[Tfug] LAN hostnames

[Paul Scott]

Brian Murphy wrote:
> Paul, I haven't been following this thread too closely, but here is my
> take on the problem.
> 
> It seems that your router is giving out the DHCP leases, right? 

Yes.

> If the
> router can't do 'static' DHCP, where it has a table of MAC addresses which
> always get the same IP, you won't be able to keep the same IP on the same
> client system. 

I don't think this is a choice with the current software.

> And since you can't keep the same IP address on the system,
> meaningful DNS names won't be possible.  (Of course anything is possible,
> but I'm talking within reason)

Isn't it a simple message to ask a machine what its name is if you know 
its IP?  Well maybe not if the nmap is an example.

I'm not clear on some of this without a little research but the router 
is a DSL gateway - Actiontec R1520SU.

> The answer is to assign each system its own unique static IP.  You'll also
> have to configure the netmask, gateway, DNS servers, etc.  Once each system
> has a deterministic IP, you can work on setting up your DNS server.
> 
> If the machines on your network also run servers and need to be accesible
> from the Internet, you need to look into using NAT on the router.

NAT is built into the DSL gateway.

Would you agree that NIS is a possible solution?

Thanks,

Paul