Description:
The whois client can be used to query the central IP registry database which is maintained at RS.INTERNIC.NET by Network Solutions, Inc. as part of the NSF Internic.
Number and types of records for each domain as well as reliability and quality of data of these records within each domain vary greatly within the WHOIS database, yet there should be at least one valid domain type record for each domain in the Internet.
Usage:
One of the best usages of this application is to get a list of domain name servers for a given domain. Once the authoritative domain name server is found for a domain, one can use nslookup or digger to see how DNS is performing within that domain. This can be very useful in debugging mail delivery problems. Of course, DNS can also be queried to get fully qualified domain names for machines within a given domain.
WHOIS records also contain contact information for each domain and network defined in the Internet. So, you can find out who to complain to about something.
Syntax:
The inetroom@cni.org account is using the unix command line whois client. Whatever search string is entered by the user is queried in the WHOIS database at the Internic.
/usr/ucb/whois <search string>
Operation on the INETROOM account:
If you select '2' from the main menu, you will be prompted:
Searching for specific record types is usually faster...
e.g. CNI-DOM or NET-CNI
is going to be faster than
Coalition for Networked Information
Check the WHOIS database for what record?
Enter a WHOIS record type or a text string to search on, and strike RETURN. If there are any records in the WHOIS database matching your search, they will be returned:
---> Coalition for Networked
Working...
Coalition for Networked Information (NET-CNI) CNI 192.100.21.0
Coalition for Networked Information (CNI-DOM) CNI.ORG
The InterNIC Registration Services Host ONLY contains Internet Information
(Networks, ASN's, Domains, and POC's).
Please use the whois server at nic.ddn.mil for MILNET Information.
You will be prompted to perform a followup search, if you need more details about a specific record or want to find another record respond with a 'y'.
Do you want to do a followup search? [y/n]
---> y
Check the WHOIS database for what record?
---> CNI-DOM
Working...
Coalition for Networked Information (CNI-DOM)
1527 New Hampshire Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20036
Domain Name: CNI.ORG
Administrative Contact:
Peters, Paul Evan (PEP2) paul@cni.org
(202) 232-2466
Technical Contact, Zone Contact:
Summerhill, Craig A. (CAS85) craig@cni.org
(202) 232-2466
Record last updated on 13-Apr-92.
Domain servers in listed order:
A.CNI.ORG 192.100.21.1
NOC.SURA.NET 192.80.214.100
The InterNIC Registration Services Host ONLY contains Internet Information
(Networks, ASN's, Domains, and POC's).
Please use the whois server at nic.ddn.mil for MILNET Information.
Once a complete record has been returned, you can use the DNS servers listed for the domain in order to search for other host records (mail exchangers [MX]; IP addresses [A]; canonical names [CNAME]; etc.). The DNS servers can be queried with nslookup or digger on the main menu.
Possible errors:
No match for <search string>.
No records were found in the database which match your query.