# Local hostnames not resolving

**URL:** <https://discourse.pi-hole.net/t/local-hostnames-not-resolving/45470>\
**Category:** Help\
**Created:** [March 16, 2021, 5:57pm UTC](https://discourse.pi-hole.net/t/local-hostnames-not-resolving/45470 "2021-03-16T17:57:56Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 2

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**Author:** ![jfb](https://discourse-cdn.pi-hole.net/user_avatar/discourse.pi-hole.net/jfb/32/4332_2.png) [@jfb](https://discourse.pi-hole.net/u/jfb)\
**Post date:** [March 16, 2021, 6:35pm UTC](https://discourse.pi-hole.net/t/local-hostnames-not-resolving/45470/2 "2021-03-16T18:35:44Z")

</div>

> [@llamafilm](#):
>
> DHCP is provided by the router, with three name servers: Pi Hole is first, then OpenDNS as backup.

Don't do this. There is no reliable concept of "backup". Given multiple DNS servers, clients are free to use any of them, which will lead to some DNS traffic bypassing Pi-hole.

> [@Why should Pi-hole be my only DNS server?](https://discourse.pi-hole.net/t/why-should-pi-hole-be-my-only-dns-server/3376):
>
> Reduced Ad Blocking Capability The main reason you should Pi-hole as your only DNS server is that you will see increased performance in the blocking of ads. If you have two DNS servers (Pi-hole and something else), your network clients may not always query Pi-hole for name resolution. If a query happens to be answered from a non-Pi-hole DNS server, your block lists will not apply (since that DNS server doesn't know about them). All Queries Need To Go Through Pi-hole First Since other DNS serv…

> [@llamafilm](#):
>
> `*** Can't find Designare: No answer`

How is Pi-hole aware of this domain name mapping to a local IP? Typically this is done in a local hosts file entry or by using Local DNS records in Pi-hole admin GUI. Example from my network (the commands are run from the Pi, but the answer is the same regardless of which client makes the dig request).

```auto
cat /etc/hosts
127.0.0.1 localhost nanopi-neo
::1 localhost nanopi ip6-localhost ip6-loopback
fe00::0 ip6-localnet
ff00::0 ip6-mcastprefix
ff02::1 ip6-allnodes
ff02::2 ip6-allrouters

127.0.1.1	NanoPi
192.168.0.1	Airport-Extreme-3TB
192.168.0.2	TC-Extreme-3TB-extender
192.168.0.90	Sonos-Beam

```

From any connected client, the answer is as follows:

```auto
dig sonos-beam +short
192.168.0.90

```

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