thanks to everyone for all the replies - i'm clearer now about why the windows boxes and this linux one are behaving the way they do i.e. do things slightly differently. i'm not going to have the "always on" box i need for a real dhcp/dns server until later in the year so my solution for now will be to (reluctantly) resort to static ip addresses for most of the machines here - it's only 8 currently - add entries to /etc/hosts on this box, and change the dhcp scope on the router accordingly.
i must say i feel like i'm getting there with linux. it's different, and takes a while to adjust to. i've not really booted this machine to windows for some weeks now - recent patch tuesdays have been the exception - i could probably delete the windows install entirely if it were not for the fact that other people might use this machine on days i'm not here. cheers, Roger Nick Rout wrote: > On Thu, 01 Jun 2006 18:05:11 +1200 > Robert Fisher <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > >>> Looks for now like I'll have to carry on looking up the address of a >>> machine from the router's table of dhcp clients . . . >>> >> What about assigning, on the router, IP addresses to the appropriate MAC >> addresses then adding (a more permanent IP address and name to /etc/hosts) >> >> I know it sounds long winded but you only have to do it once for each >> machine. >> >> Robert >> > > depends whether the router allows you to fix the ip addresses. > > >
