This plug-in serves DNS host records (A / AAAA) and reverse DNS records (PTR) from a standard hosts file.

 

This can be used as a very simple way to store and host DNS records, but more commonly this is used to block ads and malicious web-sites.

You can create your own hosts file, but there are also some very kind people on the Internet who maintain hosts files for various purposes and make these publicly available. For example: http://hosts-file.net and http://pgl.yoyo.org/adservers

 

To setup a new Hosts File plug-in instance; open the Options dialog / Plug-ins section, select the "Hosts File" component and click the "Create new instance..." button. This opens the Plug-In Instance dialog for the new Hosts File plug-in instance.

On the "Plug-In Settings" tab, enter the location of the hosts file, select if the file should automatically be reloaded when updated, and specify the TTL to be used.

 

You can use multiple hosts files by setting up multiple "Hosts File" plug-in instances.

 

Host file line example:

 

1.2.3.4  example.com

 

Defines an A-Record (example.com -> 1.2.3.4) and a PTR-record (4.3.2.1.in-addr.arpa -> example.com).

 

NOTE: DNS data from plug-ins does not override existing local DNS zone data - but does take effect if the requested name does not exist in a local zone.