IP Address Lookup: Best Tools and Databases
Discover the best tools and databases for looking up IP addresses, including WHOIS, geolocation services, and threat intelligence platforms.
Types of IP Lookup
IP address lookups serve different purposes depending on what information you need:
| Lookup Type | What It Reveals | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| WHOIS | Owner, organization, abuse contact | Network operations, abuse reporting |
| Geolocation | Country, city, coordinates | Analytics, content localization |
| Reverse DNS | Hostname associated with IP | Email verification, server identification |
| Threat intelligence | Reputation, blacklists, malware history | Security operations |
| BGP/ASN | Autonomous system, routing info | Network engineering |
WHOIS Lookup Tools
WHOIS is the foundational IP lookup protocol. It queries the registration databases maintained by RIRs:
# Command-line WHOIS
whois 8.8.8.8
# Output includes:
# Organization: Google LLC
# Network: 8.8.8.0/24
# Abuse contact: [email protected]
Popular web-based WHOIS tools: - ARIN WHOIS (whois.arin.net) -- North American IPs - RIPE Database (apps.db.ripe.net) -- European/Middle East IPs - APNIC WHOIS (wq.apnic.net) -- Asia-Pacific IPs - IPFYI (ipfyi.com) -- Unified lookup across all RIRs
Geolocation Databases
IP geolocation maps addresses to physical locations. Accuracy varies by provider and location:
| Provider | Free Tier | Accuracy | API Available |
|---|---|---|---|
| MaxMind GeoLite2 | Yes (registration required) | City-level ~70% | Yes |
| IP2Location Lite | Yes | City-level ~65% | Yes |
| ipinfo.io | 50K requests/month | City-level ~75% | Yes |
| ipapi.co | 30K requests/month | City-level | Yes |
# Quick geolocation from the command line
curl ipinfo.io/8.8.8.8
# Returns JSON: city, region, country, org, timezone
Threat Intelligence Platforms
For security professionals, IP reputation and threat intelligence are critical:
- AbuseIPDB -- Community-driven IP abuse database. Check if an IP has been reported for malicious activity.
- VirusTotal -- Cross-references IPs against dozens of antivirus and threat intelligence feeds.
- Shodan -- Searches for internet-connected devices by IP, revealing open ports, services, and potential vulnerabilities.
- GreyNoise -- Distinguishes targeted attacks from internet background noise.
Command-Line Utilities
Network professionals use several CLI tools for IP investigation:
# DNS lookup
dig -x 8.8.8.8 # Reverse DNS (PTR record)
nslookup 8.8.8.8 # Simple reverse lookup
# Traceroute -- shows the network path
traceroute 8.8.8.8 # Linux/macOS
tracert 8.8.8.8 # Windows
# BGP information
whois -h whois.radb.net 8.8.8.8 # Route object lookup
# Netcat -- test connectivity
nc -zv 8.8.8.8 443 # Test if port 443 is open
Building Your Own Lookup Stack
For automated IP enrichment, combine multiple data sources:
- WHOIS for ownership and registration data.
- MaxMind GeoLite2 for geolocation (free, offline database).
- AbuseIPDB API for threat reputation.
- BGP data from RIPE RIS or RouteViews for routing context.
This layered approach gives you comprehensive intelligence on any IP address you encounter.