---
name: "mquery"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "mdnsd"
version: "0.12-5"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/mquery"
---

# mquery(1)

small query tool for multicast DNS

## NAME

**mquery** – small query tool for multicast DNS

## SYNOPSIS

**mquery** \[**-hsv**\] \[**-i** *IFACE*\] \[**-t** *TYPE*\] \[**-w** *SEC*\] \[*NAME*\]

## DESCRIPTION

**mquery** is a companion tool to [mdnsd(8)](/mdnsd/8.md), but can also be used stand-alone with other mDNS servers.  It formats and sends mDNS service queries, similar to how [mdns-scan(1)](/mdns-scan/1.md) works, but with a fraction of the usability.

**mquery** runs on the system default interface, derived from the routing table. To run on another interface, use the **-i** *IFACE* command line option.  It runs continuously monitoring for responses to the initial query, by default **\_services.\_dns-sd.\_udp.local.**

## OPTIONS

This program follows the usual UNIX command line syntax. The options are as follows:

- **-h**

  Print a bare bones help message and exits.

- **-i** *IFACE*

  Interface to run query on, by default the system default interface is used, derived from the routing table.

  Only available on Linux.

- **-s**

  By default **mquery** behaves a lot like [mdns-scan(1)](/mdns-scan/1.md), which after receiving an initial reply to a scan, sends a specific PTR query to the respondent.  This option skips that specific scan and runs **mquery** in a simple mode.

- **-t** *TYPE*

  Query type, default 12 (PTR).

- **-h**

  Print a help message and exit.

- **-v**

  Show program version.

- **-w** *SEC*

  Delay (approximate) in seconds before automatically exiting.

## SEE ALSO

[mdns-scan(1)](/mdns-scan/1.md) [mdnsd(8)](/mdnsd/8.md),

## AUTHORS

This mDNS-SD implementation was created in 2003 by Jeremie Miller ⟨jer@jabber.org⟩. Much later, in 2016, it was adopted by Joachim Wiberg ⟨troglobit@gmail.com⟩ for further development and maintenance at GitHub: ⟨https://github.com/troglobit/mdnsd⟩.