Detail mDNS Android OS limitations on the Web Server Component's documentation

ESPHome
#1

On the ESPHome’s Web Server Component documentation it is stated the following about accessing the ESP node via mDNS:

“To navigate to the web server in your browser, either use the IP address of the node or use <node_name>.local/ (note the trailing forward slash) via mDNS.”

Using mDNS to resolve the “.local” address is feasible with Windows and Apple OS, but when trying to resolve this URL with Android OS with Edge or Chrome browsers, it issues a “DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN” error message as mDNS is not supported.

This is an open issue/ limitation on Android platform that has been going on since 2014 and is detailed in the links below. To access the node in this case, only with the node’s IP address.

Since 2019: Sign in - Google Accounts
Since 2014: 405925 - chromium - An open-source project to help move the web forward. - Monorail

The request is to highlight the Android limitation on the ESPHome’s Web Server Component documentation and that only IP addresses can be used with Android OS + Chrome / Edge browsers

Thanks

Documentation URL:

#2

Most networks also have a DNS (and DHCP) server running. In typical consumer routers they are even enabled by default.

So beside using the IP to access a nodes web server it’s also possible to just use the DNS hostname (not mDNS!) :bulb:

#3

Hi orange-assistant,

Thanks for your reply. My router is a pretty typical dlink one and I can access my esp node in my Windows 10 PC with Edge browser using the “nodename.local”.

The issue is to access the same node using Edge browser in my Android mobile and tablet as it doesnt resolve the nodename.local so I dont think this is a router settings issue.

#4

Your router isn’t involved at all when using mDNS. Your (home) router is typically in charge of DNS and DHCP.

That said you should be able to access esp by it’s (DNS) hostname (nodename) totally fine on your android device (without “.local”, that’s for mDNS!).

Sometimes (modern) browser tend to just forward anything without domain to a search engine… so you might need to find out the local domain your d-link router is using (can be something like “.lan”, “.dlink”, …)

Another easy solution to access the web server from a esphome node is to use the “visit device” in home assistant