How to Set Up Local DNS with Dnsmasq on Debian 12

Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure you have:

1. A Debian 12 system
2. Root or sudo privileges

Step 1: Install Dnsmasq

Install Dnsmasq using the following command:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install -y dnsmasq

Step 2: Configure Dnsmasq

Edit the Dnsmasq configuration file:

sudo nano /etc/dnsmasq.conf

Add the following configuration to the file to specify the DNS server and domain:

server=8.8.8.8
domain=local

You can replace "8.8.8.8" with the IP address of your preferred DNS server.

Step 3: Add Local DNS Entries

Edit the hosts file to add local DNS entries:

sudo nano /etc/hosts

Add entries for your local hosts in the following format:

192.168.1.10    server1.local
192.168.1.11    server2.local

Replace the IP addresses and hostnames with your own values.

Step 4: Restart Dnsmasq

Restart the Dnsmasq service to apply the changes:

sudo systemctl restart dnsmasq

Step 5: Test DNS Resolution

Test DNS resolution by pinging a local hostname:

ping server1.local

You should see successful ping responses.

Conclusion

Congratulations! You have successfully set up local DNS with Dnsmasq on Debian 12. You can now use local hostnames to access devices and services on your network.