---
title: "Setting Up Persistent Custom Dnsmasq DNS Hostname Redirection on Asus Merlin Firmware Routers via SSH"
created: 2026-04-16
updated: 2026-04-16
type: summary
tags: [dns, merlin, network, notes, telegram]
external: http://go/ui/posts/2415/
---

On Merlin, add a custom dnsmasq entry via SSH:

 echo "address=/go/192.168.1.2" >> /jffs/configs/dnsmasq.conf.add
 service restart_dnsmasq

That's it. After restart, any device on your network resolving go (or go.anything) will get 
192.168.1.2.

To verify it worked:

 # On your Mac
 nslookup go 192.168.1.1
 # Should return 192.168.1.2

Notes:

 - The entry persists across reboots (JFFS is persistent storage)
 - address=/go/192.168.1.2 is a dnsmasq directive that matches the bare hostname go and any 
subdomain like go.local
 - If you only want the exact hostname go (no subdomains), use: address=/go./192.168.1.2 
(trailing dot)