Cannot get local DNS working for devices with DHCP config (ASUS RT-AX86U PRO)

[BosseSwede]

I have never gotten local access between computers working on my home LAN without manually entering the target devices into the hosts file on each computer (both Windows and Linux).
I really dislike this because if a computer connects to the LAN using a new ethernet adapter it gets a new IP from my router via DHCP but that is then not used for other devices so they cannot connect. What can I do to get all devices get the correct IP of another device from the ASUS RT-AX86U PRO router if they use the device's host name to connect?
Should not the router know the hostname/IP connection when it has assigned all device IP addresses itself via DHCP?
Is it a router setting or is it a local setting (different for Linux and Windows then I assume)?
Or can it not be done?

Router stock f/w is: 3.0.0.6.102_34349

 

[bennor]

FYI, you may want to move your post to the correct subforum: ASUS AX Routers & Adapters (Wi-Fi 6/6e), This current subforum (ASUS AC Routers & Adapters (Wi-Fi 5)) discusses the older AC series of Asus routers.

If you are having trouble with local LAN device names not being resolved correctly by the router perhaps try assigning manual IP reservations for your local main LAN clients where you can set a Hostname for those clients. See LAN > DHCP Server page in the router GUI. Otherwise check that each local network client has a hostname set within the device itself. Or try renaming the devices in the Network Map > Client Status section by selecting each client and changing their name and see if that fixes your issue (may not).

PS: It appears currently one cannot set Guest Network Pro client hostnames (by manually reserving IP addresses for them) within the router GUI when the Guest Network Pro option "Use same subnet as main LAN" is disabled for that Guest Network.

 

[dave14305]

Are all the LAN clients using the router IP for DNS lookups? No DNS servers configured on the LAN DHCP Server page of the router?

 

[bbunge]

I have never gotten local access between computers working on my home LAN without manually entering the target devices into the hosts file on each computer (both Windows and Linux).
I really dislike this because if a computer connects to the LAN using a new ethernet adapter it gets a new IP from my router via DHCP but that is then not used for other devices so they cannot connect. What can I do to get all devices get the correct IP of another device from the ASUS RT-AX86U PRO router if they use the device's host name to connect?
Should not the router know the hostname/IP connection when it has assigned all device IP addresses itself via DHCP?
Is it a router setting or is it a local setting (different for Linux and Windows then I assume)?
Or can it not be done?

Router stock f/w is: 3.0.0.6.102_34349

The router does know the hostnames if the client has one. But that does not mean the SMB protocol will use it. Windows usually works out which client will be a WINS server. If that does not work you may need to set one up. Merlin firmware can set the Samba server to be a WINS server so you may want to try the Merlin firmware. You snou.d be able to set a Linux box as a WINS server as well.

 

[ColinTaylor]

The router does know the hostnames if the client has one. But that does not mean the SMB protocol will use it. Windows usually works out which client will be a WINS server. If that does not work you may need to set one up. Merlin firmware can set the Samba server to be a WINS server so you may want to try the Merlin firmware. You snou.d be able to set a Linux box as a WINS server as well.

WINS servers are long since depreciated and should no long used. Windows/SMB clients don't need WINS to resolve local names, they can use normal NetBIOS broadcast as well as LLMNR, DNS, mDNS, DNS-SD, etc.

As @dave14305 said, the problem is likely to be that the clients are not using the router as their DNS server.