Xip.nz Free DNS Service without the DNS Setup
xip.nz
Get that IP address back from DNS.
xip.nz is a simple wildcard DNS service for developers, sysadmins, homelabbers and anyone who needs a hostname for an IP address without creating DNS records first.
DNS without the DNS setup
When you're building a lab, testing an application or deploying a temporary service, creating a DNS zone and adding records can be unnecessary overhead.
xip.nz makes the hostname itself the DNS record.
Include an IPv4 address in a hostname under xip.nz and the service returns that address when the name is resolved.
How it works
There's nothing to register, configure or provision.
Take your IP address
For example: 160.30.240.36
Add xip.nz
Use: 160.30.240.36.xip.nz
DNS resolves it
The hostname resolves back to: 160.30.240.36
Use meaningful hostnames too
The IP address can be part of a longer hostname, making xip.nz useful for applications that require host-based routing, TLS certificates or virtual hosts.
Resolves to 160.30.240.36.
Resolves to the same IP with a useful application hostname.
Useful inside a network, development environment or homelab.
Give different applications meaningful names while pointing them at the same host.
Made for building things
xip.nz is especially useful where conventional DNS administration would add friction without adding much value.
Development
Give development applications real hostnames without creating temporary DNS records.
Homelabs
Use friendly hostnames for services running on private network addresses.
Containers
Quickly test reverse proxies, container platforms and host-based routing.
Kubernetes
Create useful temporary hostnames for ingress controllers and test clusters.
Infrastructure testing
Test applications before permanent production DNS records have been created.
Proofs of concept
Get prototypes and demonstrations running quickly without involving DNS administration.
🌐 xip.nz is DNS
xip.nz provides name resolution only.
Your web, SSH, application or other traffic goes directly between your client and the IP address encoded in the hostname.
xip.nz is not a proxy, VPN or traffic relay.
🔒 Private addresses are still private
A hostname resolving to an RFC1918 address such as 192.168.1.20 does not make that system accessible from the Internet.
Normal routing, firewall and network security rules continue to apply.
Why does BTIT run this?
Because useful infrastructure doesn't always need an account, subscription or billing relationship.
BTIT relies heavily on open-source software and the communities that build and maintain it. We believe organisations that benefit from that ecosystem should contribute something back.
xip.nz is one of those contributions.
We operate it as a free public service for developers, engineers, students, homelabbers and anyone else who finds it useful.
Built and operated in New Zealand by BTIT .
Please use xip.nz responsibly. The service is intended for legitimate development, testing, infrastructure and application use. Availability is provided on a best-effort basis and should not be treated as a replacement for authoritative DNS for critical production systems.