Problem with DHCP, /etc/hosts and GNOME

[Rick Stevens]

Keven Ring wrote:
> Rick Stevens wrote:
> 
>> Keven Ring wrote:
>>
>>> William Hooper wrote:
>>>
>>>> Satish Balay said:
>>>>
>>>>  
>>>>
>>>>> Ah.. I interptered it as - an option to dhcp-clinet (not server) to
>>>>> ignore what dhcp server says - and use the provided value as the
>>>>> hostname. Perhpas there should be some other option for this
>>>>> functionality? (RFE)
>>>>>
>>>>> I don't like hostname changing (when you move laptop between networks)
>>>>> - this changes xauth which messes up everything else..
>>>>>   
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> A quick browse through the networking scripts suggests that the 
>>>> hostname
>>>> will only change if it is "localhost".  I haven't looked too hard 
>>>> though. I know that I don't have a problem with my laptop, which I 
>>>> set the
>>>> hostname on during install (but that was with RHL 9 and an upgrade to
>>>> FC1).  It may be more of a case of the DHCP servers I'm using not 
>>>> trying
>>>> to change the hostname, though.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>  
>>>>
>>> It's in the /etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/network-functions script.  
>>> There is a function called need_hostname().
>>>
>>> Returns 0 if the current hostname is "localhost", 
>>> "localhost.localdomain" or "(none)".  Returns 1 otherwise.  This 
>>> function is called in the /etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ifup 
>>> script.  However, again, just like everything else, just because the 
>>> DHCP client *requests* a hostname, does not mean that the DHCP server 
>>> is obliged to hand one back...
>>
>>
>>
>> And you're not "obligated" to accept it.  You can set
>>
>>     supersede host-name "your-host-name"
>>
>> in your /etc/dhclient/dhclient.conf file to override whatever the DHCP
>> server gives you.  see "dhclient.conf(5)" and "dhcp-options(5)" for
>> info.
>>
> Of course, if you tell the DHCP server what you want your hostname to 
> be, *and* ask for the DHCP server to provide one back to you, *and* 
> disregard the hostname that the DHCP server sends back, then you have an 
> awfully friendly system... :)

Heheheh!  Yup, that's the effect of it.

> DHCP Client:  Please set my host name to xxx.yyy.zzz.
> DHCP Server:  No chance.  Your host name is aaa.bbb.ccc
> DHCP Client:  Screw you.  I'm setting my hostname to mmm.nnn.ooo
> 
> Fine.  Is everyone happy now?

"I wanna be thishost.thisdomain.tld and regardless of what you say,
that's what I'm gonna be!  When I want your opinion, Mr. DHCP server,
I'll beat it out of you!  Neener, neener!  Thhppt!"
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- Rick Stevens, Senior Systems Engineer     rstevens at vitalstream.com -
- VitalStream, Inc.                       http://www.vitalstream.com -
-                                                                    -
- Millihelen, adj: The amount of beauty required to launch one ship. -
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