# Terminal: Checking if a domain name resolves

## Question

How can I check that domain name (web server) resolves?

## Answer

You can quickly check if a website is accessible by doing a *ping* command. This will send a small package of data to the IP address to which the domain is configured, and wait for an answer:

```
ping openprovider.com
```

If you get a response, you see the assigned IP address as well. If you do not get a response or a response from a different IP address, you may need to debug.

You can use third party online tools like [https://www.whatsmydns.net/](https://www.whatsmydns.net/) to check the DNS records and their propagation.

**Tip**: not all servers respond to a *ping* command. The absence of a response does not necessarily mean that the domain is not available. It may be perfectly available in a browser.

**Tip**: the other way around, a response to a *ping* command does not mean that the website can be reached in a browser. There may be no website at all, the web server may be misconfigured, the page may contain errors.