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Asked: 2024-09-25T12:56:44+05:30 In:

How can I set up dnsmasq with NetworkManager to ensure that it utilizes the /etc/hosts file for DNS resolution on my Ubuntu system?

I’m trying to get dnsmasq running alongside NetworkManager on my Ubuntu system, and I really want to make sure it’s set up to utilize the /etc/hosts file for DNS resolution. I’ve been reading a ton of documentation, but it’s all a bit overwhelming, and I just want to get this done without losing my mind.

So, here’s what I have so far: I’ve installed dnsmasq, but I’m not entirely sure how to tweak the configuration files properly to make it mesh well with NetworkManager. I heard that dnsmasq can cache DNS queries and do DHCP, which sounds amazing, but I want it to read entries from my /etc/hosts file because I’ve got a bunch of local services that I access frequently.

I found some conflicting advice online. Some say to edit the dnsmasq configuration file directly, while others suggest messing with the NetworkManager settings. It’s a bit of a maze, and honestly, I don’t want to accidentally break my network connection while I’m trying to set this up.

Another thing that’s bugging me is that I’m not entirely sure which NetworkManager settings I should enable or disable. There are options to disable the built-in DNS resolver, but should I even do that? How do I ensure that dnsmasq gets called when I try to resolve a local host? Also, do I need to restart NetworkManager after making changes, and if so, how do I do it safely?

If I could get some guidance on how to put all this together, I’d really appreciate it. Have you guys set this up before? What steps did you follow, and did you face any hiccups along the way? Any tips or pointers would be super helpful, especially from someone who’s not an expert but just wants to get their home network running smoothly! Thanks a ton in advance for any insights you might have!

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    2 Answers



    1. Setting Up dnsmasq with NetworkManager

      Getting dnsmasq Running with NetworkManager

      It sounds like you’re on the right path, but I totally get how confusing this can be! Here’s a step-by-step guide that might help you out:

      1. Make Sure dnsmasq is Installed

      First, confirm that dnsmasq is installed. You can do this by running:

      sudo apt update && sudo apt install dnsmasq

      2. Configure dnsmasq

      Edit the dnsmasq configuration file:

      sudo nano /etc/dnsmasq.conf

      Add the following lines at the end to make sure it uses your /etc/hosts file:

      no-resolv
addn-hosts=/etc/hosts
cache-size=1000

      The no-resolv line tells dnsmasq not to use the default DNS servers, while addn-hosts allows it to read your local hosts file.

      3. Configure NetworkManager

      Now, you’ll want to configure NetworkManager to work with dnsmasq. You might need to do these:

      • Edit the NetworkManager.conf file:
        • sudo nano /etc/NetworkManager/NetworkManager.conf
      • Look for a line that says dns=dnsmasq or add it under the [main] section:
        • [main]
dns=dnsmasq

      4. Disable Built-in DNS Resolver (if needed)

      If your NetworkManager configuration doesn’t already resolve with dnsmasq, you’ll want to disable the built-in resolver like this:

      sudo nano /etc/NetworkManager/NetworkManager.conf

      Add or change the dns line as shown above.

      5. Restart NetworkManager

      After all that, you’ll need to restart NetworkManager to apply the changes:

      sudo systemctl restart NetworkManager

      6. Check Everything is Working

      You can check if dnsmasq is working by looking at the status:

      systemctl status dnsmasq

      You can also test DNS resolution by trying to ping a host from your /etc/hosts file:

      ping your-local-host

      Final Tips

      Be sure to make backups of any config files before editing. If you ever run into issues, checking the logs can help:

      journalctl -u NetworkManager

      And don’t hesitate to reach out to forums or communities if something isn’t working right!

      Good luck! You got this!




    2. Setting Up dnsmasq with NetworkManager

      To configure dnsmasq to work seamlessly with NetworkManager on your Ubuntu system, you’ll need to edit the dnsmasq configuration file, typically located at /etc/dnsmasq.conf. First, ensure that dnsmasq is set to read entries from your /etc/hosts file by adding the line addn-hosts=/etc/hosts to the configuration. It’s also beneficial to include listen-address=127.0.0.1 and bind-interfaces, which will allow dnsmasq to bind only to the localhost and handle DNS queries internally. To make sure it acts as your local DNS resolver, you may want to disable NetworkManager’s built-in DNS resolver. You can do this by editing the configuration file at /etc/NetworkManager/NetworkManager.conf and adding [main] followed by dns=none.

      After making these changes, restart dnsmasq with the command sudo systemctl restart dnsmasq. It’s a good idea to then restart NetworkManager to ensure it’s using dnsmasq for DNS resolution—this can be done with sudo systemctl restart NetworkManager. Make sure to test your setup with a few local hostnames to confirm they resolve correctly. If you run into issues, you can check the logs with journalctl -u dnsmasq to troubleshoot. Following these steps should set you on the right path without disrupting your existing network settings, allowing your home network to run smoothly.


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