finding computers with DHCP?

I've just switched from static IP to DHCP - unavoidable.

Previously I had entries in the hosts file, so I could access machines by
name (eg ftp laptop). If I look at the DHCP server, laptop is there with
an ip address, but my linux box reports unknown host. How do I set it up
to get the name/ address from the server?

Booting the machines to Windows and it all seems to work (through
NetBios).

I know one work-around is long leases and a hosts file, but I want to do
it properly.

Tony

On Fri, 29 Oct 2004 21:00:06 +0100, Tony Burrows wrote:

> I know one work-around is long leases and a hosts file, but I want to do
> it properly.

Your local DNS server needs to support dynamic updates. What DNS and DHCP
server are you using?

--
BOFH Excuse #254:

Interference from lunar radiation

On Fri, 29 Oct 2004 20:36:31 +0000, Geoffrey King wrote:

> On Fri, 29 Oct 2004 21:00:06 +0100, Tony Burrows wrote:
>
>> I know one work-around is long leases and a hosts file, but I want to do
>> it properly.
>
> Your local DNS server needs to support dynamic updates. What DNS and DHCP
> server are you using?
I really don't know the software details. The hardware's a LinkSys WRT54G
wireless router with 4 ethernet ports, but there's no indication of the
software it uses.

When I look at it, the status info shows the host names and IP addresses
and a firmware revision number (v2.02.7) but that's all. Whether it
supports dynamic updates I don't know, nor what I should do to find out.

Should I be changing a conf file in the clients somewhere?

Tony

On Fri, 29 Oct 2004 23:18:03 +0100, Tony Burrows wrote:

> When I look at it, the status info shows the host names and IP addresses
> and a firmware revision number (v2.02.7) but that's all. Whether it
> supports dynamic updates I don't know, nor what I should do to find out.

dig @routerip machinename

> Should I be changing a conf file in the clients somewhere?

Ah, well the WRT54G actually runs linux however I don't think the dhcp
and dns server combo it runs doesn't understand dynamic dns (I don't own
one so I can't check, try dig). You have several options.

1) use static ips. Anything under .100 is static with that router.
2) replace the router with a real linux machine and/or setup your own
DHCP/DNS.
3) Use the patched firmware from http://www.sveasoft.com to give your
router the features you need.

--
I am NOMAD!