LAN hosts naming: questions and tips

Hi everybody,
having different hosts inside my networks, I'm evaluating if and how using names instead of (static) IPs.
Actually, I've set static ip and left the name that the host communicated (dont know exactly how it works, but I think during the ip request and releated dhcp activities, hosts do this).

I've seen that ip-name management can be done directly via Luci in the Network=>DHCP and DNS section or in the Network=>Hostnames, but which are the differences? The second one is for the alias? Why I should use it instead of the first one?
Have you any suggestions about best practises on naming?
the LUCI=>Network=>DHCP and DNS=>General Settings has a "local server", actually valued with /lan/, but I dont understand what it does...
Because the physical server offers several services, may I map not only IP but the fully qualified tcp endopoint, ip:port? I think no, but maybe I'm wrong.

Thanks in advice!

Ideally, DHCP/DNS configuration looks like this:

  • Your LAN domain matches your WAN domain.
  • Each host has a separate static lease and hostname.
  • Each service has a separate cname.

It's best to configure both static leases and hostnames, because they work unreliably separately.

In practice, there are problems:

  • Freely creating the subdomain records requires to buy your own domain.
  • Addressing subdomains globally requires IPv6 since IPv4 is mostly exhausted.

Although you can work around some of the issues with split-DNS, IPv6 tunnel brokers and VPN.

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thanks vgaetera, I think your answers are too pro for me :D, what doubts or mine in the previous post are you trying to clearify?

If you still need assistance, perhaps you could explain what isn't understood.

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I think the misunderstanding is due to the fact that I'm speaking about private IPs and hostnames, no public. I understand that static lease and hostnames have different role and I have to manage both.
By the way, open questions :slight_smile: are:

  1. Have you any suggestions about best practises on naming? (this i very optional)
  2. the LUCI=>Network=>DHCP and DNS=>General Settings has a "local server", actually valued with /lan/, but I dont understand what it does...
  3. Because the physical server offers several services, may I map not only IP but the fully qualified tcp endopoint, ip:port? I think no, but maybe I'm wrong.