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alchemy-unifi

Part 5: Local DNS

The lab server is only reachable by its IP address. In this part you’ll give it a name on your gateway’s DNS server.

Add an A record

Section titled “Add an A record”
src/lab.ts
import * as UnifiNetwork from "@alchemy-unifi/network";
import * as Config from "effect/Config";
import * as Effect from "effect/Effect";


export const Lab = Effect.gen(function* () {
  const zone = yield* UnifiNetwork.FirewallZone("lab-zone", { name: "Lab" });
  const network = yield* UnifiNetwork.Network("lab", {
    management: "GATEWAY",
    name: "Lab",
    vlanId: 50,
    enabled: true,
    cellularBackupEnabled: false,
    internetAccessEnabled: true,
    isolationEnabled: false,
    zone: zone,
    ipv4Configuration: {
      autoScaleEnabled: false,
      hostIpAddress: "192.168.50.1",
      prefixLength: 24,
      dhcpConfiguration: {
        mode: "SERVER",
        ipAddressRange: { start: "192.168.50.100", stop: "192.168.50.250" },
        leaseTimeSeconds: 86400,
        pingConflictDetectionEnabled: true,
      },
    },
  });
  yield* UnifiNetwork.WifiBroadcast("lab-wifi", {
    type: "STANDARD",
    name: "Lab",
    enabled: true,
    network,
    securityConfiguration: {
      type: "WPA2_PERSONAL",
      passphrase: yield* Config.Redacted("LAB_WIFI_PASSPHRASE"),
      fastRoamingEnabled: false,
    },
    broadcastingFrequenciesGHz: [2.4, 5],
    hideName: false,
    clientIsolationEnabled: false,
    multicastToUnicastConversionEnabled: false,
    uapsdEnabled: false,
    channel2gLockedTo6: false,
    dtimPeriod2gLockedTo3: false,
    advertiseDeviceName: false,
    arpProxyEnabled: false,
    bssTransitionEnabled: true,
  });
  yield* UnifiNetwork.DnsPolicy("lab-server", {
    type: "A_RECORD",
    enabled: true,
    domain: "server.lab.home.arpa",
    ipv4Address: "192.168.50.10",
    ttlSeconds: 300,
  });
  return { network, zone };
});

Devices that use the gateway for DNS now resolve server.lab.home.arpa to 192.168.50.10. home.arpa is the domain set aside for home networks, so it never clashes with a real one.

Add an alias

Section titled “Add an alias”

A CNAME points another name at the same server:

src/lab.ts
import * as UnifiNetwork from "@alchemy-unifi/network";
import * as Config from "effect/Config";
import * as Effect from "effect/Effect";


export const Lab = Effect.gen(function* () {
  const zone = yield* UnifiNetwork.FirewallZone("lab-zone", { name: "Lab" });
  const network = yield* UnifiNetwork.Network("lab", {
    management: "GATEWAY",
    name: "Lab",
    vlanId: 50,
    enabled: true,
    cellularBackupEnabled: false,
    internetAccessEnabled: true,
    isolationEnabled: false,
    zone: zone,
    ipv4Configuration: {
      autoScaleEnabled: false,
      hostIpAddress: "192.168.50.1",
      prefixLength: 24,
      dhcpConfiguration: {
        mode: "SERVER",
        ipAddressRange: { start: "192.168.50.100", stop: "192.168.50.250" },
        leaseTimeSeconds: 86400,
        pingConflictDetectionEnabled: true,
      },
    },
  });
  yield* UnifiNetwork.WifiBroadcast("lab-wifi", {
    type: "STANDARD",
    name: "Lab",
    enabled: true,
    network,
    securityConfiguration: {
      type: "WPA2_PERSONAL",
      passphrase: yield* Config.Redacted("LAB_WIFI_PASSPHRASE"),
      fastRoamingEnabled: false,
    },
    broadcastingFrequenciesGHz: [2.4, 5],
    hideName: false,
    clientIsolationEnabled: false,
    multicastToUnicastConversionEnabled: false,
    uapsdEnabled: false,
    channel2gLockedTo6: false,
    dtimPeriod2gLockedTo3: false,
    advertiseDeviceName: false,
    arpProxyEnabled: false,
    bssTransitionEnabled: true,
  });
  yield* UnifiNetwork.DnsPolicy("lab-server", {
    type: "A_RECORD",
    enabled: true,
    domain: "server.lab.home.arpa",
    ipv4Address: "192.168.50.10",
    ttlSeconds: 300,
  });
  yield* UnifiNetwork.DnsPolicy("lab-files", {
    type: "CNAME_RECORD",
    enabled: true,
    domain: "files.lab.home.arpa",
    targetDomain: "server.lab.home.arpa",
    ttlSeconds: 300,
  });
  return { network, zone };
});

Deploy

Section titled “Deploy”
Terminal window
npx alchemy deploy --stage home

Try it out

Section titled “Try it out”
Terminal window
nslookup files.lab.home.arpa 192.168.1.1

The answer is server.lab.home.arpa, at 192.168.50.10.

Recap

Section titled “Recap”

You added local DNS records. Next, in Part 6, you’ll deploy the same lab to a second site.