Question 1

How do I install mdns on Windows?

Accepted Answer

Download and install Apple's Bonjour SDK, set the BONJOUR_SDK_HOME environment variable, and ensure you have a compiler like Visual Studio. A system restart may be required for the changes to take effect, as noted in the README.

Question 2

Can mdns discover services on different subnets?

Accepted Answer

No, mdns uses multicast DNS which is typically limited to local network segments. For cross-subnet discovery, you'd need additional networking configuration or alternative protocols like DNS-SD with unicast.

Question 3

mdns vs using dns-sd libraries directly in other languages?

Accepted Answer

mdns provides a Node.js-specific abstraction that simplifies integration, but if you need lower-level control or are working in a polyglot environment, native dns-sd libraries in C or Python might offer more flexibility and performance.

Question 4

How to handle service name conflicts with mdns?

Accepted Answer

mdns relies on the underlying Zeroconf stack (e.g., avahi or Bonjour) for conflict resolution, but the API doesn't expose direct control. You may need to implement custom logic in your application to rename or manage advertisements manually.

Question 5

Does mdns work in Docker containers?

Accepted Answer

It can work, but you must enable multicast networking in Docker and install the necessary system libraries inside the container, which adds complexity and may not be straightforward for all deployment scenarios.

Question 6

How to advertise multiple services of the same type?

Accepted Answer

Use multiple instances of mdns.createAdvertisement with the same service type but different names or ports. Each advertisement can be started and stopped independently via the object-based API.

mdns

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