#2461·smartdns

Domain Rule List doesn't work

Author: smithbill17Created Sep 11, 2026Updated Sep 12, 2026

Openwrt 25.12.5 with SmartDNS on port 53 & dnsmasq on 5353.

I have used the Luci web UI and downloaded this adblocking list: https://anti-ad.net/anti-ad-for-smartdns.conf with type=domain list (/etc/smartdns/domain-set)

I have then selected the downloaded file as a 'Domain Rule List' and ensured it is enabled & restarted SmartDNS service.

If I then try to 'dig' one of the blocked domains, it isn't blocked & an IP address is returned:

root@Whw03v1:/etc/smartdns# dig @127.0.0.1 abletitle.pro

; <<>> DiG 9.20.26 <<>> @127.0.0.1 abletitle.pro
; (1 server found)
;; global options: +cmd
;; Got answer:
;; ->>HEADER<<- opcode: QUERY, status: NOERROR, id: 44651
;; flags: qr rd ra; QUERY: 1, ANSWER: 1, AUTHORITY: 0, ADDITIONAL: 0

;; QUESTION SECTION:
;abletitle.pro.                 IN      A

;; ANSWER SECTION:
abletitle.pro.          472     IN      A       2.59.170.20

;; Query time: 0 msec
;; SERVER: 127.0.0.1#53(127.0.0.1) (UDP)
;; WHEN: Fri Sep 11 17:54:54 BST 2026
;; MSG SIZE  rcvd: 47

root@Whw03v1:/etc/smartdns#

If I manually enter that single domain into the 'Domain Address' section as shown here:

# Add domains which you want to force to an IP address here.
# The example below send any host in example.com to a local webserver.
# address /domain/[ip|-|-4|-6|#|#4|#6]
# address /www.example.com/1.2.3.4, return ip 1.2.3.4 to client
# address /www.example.com/-, ignore address, query from upstream, suffix 4, for ipv4, 6 for ipv6, none for all
# address /www.example.com/#, return SOA to client, suffix 4, for ipv4, 6 for ipv6, none for all

# specific ipset to domain
# ipset /domain/[ipset|-]
# ipset /www.example.com/block, set ipset with ipset name of block 
# ipset /www.example.com/-, ignore this domain

# specific nameserver to domain
# nameserver /domain/[group|-]
# nameserver /www.example.com/office, Set the domain name to use the appropriate server group.
# nameserver /www.example.com/-, ignore this domain

address /abletitle.pro/#

I then get the below response from dig which I think is an NXDOMAIN response suggesting the domain is blocked.

root@Whw03v1:/etc/smartdns# dig @127.0.0.1 abletitle.pro

; <<>> DiG 9.20.26 <<>> @127.0.0.1 abletitle.pro
; (1 server found)
;; global options: +cmd
;; Got answer:
;; ->>HEADER<<- opcode: QUERY, status: NXDOMAIN, id: 38397
;; flags: qr rd ra; QUERY: 1, ANSWER: 0, AUTHORITY: 1, ADDITIONAL: 0

;; QUESTION SECTION:
;abletitle.pro.                 IN      A

;; AUTHORITY SECTION:
abletitle.pro.          30      IN      SOA     a.gtld-servers.net. nstld.verisign-grs.com. 1800 1800 900 604800 86400

;; Query time: 0 msec
;; SERVER: 127.0.0.1#53(127.0.0.1) (UDP)
;; WHEN: Fri Sep 11 18:08:13 BST 2026
;; MSG SIZE  rcvd: 107

root@Whw03v1:/etc/smartdns#

If SmartDNS is setup correctly & appears to be working fine on port 53, then why isn't my downloaded adblock list being applied???