DNS (Domain Name System) is an essential part of the internet infrastructure that translates domain names into IP addresses. However, you can also use DNS for internal networks to assign custom hostnames to specific IP addresses. In this post, we will discuss how to create a custom local DNS entry on a Ubiquity Dream Machine Pro.
The first step is to assign a static IP address to the machine you want to create a custom DNS entry for. To do this, log in to the Dream Machine Pro’s web interface and navigate to https://10.1.1.254/network/default/clients. Find the machine you want to assign a static IP address to and click the “Static” button. Enter the IP address you want to assign and click “Save”.
Next, you need to assign a specific hostname to the machine. However, you might run into an error message that says “An error occurred while changing your settings”. This error occurs when you use a specific domain name like “bytefreaks.lcl”. To work around this issue, you can use a different TLD like “.net” instead.
If you still want to use the “.lcl” TLD, you will need to SSH into the Dream Machine Pro to modify the configuration files. Use the following SSH command to log in as root:
ssh -p 22 -o HostKeyAlgorithms=+ssh-rsa -o PubkeyAcceptedKeyTypes=+ssh-rsa root@10.1.1.254;
If the default SSH command produces an error, you can use the above custom SSH command to log in successfully.
Once you have logged in via SSH, you will need to modify the following files:
- /run/dnsmasq.conf.d/dns.conf
- /mnt/data/udapi-config/ubios-udapi-server/ubios-udapi-server.state
The /run/dnsmasq.conf.d/dns.conf and /mnt/data/udapi-config/ubios-udapi-server/ubios-udapi-server.state files contain information about the local DNS entries. Use the “vi” editor to modify the /run/dnsmasq.conf.d/dns.conf file and replace the “.net” TLD with the “.lcl” TLD.
After you have made the necessary changes, exit the editor and kill the dnsmasq process using the following command:
pkill dnsmasq;
This command will stop the dnsmasq process, which is responsible for the DNS resolution. Then, execute dnsmasq again to ensure that it is running properly.
Now, you should be able to view your machine using the custom “.lcl” TLD from a browser. By creating a custom local DNS entry, you can simplify your local network administration and access your devices more easily.
