[Tfug] LAN hostnames

[Paul Scott]

Brian Murphy wrote:
> On Tue, Sep 17, 2002 at 06:28:32PM -0700, Paul Scott wrote:
> 
>>Isn't it a simple message to ask a machine what its name is if you know 
>>its IP?
> 
> No, thats what a DNS server is for...to translate between IP addresses
> and hostnames.  Zone databases are usually static.  Although, you could
> explore Dynamic DNS (DDNS).  This is where clients update the DNS records
> themselves.  I don't use it because I don't trust clients to always get
> it right.  At home, untrusted machines wouldn't be a concern.
> 
> Enabling DDNS in BIND 9 is easy.  You just need an allow-update directive
> inside your zone stanza.
> 
> For example:
> 
> zone "example.net" {
>   type master;
>   file "example.net";
>   allow-update { 192.168.0.0/24; };  // Your local network
> };
> 
> 
> The overall client process would then look like this:
> 
>   1) Request TCP/IP settings thru DHCP
>   2) Get response and configure the settings on the client
>   3) DDNS client informs DNS server of its new IP address
> 
> 1 and 2 are automatic with DHCP.  3 would probably need an addition piece
> of software.  On linux, you would hook step 3 into the bottom of the script
> that brings up your interface.  I don't know the equivalent info for
> windows, so I'm hoping a program exists that does it automatically.  If
> someone knows a good program for step 3, now is a good time to tell us.

Thanks.  This is hopefully the answer to my original question in this 
thread in which I stated that I had BIND (BIND 9 even) installed and 
'named' running and effectively stated that I wasn't yet sure what 
changes I needed to make to /etc/bind/named.conf to get this working.

>>Would you agree that NIS is a possible solution?
> 
> For host resolution?  Possibly yes, but I don't know much about it.  DNS is
> a much more universal solution.

Understood.  I threw that in to verify that there was a practical 
solution to this.  I have a book on NFS and NIS which I can use if I 
have to.  Otherwise I will take your suggested mods to named.conf and 
the DNS HOWTO and see where I get.  If I don't get it done by Sunday 
I'll ask for help at the BYOB.

Thanks again,

Paul