[COLUG] Re: Lan hostname to IP resolution

[Chris Clonch]

On Sunday 24 February 2008 3:59:29 david riggs wrote:
> Thanks everyone for the suggestions for my:
>
> "What is the best (or easiest?) way to set up so that the system can
>
> figure out for itself the IP address for each machine (as it changes
> over the days) (from the Verizon DSL router)"
>
> With a special nod to Rick for pointing to the Home Server Howto.
>
>
> However, it looks like that is not so trivial after all. My router software
> will not let me make fixed MAC to IP assignments, and all the machines in
> my network are portable, so I cannot assume that any machine will be
> present to make DHCP assignments if the router does not.
>
> And I forgot to mention that there is a network printer and a Mac OS9
> machine sometimes present.
>
>  So I think that I have to have the router do assignments to machines, and
> absent proper MAC to IP options, DHCP is the only way. Its so frustrating--
> the router knows and displays the hostname of each machine (with its
> 192.168.1.1 control interface). Isn't there some way to get linux to use 
> that information? It would be happy to let the router assign IP addresses
> if I could only get at the hostname to IP information it is holding to use
> in my linux boxes.
>
> David Riggs
> Oberlin

Not sure about the make of your Verizon DSL modem/router, but what about this: 
http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,16153064?  I helped a guy at my old 
work do the same using his Westall modem and his Linksys router.  This way 
you can regain control of your network as Rob stated.  I remember is was a 
little tricky, but eventually we got the modem to succumb to our wishes.  Of 
course this is if you want/have a router to use.

Another thought is if the modem/router is like the atypical broadband router, 
then it is probably already serving both DHCP & maybe DNS, in which case you 
should be able to point your boxes to it for name/ip resolution.  Just make 
sure your boxes' DHCP clients are set to register their hostname to the DHCP 
server.

Or if it is like those atypical broadband routers, what about turning off 
DHCP/DNS on the modem/router and run dnsmasq on one of your Linux boxes (as 
Rob previously suggested)?  I run dnsmasq from an openwrt router and it is 
probably the easiest DHCP and DNS daemon around.  It practically works out of 
the box; pun intended. ;)

-Chris

-Chris