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