dnstop ☆

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Description:
Console tool to analyze DNS traffic

Type: Formula | Latest Version: 20140915@0 | Tracked Since: Dec 17, 2025

Links: Homepage | formulae.brew.sh

Category: Networking

Tags: dns networking monitoring traffic-analysis security

Install: brew install dnstop

About:
dnstop is a command-line utility that monitors DNS traffic on a network interface and presents real-time statistics in an interactive console display. It parses live packet captures to report query types, domains, clients, and servers, helping identify network anomalies and performance bottlenecks. The tool is invaluable for network administrators needing immediate visibility into DNS activity without complex setup.

Key Features:

Real-time DNS traffic monitoring and analysis
Interactive console interface with sortable columns
Detailed statistics on query types, domains, and response codes
Support for both IPv4 and IPv6 traffic
Low overhead packet capture operation

Use Cases:

Troubleshooting DNS resolution issues and latency in enterprise networks
Monitoring for suspicious DNS queries indicating malware or data exfiltration

Alternatives:

tcpdump – More versatile packet sniffer but lacks dnstop's DNS-specific analysis and visualization
tshark – Powerful CLI Wireshark with DNS filters, but heavier and less focused for quick DNS stats

License: BSD-3-Clause

Bottles available for: arm64_tahoe, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_ventura, arm64_monterey, arm64_big_sur, sonoma, ventura, monterey, big_sur, catalina, arm64_linux, x86_64_linux

Version History

Detected	Version	Rev	Change	Commit
Sep 14, 2025 7:58pm		0	VERSION_BUMP	7fbdbd82