Linksys EA9500 - Local DNS

[RatherLoopy]

I'm generally happy with my new-to-me Linksys EA9500, but it seems to have no support for local DNS/hosts, i.e. where mediaserver.lan resolves to my network machine at 192.168.1.95. The router admin does let me specify its DNS servers so I've been using Pi-Hole for DNS (which works fine for local DNS), but lately, the router is having trouble resolving web domain so I'm looking again for router-only solution.

Does anyone know how to access/add local network DNS support with this router? I was able to SSH into my last router and directly edit its hosts file... does anyone know how I can have my EA9500 resolve local *.lan domains to local IP addresses without using a standalone DNS server on my network?

 

[eibgrad]

You could install a hosts file on your client machine(s). In fact, before there were DNS servers, that's how it was done (and that's exactly what you were effectively doing /w your prior router). Very crude, but for some circumstances, it may still be sufficient. But I don't see any way you're going to have the benefits of a DNS server without having a DNS server! It would help if your router supported third party firmware (Merlin, DD-WRT, FreshTomato, etc.), but apparently that isn't the case. I even checked OpenWRT, and it seems to be a limited implementation due to a lack of wireless drivers.

That's why I never buy a router that doesn't provide a third-party option. Once you encounter a limitation, you're up the creek.

 

[RatherLoopy]

You could install a hosts file on your client machine(s)

I appreciate the thought, but maintaining individual hosts files on all my devices is the scenario I'm trying to avoid.

I did a little checking on the Pi-Hole and it seems to have automatically blocked some Google addresses (i.e. googleadservices.com, passwordsleakcheck-pa.googleapis.com, www.googleapis.com) and once I whitelisted those domains, my Pi-Hole DNS started acting right again.

I only paid $40 for the EA9500 to replace a Spectrum router so I wasn't being too picky about features, but I'll definitely do more research before buying my next one. Thanks again!

 

[Digilog]

I appreciate the thought, but maintaining individual hosts files on all my devices is the scenario I'm trying to avoid.

I did a little checking on the Pi-Hole and it seems to have automatically blocked some Google addresses (i.e. googleadservices.com, passwordsleakcheck-pa.googleapis.com, www.googleapis.com) and once I whitelisted those domains, my Pi-Hole DNS started acting right again.

I only paid $40 for the EA9500 to replace a Spectrum router so I wasn't being too picky about features, but I'll definitely do more research before buying my next one. Thanks again!

Well you can always flash openWRT onto the EA9500. Which has bind9. Btw there isn't much differences in all these store bought routers.

 

[RatherLoopy]

Well you can always flash openWRT onto the EA9500. Which has bind9. Btw there isn't much differences in all these store bought routers.

I looked at OpenWRT, but it seems to have very limited support for the Broadcom radios in the LInksys. In the end, I put the LInksys into bridge mode so that it's now just an AP, and am using my prior ROOTer modem/router as the network router, which provides the features I need and is working well so far.

 

[Digilog]

I looked at OpenWRT, but it seems to have very limited support for the Broadcom radios in the LInksys. In the end, I put the LInksys into bridge mode so that it's now just an AP, and am using my prior ROOTer modem/router as the network router, which provides the features I need and is working well so far.

That's good you found a solution that works for you and I find it interesting that they claim they support Linksys router but not 100%.