Unique Hostname

**A.Skwar** · 07-10-2005, 03:11 PM

It would be very nice and useful, if the hostname of the Knoppix box would be unique. This would allow, that there are several Knoppix hosts running on the same net. Currently, if dynamic dns and DHCP is used, only the first "knoppix" host gets added to the DNS.

One easy way would be, to add the MAC adress of the 1st NIC to hostname (without the : of course). This would make the hostname look something like "knoppix-0008743EFDE2".

**amp77** · 09-26-2005, 05:52 PM

I would prefer a cheatcode. By the way, how do you change the hostname? hostname command doesn't seem to be enough as i still can't samba between two Knoppix boxes

**The-Big-E** · 10-08-2005, 07:07 AM

Originally Posted by amp77

I would prefer a cheatcode. By the way, how do you change the hostname? hostname command doesn't seem to be enough as i still can't samba between two Knoppix boxes

Why would you use samba between 2 knoppix boxes? why not ssh or nfs?

**A.Skwar** · 10-08-2005, 11:03 AM

Originally Posted by The-Big-E

Why would you use samba between 2 knoppix boxes? why not ssh or nfs?

That's not the point at all.

A possible scenario might be, that there are 2+ knoppix boxes and one or more Windows machines. How do you access one specific Knoppix box using CIFS/SMB from the Windows machine?

**The-Big-E** · 10-09-2005, 07:03 AM

Originally Posted by A.Skwar

That's not the point at all.

A possible scenario might be, that there are 2+ knoppix boxes and one or more Windows machines. How do you access one specific Knoppix box using CIFS/SMB from the Windows machine?

I understand, but enable ssh on 1/both/all knoppix boxes, then access them via putty or winscp to the IP. The only time I found the hostname to be really important (at least when using live cd's and interacting with windows boxes) is when using cups.

What are you trying to do that you would need more then I live cd running at a time anyway?

**Harry Kuhman** · 10-09-2005, 07:13 AM

Originally Posted by The-Big-E

What are you trying to do that you would need more then I live cd running at a time anyway?

I agree that accessing by IP address is a work around, although hardly a great one. I can certainly think of lots of reasons to run with more than one Live CD though, in fact any reason to run with one Live CD would be a good reason to run with more than one. And if you want to learn about Linux networking before ditching your Windows network, it an obvious choice. Other reasons: Transfering files without having to deal with Linux to Windows issues, debugging network problems with ethereal, playing multiplayer games like Crack Attack on the 4.0.2 DVD across the local network.

**A.Skwar** · 10-09-2005, 08:35 AM

Originally Posted by The-Big-E

What are you trying to do that you would need more then I live cd running at a time anyway?

You're again missing the point. The current state of behaviour can very well be seen as a bug that needs to be fixed. The way it is now, it's *NOT* possible to access one specified box using a name. You have to know the IP.

That's not easy. And up to know, Knoppix to me always made the impression, that it's an implmentation of "It Just Works!".

But you're right, accessing by IP is a workaround. Could you please file a bug, so that the DHCP Client doesn't try to register the hostname in DNS? Also, please try to do away with all that auto configuration. Heck, you just need to enter the correct hardware data by hand. Hardly a big deal...

**bitey** · 10-13-2005, 12:31 AM

I'm glad somebody mentioned using the IP address. I've been going nuts trying to use LinNeighborhood and smb4k to connect a Knoppix client to a Knoppix file server. Turns out typing smb://192.168.1.107 into Konqueror works just fine.

**A.Skwar** · 10-13-2005, 09:37 AM

Originally Posted by bitey

I'm glad somebody mentioned using the IP address. I've been going nuts trying to use LinNeighborhood and smb4k to connect a Knoppix client to a Knoppix file server. Turns out typing smb://192.168.1.107 into Konqueror works just fine.

Yes, it does - but in Windows, this might result in Windows putting/assuming the server to be in the Internet Zone and thus be more restrictive. Further, it may slow down transfers.

Not so, if you use the NETBIOS name - ie. \\KNOPPIX instead of \\192.168.1.107. So, IP isn't really a solution.

All of this would work fine, if each Knoppix box had a unique hostname. Quite a simple solution for a lot of problems...

**firnsy** · 10-13-2005, 01:18 PM

I have this exact type of setup with my remaster, I have built a custom IDS solution with distributed sensors, central server (with redundants) and remote consoles. On boot up I added a cheatcode 'hostname' that determines the type of role that the machine will perform. This type of functionality, I believe, is what some of you are after.

If so you can easily achieve this with only a few extra lines of code to the linuxrc file in miniroot.gz

If anyone is interested I'll post some possible modifications to achieve this functionality. Fortunately this type of modification should not require a complete remaster and could be tackled by the novice Knoppix tinkerer.

The proposed modification would be:
1. Instead of standard 'Knoppix' hostname, it would be be something like 'knoppix-MACADDRESS'
2. If cheatcode is supplied override hostname (eg. boot: knoppix 'hostname=knoppix-1')