NS

'ns' is a nslookup alternative with the ability to resolve multiple hosts, domains or URLs in one convenient command.

I use nslookup multiple times a day and find the one liner nslookup command to be very limiting. I regularly wish nslookup would resolve more than one host at one time, accept URLs and have the ability to direct the query to an alternative DNS server from the convenience of the nslookup one liner.

I developed 'ns' specifically to address these short comings with windows users in mind.

NS features

• Resolves multiple inputs simultaneously in one convenient CLI command
• Profiles input as plain hostname, FQDN or IP address
• Performs A or PTR resolution dependent on input profile, followed by CNAME lookup
• Converts URIs or URLs to FQDN or IP address then performs DNS resolution
• User can define DNS server to query
• All features are all accessible from the convenience of a one liner
• Py2exe setup script provided with source code

Create Win32 EXE from source using py2exe

1. Install python dependencies for ns program
2. Change into source dir
3. Create exe file using supplied py2exe script See py2exe website for tutorial
4. Copy dist\ns.exe to location in window's system path

pip install -r requirements.txt
cd ns
python setup_ns_py2exe.py py2exe
cp dist\ns.exe <windows\system\path>

Usage

ns {hostname} | {IP address} | {URL/URI} [ -s {server IP} | -t {1-10) | -l {5,10,20,30,60} | -h | -d | --version ]

Argument	Type	Format	Default	Description
hostname	string	{hostname}	No default value	hostname to query, accepts multiple strings
ip address	string	x.x.x.x	No default value	ip address to query, accepts multiple strings
URL/URI	string	https://github.com/madmickstar/ns/	No default value	URL / URI to query, accepts multiple strings
-s	string	-s [x.x.x.x]	blank	Specific DNS server, alternative to OS detected DNS server
-t	integer	-t {1-10 sec}	2	Timeout for each DNS query
-l	integer	-l {5, 10, 20, 30, 60 sec}	5	Timeout if multiple DNS servers are queried
-h	switch	-h	disabled	Prints help to console
-d	switch	-d	disabled	Enables debug output to console
--version	switch	--version	disabled	Displays version

Examples

Query IP address, FQDN, URL and local hostname using OS's DNS server

ns 8.8.8.8 google.com.au https://github.com/madmickstar/ns/ myrouter

Query multiple FQDN using google DNS server

ns google.com.au pool.ntp.org -s

Query multiple FQDN using specific google DNS server

ns google.com.au pool.ntp.org -s 8.8.4.4

Query multiple local hostnames

ns hostname1 hostname2 hostname3 hostname4