Free Reverse DNS Lookup — Find Hostname from IP Address (PTR Record)

Our free reverse DNS lookup queries the PTR record for any IPv4 or IPv6 address to find the hostname associated with it. Essential for mail server configuration, network troubleshooting, security investigations and log analysis.

What is a PTR Record?

A PTR (pointer) record maps an IP address back to a hostname — the reverse of an A record. PTR records are stored in the special in-addr.arpa domain for IPv4 and ip6.arpa for IPv6. They are managed by whoever owns the IP block, not the domain owner.

Why PTR Records Matter

• Email deliverability — most mail servers reject email from IPs without a PTR record. Essential for running your own mail server.
• Security investigations — quickly identify which organisation owns a suspicious IP
• Network troubleshooting — makes traceroute output readable with hostnames
• Log readability — server access logs with hostnames are more useful than raw IPs