IP TO HOSTNAME: THE REVERSE DNS METHOD

Arwa Ali
4 min readSep 13, 2022

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The language of all computers and the internet is not easy; in fact, it is based on numerical which is hard to understand. Sometimes you need to look up IP to hostname, but people often mistake both as one. Moreover, the internet is filled with spam messages popping up from every direction; hence it is mandatory to have a tool that verifies and specifies the hostname where it came from at the time.

Here the reverse DNS method is viral. You can work with the DNS server and the IP address to comply with the security issues or locate the hostname.

REVERSE DNS: DEFINITION

Before we begin the definition, remember that there are two types of the process most commonly used, the forward DNS lookup and the reverse DNS lookup.

The reverse DNS lookup is a DNS query related to the domain name you want to find. Remember, all domain names have a unique IP address, making it easier to find among the other networks.

The experts suggest that every domain must be capable of a reverse DNS lookup. But since the technicians are not fully adapted to this method, they are not a hard requirement.

IMPORTANCE OF A REVERSE DNS SYSTEM:

Since the reverse DNS lookup system is not highly popular, the uses are limited to a few points only.

Visitor information:

The first benefit of a reverse DNS lookup system is for those who run their websites. Here it is mandatory to keep track of the visitors and other website owners who crawl to your web page. The list of visitors is critical as it will give you a complete idea of the audience and the target audience. Additionally, it will help you to create future strategies for the website you own.

The reverse DNS lookup will track all IP addresses and convert them into hostnames for you to understand who the visitors are. This way, you will know the visitor’s interest which is critical for business.

The Email system:

The second benefit the experts consider the ultimate reason to use the reverse DNS lookup for IP to hostname is the emailing system.

The email is called the subsequent communication worldwide. The process of emailing might seem easy to you, but the process behind the screen is quite complex. There are higher chances of rejecting incoming emails from an unknown IP address or from a system where no reverse DNS lookup system exists.

If you manage your own mail server system, make sure you have the reverse DNS lookup system. Most of your outgoing emails will automatically get rejected due to the unknown server.

Multiple domains:

The other benefit of having a reverse DNS lookup in your system is verifying and uploading multiple domains on one IP address. Many gigantic businesses adopt this technology as maintenance becomes easier; hence, the reverse DNS system also comes in handy.

Logging the data:

Many systems only use IP addresses for logging data. The reverse DNS lookup system will convert these domain names into human-readable forms to create readable data.

HOW DOES THE REVERSE DNS LOOKUP WORK?

The reverse DNS server only works by looking up the query through the pointer record (PTR) system. A PTR records all maps and points out traffic to the website in a canonical name value.

Remember, if the server does not have a valid PTR system, the reverse DNS lookup will not work either.

Here is a practical and straightforward example of how this works.

The PTR record for a particular IP address is 192.0.2.225 which is stored as 225.2.0.192.in.addr.arpa. The addr. arpa manages network infrastructure; hence it is mandatory to use.

Now, if you take the numerical only, such as 216.58.211.142, you would come to know that it is google.com, according to the reverse DNS lookup system.

WHO IS IT BENEFICIAL FOR?

People carry out many types of business, and the most common is B2B means business to business. If you are unaware, the B2B model has a company who works for other organizations in exchange for goods and services.

The reverse DNS lookup system is essential as it is the only way to know who visits their website. This way, they can contact legitimate other people in business or organizations to increase their sales. Moreover, the B2B business can broaden its goods and goals per the customer list.

TO SUM UP:

People deem the reverse DNS tool as an underrated method to increase business. But the truth is the opposite. If you know how to use the reverse DNS lookup system, you can gather helpful information and have a list of potential customers within no time.

The IP to hostname system is becoming common, and the business community is looking towards it as an essential tool.

Don’t forget to go to the next step of using the correct tool. Don’t forget to check the possibility of merging the reverse DNS lookup with the server for a more effective and smoother workflow.

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