Localhost DNS Woes – Attempt to Test Mobile-First Web – Mac OS Z
20 November 2025 No comments
Reading time:
3 minutes
Word count:
488
Question about mobile phone testing for development:
Tale of Configuration HTTP with SSL
So I configured on my ancient now MBP with Homebrew HTTPD server with SSL. I have secured sites locally to 127.0.0.1 (localhost):
(Of course, these sites will not work – I’m meaning you. Dunny. 😉
So in reality they map to the WLAN WIFI
http://192.168.172.24:7010/ (inye)
http://192.168.172.24:7020/ (zimbini)
http://192.168.172.24:7030/ (zinthathu)
I can reach all of these on my localhost Firefox/Safari/Chrome. I created the SSL , mkcert yadda yadda, setup httpd-vhost.conf – beautiful blue skies: I see closed padlocks and confirmation that the above sites are secure. Fantastico!
Now, I want to use my iPhone and iPad to my test my websites, so I enter into the browser text panel any of these URLs:
That will not work, because it needs a local DNS(?), so I set up I thought dnsmasq* and I put in the configuration /usr/local/etc/dnsmasq.conf the following:
address=/.test/127.0.0.1
It does not work. I then tried using DeepSeek AI a suggestion in the dnsmasq.conf
address=/.peter.test/192.168.172.24
Why is this not working? Is it the firewall on Mac? No. Default MBP firewall is deactivated. Ah ha! Maybe the MacOSX DNS needs a reset.
sudo killall mDNSResponder
Tried to the access on the iPhone to the SSL link. Nothing. Nada.
Yes. I added to my iPhone WIFI connection a Manual DNS slot of 192.168.172.24 (my MBP’s IP address on the LAN)
Yes. My iPhone is on the same WIFI LAN.
And out of love. I have no idea. KEINE AHNUNG ABSOLUT-BALLS. This is where I need PLATFORM OPERATIONS (PlatOps). Damn. I don’t work there anymore where I can slack dem ras rastas!
How do you mobile UX guys actually test web apps. I used to sit next to many guys / gals who were fumbling around with 15 handsets once upon a time.
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References
- DNSMASQ https://wiki.debian.org/dnsmasq
- How to Install Apache MaxcOS with Homebrew a Tech Admin blog article
- How to install HTTPS (not HTTP) on localhost on macOS Sequoia? Stack overflow answer
- Ethicka’s / localhost-ssl-certificate.md bring me solutions on Gist
- Imran Hossain (Rubab) blog post Virtual Host Setup with SSL Certificate in Your Localhost : a Medium article.
- Cecile Muller on How to create an HTTPS certificate for localhost domains – a Gist from 2019
- Wikipedia Dnsmasq article