# FernTool MCP server
> Look up IPs, WHOIS and DNS, check propagation, and run time, date, QR code, word count and random pick helpers.
- Listing: https://mcp.tc/i/ferntool
- Connect: use the server's own URL `https://www.ferntool.com/mcp` (no sign-in); clients connect to it directly. The listing link is a page, not an MCP endpoint.
- Type: remote (Streamable HTTP)
- Auth: none
- Category: [Utilities](https://mcp.tc/c/utilities)
- Vendor: FernTool
- Homepage:
## About
FernTool exposes network and everyday utilities from ferntool.com. It covers IP lookup with VPN, Tor and datacenter flags, batch IP lookup, RDAP WHOIS, DNS records, reverse DNS, DNS propagation checks and a subnet calculator. It also offers exact time and date maths, time zone conversion, QR codes, word counts, AI cost estimates, AI service status and secure random picks.
It runs as a hosted streamable HTTP endpoint at https://www.ferntool.com/mcp. No sign-in or API key is needed.
## What it can do
- Look up IP details, including Tor and datacenter flags, singly or in batches of 100
- Run RDAP WHOIS for domains, IPs and ASNs
- Resolve DNS records and check propagation across public resolvers
- Calculate IPv4 and IPv6 subnets from CIDR
- Get the current time and convert timestamps and time zones
- Do exact date maths and business day counts
- Generate QR codes and count words exactly
- Draw secure random numbers and pick winners or teams
## Tools (23)
- `get_my_ip`: Return the caller's public IP with ISP, ASN, location and timezone.
- `lookup_ip`: Validate an IP and return version, scope, country, ASN and network owner.
- `validate_ip`: Check whether a string is a valid IPv4 or IPv6 address and classify it.
- `batch_lookup_ip`: Look up 1-100 IP addresses at once, with Tor and datacenter flags.
- `whois_lookup`: RDAP WHOIS for a domain, IP address or ASN.
- `dns_lookup`: Resolve DNS records for a domain via Cloudflare DNS-over-HTTPS.
- `reverse_dns`: PTR lookup for an IP with forward-confirmation check.
- `subnet_calc`: IPv4/IPv6 CIDR subnet calculator with hosts, masks and broadcast.
- `estimate_ai_cost`: Estimate token count and USD cost of a text across major AI models.
- `make_qr_code`: Create a static QR code as SVG plus an image URL.
- `count_words`: Count words, characters, sentences and paragraphs with reading time.
- `get_current_time`: Get the exact current date and time in UTC and a chosen time zone.
- `convert_timestamp`: Convert Unix timestamps to dates and date strings to timestamps.
- `date_calc`: Exact calendar maths: days between dates or adding days, months, years.
- `convert_timezone`: Convert a time between time zones with daylight saving applied.
- `random_number`: Cryptographically secure random integers, optionally unique and sorted.
- `pick_random`: Pick random winners, shuffle a list or split people into teams.
- `check_dns_propagation`: Compare authoritative and 8 public resolvers to see if a DNS change spread.
- `check_email_security`: Can someone fake (spoof) email from a domain?
- `check_website_status`: Is a website down?
- `trace_redirects`: Where does a link really go?
- `check_website_legit`: Is this website legit or a scam?
- `ai_service_status`: Live status of AI services read from their official status pages.
## Example prompts
- "Check whether the DNS change for example.com has propagated."
- "Look up this IP and tell me if it is a VPN or datacenter: 8.8.8.8"
- "What is 9am Johannesburg time in New York next Friday?"
- "Pick 3 random winners from this list of names."
## Install
### Claude Code
1. Run this in a terminal, in your project folder:
```bash
claude mcp add --transport http ferntool https://www.ferntool.com/mcp
```
2. Start Claude Code and type `/mcp`. **ferntool** should show as connected.
Add `--scope user` to make it available in every project, not just this one.
### Claude Desktop
1. Open **Customize → Connectors**, click **+ Add**, then **Add custom connector**.
2. Name it **FernTool** and paste this URL:
```url
https://www.ferntool.com/mcp
```
3. Click **Add**. Its tools appear in the chat’s tools menu.
Claude Desktop’s JSON config file only starts local servers. Remote servers go through Connectors, and connectors you add on claude.ai show up here too.
### claude.ai
1. Open the connector form on claude.ai. This button fills in the name and URL for you:
[Add to claude.ai]() (opens connector settings)
2. Check that the URL reads `https://www.ferntool.com/mcp` and click **Add**.
3. Turn it on in a chat from the tools menu.
Free plans allow one custom connector. On Team and Enterprise plans an owner adds it under **Organization settings → Connectors**.
### ChatGPT
1. On chatgpt.com, open **Settings → Security and login** and turn on **Developer mode**.
2. Go to `chatgpt.com/plugins` and click **+** to create an app for a remote MCP server.
3. Paste `https://www.ferntool.com/mcp` as the server URL and choose **No authentication**.
Developer mode is available on the web for Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise and Education accounts.
### Cursor
[Add to Cursor]() (opens Cursor)
Or add it by hand to `~/.cursor/mcp.json` (all projects) or `.cursor/mcp.json` (this project):
`mcp.json`:
```json
{
"mcpServers": {
"ferntool": {
"url": "https://www.ferntool.com/mcp"
}
}
}
```
### VS Code
[Install in VS Code]() (opens VS Code)
Or from a terminal:
```bash
code --add-mcp '{"name":"ferntool","type":"http","url":"https://www.ferntool.com/mcp"}'
```
Or commit it to the repo in `.vscode/mcp.json`:
`.vscode/mcp.json`:
```json
{
"servers": {
"ferntool": {
"type": "http",
"url": "https://www.ferntool.com/mcp"
}
}
}
```
### Devin Desktop
1. Add it to `~/.config/devin/mcp_config.json` (macOS and Linux) or `%APPDATA%\devin\mcp_config.json` (Windows):
`mcp_config.json`:
```json
{
"mcpServers": {
"ferntool": {
"serverUrl": "https://www.ferntool.com/mcp"
}
}
}
```
2. Refresh the MCP server list in Cascade.
Devin Desktop is the new name for Windsurf. It reads `serverUrl` (or `url`) for remote servers.
### Codex
```bash
codex mcp add ferntool --url https://www.ferntool.com/mcp
```
Or edit `~/.codex/config.toml` directly:
`config.toml`:
```toml
[mcp_servers.ferntool]
url = "https://www.ferntool.com/mcp"
```
### Gemini CLI
```bash
gemini mcp add --transport http ferntool https://www.ferntool.com/mcp
```
This adds it to the current project. Add `-s user` to use it everywhere.
### Any client
Most clients accept this shape. Some name the URL field differently: `serverUrl` in Devin Desktop, `httpUrl` in Gemini CLI’s settings file.
```json
{
"mcpServers": {
"ferntool": {
"type": "http",
"url": "https://www.ferntool.com/mcp"
}
}
}
```
Zed puts servers under `context_servers` in its settings. Cline needs `"type": "streamableHttp"`, or it assumes SSE.
Client only starts local servers? Bridge it with `npx -y mcp-remote https://www.ferntool.com/mcp`.
## Recent changes
- 2026-10-25 05:40 UTC: New version 0.11.0 (was 0.10.0), reported by the server. Source: automatic check.
- 2026-10-25 05:40 UTC: 1 tool added. Source: automatic check. Added: check\_website\_legit.
- 2026-10-24 04:40 UTC: New version 0.10.0 (was 0.9.0), reported by the server. Source: automatic check.
- 2026-10-24 04:40 UTC: 1 tool added. Server instructions changed. Source: automatic check. Worth a look: new server instructions. Added: trace\_redirects.
- 2026-10-23 04:36 UTC: New version 0.9.0 (was 0.8.0), reported by the server. Source: automatic check.
More on the History tab, with descriptions before and after for the newest entries: https://mcp.tc/i/ferntool#history (Atom feed: https://mcp.tc/i/ferntool/history.xml). It records what mcp.tc's anonymous checks saw, every 3 hours where the tool list can be read without sign-in; it is not a security review.
## Details
- Server version: 0.11.0
- MCP protocol version: 2025-11-25
- Last checked: 2026-10-24 (reachable)
- Listed: 2026-10-22
- Updated: 2026-10-25
---
Source: https://mcp.tc/i/ferntool (mcp.tc is an independent directory, not affiliated with this server's publisher). Corrections: https://mcp.tc/report