Configuring mDNS on FreeNAS 11.3

[ctag]

Hi,

I'm trying to set up multicast DNS for my home LAN so that machines can resolve each others' hostnames for SSH connections to use with rsync backups to FreeNAS. I believe I have `systemd-resolved` configured properly for my other machines, but I cannot find much information about mDNS for FreeNAS/FreeBSD.

From my desktop I can resolve `freenas.local` to the correct IP address (although not always, but I believe that's a separate issue). From my FreeNAS machine I cannot resolve any local machine.

I've searched around a bit, and can't even tell what mDNS service FreeNAS uses or how it should be configured. FreeBSD results involve installing something (avahi or nss-mdns) and I want to hold off on that uless it's the only thing to do.

If anyone can point me in the right direction it'd be appreciated.

Thanks,
ctag

 

[dopeelf]

Looks like FreeNAS uses mDNSResponder.

Try 'getent hosts <machine name>'

 

[ctag]

Thanks dopeelf. I tried that and didn't get anything back:

Code:

bns-freenas# getent hosts bns-desktop.local
bns-freenas# getent hosts bns-desktop

 

[dopeelf]

If you type 'getent hosts' does it say anything?

 

[ctag]

I get:

bns-citadel# getent hosts
::1 localhost localhost.my.domain
127.0.0.1 localhost localhost.my.domain
127.0.0.1 bns-citadel.csb.sh bns-citadel
::1 bns-citadel.csb.sh bns-citadel

I see one problem there, so I changed the system domain to 'local' in the UI. Now it returns:

bns-citadel# getent hosts
::1 localhost localhost.my.domain
127.0.0.1 localhost localhost.my.domain
127.0.0.1 bns-citadel.local bns-citadel
::1 bns-citadel.local bns-citadel

bns-citadel# getent hosts bns-anarch.local
bns-citadel# getent hosts bns-anarch

Citadel is FreeNAS, anarch is Archlinux desktop.

 

[anodos]

Why do you need the FreeNAS server to be an mDNS client?

 

[ctag]

Why do you need the FreeNAS server to be an mDNS client?

I want FreeNAS to back up my machines with Rsync over SSH. One of the machines is a laptop, which has a different IP based on whether it's plugged in or wireless. I previously tried a local DNS server, but couldn't get it to work well. So now I'm thinking zeroconf mDNS might be the right approach?

 

[dopeelf]

I used to do that but I got problems with the laptops not always being able to be resolved. I am doing backups on macOS laptops so I set the computer name in the Sharing preferences which is also used as the DHCP Client ID. When the laptops request a IP my router creates host entries for them and am I able to resolve the IP and do backups. The router is configured as the first DNS server through DHCP. So far it has been more reliable than using zeroconf.

 

[ctag]

Thanks dopeelf!

I went back and set up local DNS resolution using a subdomain of my real domain, and that seems to actually work.