DNSDB Scout: Endpoints Tutorial

DNSDB Scout® is a GUI for the DNSDB® API. Available in all popular web browsers via a website or browser extension, it supports all of the major features of the DNSDB API.

You can configure DNSDB Scout to use a specific DNSDB API server Endpoint. This guide explores all of the available API Endpoint features.

Setting an API endpoint

By default, DNSDB Scout uses the primary DNSDB API host, api.dnsdb.info.

Private deployments of DNSDB Scout for Export may use a different API Endpoint by default, but you can always change it locally within your web browser.

To change your API Endpoint, first go to the Options page. Access the Options page via the 'gear' icon in the top right corner.

Open the Advanced section of the page. Within the Advanced section is a subsection dedicated to all API Endpoint related settings.

The currently set API Endpoint appears pre-filled in the field. Enter a different API Endpoint host and then click the Save Endpoint button to set it.

The protocol for an API Endpoint is always https and cannot be changed. If you leave the field empty when clicking the Save Endpoint button, it defaults to api.dnsdb.info or a different preset if you use a DNSDB Scout for Export instance.

When you save the API Endpoint, DNSDB Scout performs a connection and quota check. If any problems occur when reaching the new API Endpoint, they appear at the top of the screen in the connection and quota display area.

If no issues occur when reaching the new API Endpoint, your normal quota information appears and you can start making DNSDB queries on the main Dashboard.

DNSDB export mode

You can use DNSDB Scout with DNSDB Export instances, and you can even deploy it as DNSDB Scout for Export with a preconfigured API Endpoint for a specific DNSDB Export instance.

To switch DNSDB Scout's Export Mode either check or uncheck the DNSDB Export Instance option within the API Endpoint settings and then click the Save Endpoint button.

Note: Some DNSDB Export instances may only support APIv1, while others may only support APIv2. Additionally, your DNSDB Export instance may only be accessible while on certain networks. Please check with your Export instance operator regarding API versioning and provisioned access.

Setting a different API version

DNSDB Scout supports both of the currently available DNSDB API versions, v1 and v2. By default, most versions of DNSDB Scout will use v2.

Broadly, v1 lacks Flexible Search and additional improvements made by the SAF Protocol used by v2. Responses from v1 servers differ slightly from those from v2 servers. Some DNSDB API servers only support v1, so you need to switch DNSDB Scout to v1 mode to use those servers.

If you are using api.dnsdb.info as your API Endpoint then v2 is strongly encouraged over v1.

For more details about the differences between APIv1 and APIv2 please refer to the DNSDB API Documentation.

To switch DNSDB Scout to v1 mode select the APIv1 radio option within the API Endpoint settings and then click the Save Endpoint button.

You can switch DNSDB Scout back to v2 mode by selecting the APIv2 option and re-saving your API Endpoint settings.