This is a hack for devices where the user cannot access /etc/hosts? Running a local DNS server on these devices is also not possible? Can a user access ifconf

This is a hack for devices where the user cannot access /etc/hosts? Running a local DNS server on these devices is also not possible? Can a user access ifconfig and change interface settings, e.g. adding an alias? In terms of networking, these devices appear to be crippled. Yet they do not have to be if they're built using code from BSD's.