Hi,
For the last few years, I've been using exclusively Linux on servers and desktops, so I don't know anything about Microsoft products.
When setting up a 100% GNU/Linux LAN, I use a local DHCP and DNS caching server, and then all the clients are configured to use DHCP. Hostnames are all handled by the server. This works very well and never causes any headaches.
Now a local town hall has asked me to join their two networks (so they can exchange files via Samba), one using Windows XP on desktops, and the other running CentOS desktops. I plan to handle hostnames, IP addresses etc. as usual, by one central DHCP/DNS caching server. Right now I'm testing this on my "sandbox" network (three machines using Ghost images from various systems). I can configure a Windows XP desktop to get network configuration from the DHCP server OK, but 1) where does an XP desktops' hostname appear? 2) how can I handle it from the DHCP server (that is, *if* it's possible)?
Cheers,
Niki
-------- Original Message -------- Subject: [CentOS] DHCP server and Windows XP clients : set hostname ? From: Niki Kovacs contact@kikinovak.net To: CentOS Mailing List centos@centos.org Date: Wed Apr 07 2010 15:13:59 GMT+0200 (ora Legale Europa Occidentale)
Hi,
[...]
I can configure a Windows XP desktop to get network configuration from the DHCP server OK, but 1) where does an XP desktops' hostname appear? 2) how can I handle it from the DHCP server (that is, *if* it's possible)?
To my knowledge this is not possible for Windows clients (at least XP and seven). Not even for some dummy network printers that simply ignore any hostname offers from (ISC) DHCP server.
I was wandering too if this is possible, maybe somebody succedeed...
-- Alessandro
On Wednesday 07 April 2010 14:13:59 Niki Kovacs wrote:
Hi,
For the last few years, I've been using exclusively Linux on servers and desktops, so I don't know anything about Microsoft products.
When setting up a 100% GNU/Linux LAN, I use a local DHCP and DNS caching server, and then all the clients are configured to use DHCP. Hostnames are all handled by the server. This works very well and never causes any headaches.
Now a local town hall has asked me to join their two networks (so they can exchange files via Samba), one using Windows XP on desktops, and the other running CentOS desktops. I plan to handle hostnames, IP addresses etc. as usual, by one central DHCP/DNS caching server. Right now I'm testing this on my "sandbox" network (three machines using Ghost images from various systems). I can configure a Windows XP desktop to get network configuration from the DHCP server OK, but 1) where does an XP desktops' hostname appear? 2) how can I handle it from the DHCP server (that is, *if* it's possible)?
The hostname of a windows machine is usually set locally as the "computer name" somewhere in windows system settings (don't remember exactly, but it can be reached from the control panel...). When obtaining a lease from a dhcp server, windows reports this hostname (along with the mac data etc.), and you can read it in the dhcpd leases file on the server.
Setting this hostname remotely from a dhcp server doesn't work on windows, AFAIK. It completely ignores the dhcpd suggestion. Maybe this can be adjusted somehow (tweaking the registry?), but I have no idea how and if this is possible. That said, I didn't really ever bothered to search for this kind of option. Both windows and linux can be set to ignore the dhcp-suggested hostname, so you should never rely on this for any functionality (other than pure convenience). Dynamic DNS should be the proper way to handle machine names of dhcp clients.
HTH, :-) Marko
To set the machine name of an XP machine, right click on My Computer, select "Properties" from the context menu, now in the properties dialog select the "Computer Name" tab and click the "Change" button.
I am pretty sure (like 99% sure) XP machines can't be dynamically set a host name. We are a mostly Windows environment with some CentOS for file and web severs but our main network management is done by Windows and I have never seen such an option unless you can hack this together yourself some how (which I would be very interested to see if you did).
To set the machine name of an XP machine, right click on My Computer, select "Properties" from the context menu, now in the properties dialog select the "Computer Name" tab and click the "Change" button.
I am pretty sure (like 99% sure) XP machines can't be dynamically set a host name. We are a mostly Windows environment with some CentOS for file and web severs but our main network management is done by Windows and I have never seen such an option unless you can hack this together yourself some how (which I would be very interested to see if you did).
I am told that it's doable only if you're using AD for both DNS and DHCP.
mark
For the last few years, I've been using exclusively Linux on servers and desktops, so I don't know anything about Microsoft products.
When setting up a 100% GNU/Linux LAN, I use a local DHCP and DNS caching server, and then all the clients are configured to use DHCP. Hostnames are all handled by the server. This works very well and never causes any headaches.
Now a local town hall has asked me to join their two networks (so they can exchange files via Samba), one using Windows XP on desktops, and the other running CentOS desktops. I plan to handle hostnames, IP addresses etc. as usual, by one central DHCP/DNS caching server. Right now I'm testing this on my "sandbox" network (three machines using Ghost images from various systems). I can configure a Windows XP desktop to get network configuration from the DHCP server OK, but 1) where does an XP desktops' hostname appear? 2) how can I handle it from the DHCP server (that is, *if* it's possible)?
The name of a Windows box is usually its netbios name and it is held at: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\ComputerName\ComputerName\ComputerName
A Windows box also has a hostname held at: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Tcpip\Parameters\Hostname but I have never seen a setup where they are different.
If the XP boxes are running in a domain (which they must be), you will not be able to change their names on the fly (or only on an irregular basis with one of the extra tools that are shipped on server install CDs) because both users and computers have to be members of a Windows domain in order to log on to it. Once a Windows box accepts an ip lease from the dhcp server, its A and PTR records are updated on the dns server.