Network Diagnostic Tools

AAAA Record Lookup

IPv6 addresses for a domain

What is an AAAA record?

An AAAA record maps a domain name to an IPv6 address, the IPv6 equivalent of an A record. Publishing AAAA records lets IPv6-only clients reach your services directly, without relying on translation gateways. As IPv6 adoption grows, AAAA records ensure your domain is reachable on the modern internet.

How an AAAA record differs from an A record

An AAAA record performs the same job as an A record, mapping a hostname to an IP, but it holds a 128-bit IPv6 address instead of a 32-bit IPv4 one. IPv6 addresses are written in eight groups of hexadecimal, for example 2606:2800:220:1:248:1893:25c8:1946, often shortened with :: for runs of zeros. The name AAAA reflects that an IPv6 address is four times the size of an IPv4 address. A hostname commonly has both an A and an AAAA record so clients use whichever protocol they support.

How to read your AAAA record results

Each AAAA row shows a hostname, an IPv6 address, and a TTL. A result like example.com AAAA 2606:2800:220:1:248:1893:25c8:1946 TTL 3600 means the domain is reachable over IPv6 at that address. The double colon (::) you may see compresses one or more groups of zeros. If a domain returns A records but no AAAA records, it is IPv4-only and IPv6-only clients must reach it through a translation layer such as NAT64, which adds latency and a dependency.

When you should publish AAAA records

Publish AAAA records once your server and network have working, stable IPv6 connectivity, so IPv6 clients connect natively instead of through translation. This improves reachability for mobile and residential networks that increasingly default to IPv6. The key rule is to keep A and AAAA in sync: if your IPv6 service breaks but the AAAA record stays published, dual-stack clients may try IPv6 first, fail, and fall back slowly, which users perceive as a slow site. Only publish an AAAA record for an address you can reliably serve.

Frequently asked questions

What is an AAAA record used for?

An AAAA record is used to map a domain name to an IPv6 address, letting clients connect to your server over IPv6. It is the IPv6 counterpart of an A record. Publishing one makes your domain reachable by IPv6-only and dual-stack clients natively, which improves performance and reach on networks that prefer IPv6.

What is the difference between an A record and an AAAA record?

An A record maps a hostname to a 32-bit IPv4 address, while an AAAA record maps it to a 128-bit IPv6 address. They serve the same purpose for different IP versions. Most domains publish both so each client connects using whichever protocol it supports, a setup known as dual-stack.

Why is it called an AAAA record?

It is called an AAAA record because an IPv6 address is 128 bits, four times the size of a 32-bit IPv4 address that an A (address) record stores. The four A's signal that quadruple width. The naming is a simple mnemonic rather than an acronym for separate words.

Do I need an AAAA record?

You need an AAAA record only if you want your domain reachable over IPv6 and your server has working IPv6 connectivity. It is not required for a site to function, since IPv4 A records still cover most clients. But adding one improves reach on IPv6-preferring networks, provided the IPv6 service is reliable.

Can a domain have both A and AAAA records?

Yes, a domain can and usually should have both A and AAAA records, a configuration called dual-stack. Clients then connect over IPv4 or IPv6 depending on what they support, often preferring IPv6 when both work. Keep the two in sync so that any address you publish actually serves traffic, or dual-stack clients may suffer slow fallbacks.

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