actually connected to | Browser developer tools, Network panel | The remote endpoint for a specific page request; a redirect or page asset may use another hostname. |
| Your own internet-facing address | Loqmi’s IP address tool | Your public IP as seen by the site, not the IP of a domain you are looking up. |
A website IP checker is an easy way to find an IP address without a terminal. Enter only the hostname, then note which resolver or region the tool used. Pick a checker that labels A and AAAA records separately. A URL IP check is still basically DNS. It does not test page speed, confirm that a server accepts connections, or expose an origin behind a proxy. DNS is cheerfully literal.
How to check the IP of a site on your device
Windows 11: Command Prompt or PowerShell
In Command Prompt or PowerShell, run nslookup shop.example.com and read the address lines. Add -type=A or -type=AAAA to ask for IPv4 or IPv6 only. Microsoft documents nslookup as a DNS diagnostic utility.
PowerShell also has Resolve-DnsName -Name shop.example.com -Type A. Change A to AAAA for IPv6. Keep every answer (yes, even the boring ones). Several addresses usually mean planned redundancy, not a typo.
macOS and Linux: Terminal
Open Terminal and run dig +short A shop.example.com, then dig +short AAAA shop.example.com. If dig is missing, try nslookup shop.example.com or a browser lookup. ping shop.example.com may show an address too, but it also sends a separate network test.
Android and iPhone
Phone browsers have no general command prompt, so use a browser-based DNS lookup and enter the hostname. If you use a network utility app, check which record type it queries and skip any permissions it does not need. Want to see the public IP that websites see when you browse? Loqmi’s homepage shows your connection’s address.
Read the server IP address without overclaiming
For a small site, the address may belong to its host. A content delivery network (CDN) or reverse proxy may answer instead. A reverse proxy receives visitors’ requests and forwards them to the origin server. Cloudflare explains that proxied DNS can return its anycast IP rather than the origin. Anycast announces one address from several locations, so visitors reach a nearby point. A site IP checker can find the address that answers, but it cannot tell you what runs behind it.
Answers can differ between resolvers because a load balancer spreads requests, a CDN picks an edge, or caches hold different replies. DNS is not being moody; it is following its settings. These differences alone do not mean the lookup is broken. To track a website's IP after a DNS change, write down the hostname, record type, and resolver. For DNS basics, see what DNS is and how it works.
An IP can suggest a network operator or an approximate server location, but it cannot reliably identify the site owner or a street address. MaxMind explains that geolocation varies and cannot pinpoint a household. A CDN location may be the edge serving you, not the company's office or origin. Read why IP location can be wrong for more.
An IP allocation may belong to a hosting company, a cloud provider, or a CDN that serves many customers. For a quick view of the ISP, ASN, approximate location, and reverse DNS behind a returned address, use Loqmi’s IP lookup. RDAP/WHOIS can identify the network holder, which is not necessarily the website operator. See our IP WHOIS lookup guide.
A site IP is not your own IP
A domain lookup returns the website hostname’s address. Your public IP is the address your network shows to outside services. DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) hands out local device addresses, and NAT (Network Address Translation) lets devices share one internet-facing address through a router. RFC 1918 reserves private IPv4 space for internal networks, not public website endpoints. If you see one of those in a result, check whether you queried an internal hostname or resolver. See the private address standard.
Your ISP may provide the recursive resolver, but its address is not the website’s. Lookup output often labels these separately as “Server” and “Address”. Read the labels, even when the computer is being unusually helpful.
Troubleshoot a website IP test
| What you see | Likely explanation | Next check |
|---|---|---|
| No address or “name does not exist” | The hostname may be misspelled, incomplete, or absent from the resolver’s DNS view. | Copy the hostname from the address bar, including any subdomain, then compare with another resolver. |
| Several IPv4 or IPv6 addresses | The site publishes multiple records for capacity, resilience, or traffic routing. | Record all A and AAAA answers; compare again later if you are checking a DNS change. |
| DNS gives an IP but ping times out | DNS worked; the destination may ignore or filter ping traffic. | Open the site over HTTPS or test the web service separately. Ping silence is a knock unanswered, not proof the house is empty. |
| Location or provider looks unexpected | The address may be a CDN, proxy, cloud network, or geolocation estimate. | Check the network owner and treat the location as approximate, not a pin on the server’s desk. |
For a hosting migration, note the hostname, record type, resolver, and time. DNS answers are cached for a time to live (TTL), so an old result may stick around until caches refresh. To check VPN routing, use a public IP check and our guide to checking whether a VPN is working. That is a separate job from resolving a site.
Key takeaways
- Use A records for IPv4 and AAAA records for IPv6; check the exact hostname in the URL.
nslookup,dig, and browser-based DNS tools reveal current DNS answers, which can include several addresses.- A CDN or reverse proxy may be the public endpoint, so the result may not reveal the origin server or its physical location.
- DNS lookup, ping, website availability, and your own public IP are separate checks with different answers.
Frequently asked questions
Why does nslookup say Non-authoritative answer?
It means the reply came through a recursive DNS resolver rather than directly from the domain’s authoritative nameserver. The resolver may have cached the record, which is normal and usually faster. It does not mean the IP is unofficial or incorrect. If you are checking a recent DNS change, compare the answer from another resolver or query the authoritative nameserver.
Can I open a website by entering its IP address?
Sometimes, but it is unreliable. One IP can serve many domains, and the browser normally sends the hostname so the server knows which site to return. HTTPS also checks a certificate for the domain. If you enter only the IP, you may get an error, a default page, or a certificate warning even when the website works normally by name.
Does a successful DNS lookup prove the website is online?
No. DNS only says a resolver found an address for the hostname. It does not confirm that a web server is responding, that HTTPS is working, or that the page is healthy. To check availability, open the site or test its web connection separately; a DNS result is one useful clue, not an end-to-end health check.
Why can two DNS lookup tools show different answers?
They may query different recursive resolvers, use different caches, or make the request from different regions. A site can also publish several addresses or use location-aware DNS and a CDN. Compare the same hostname, record type, and resolver before treating a difference as a fault. Both answers can be valid for their respective networks.
Sources
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