Hostname resolving in a mixed network (Linux, Win)

Forum: Networking
Topic: Hostname resolving in a mixed network (Linux, Win)
started by: bert

Posted by bert on Sep. 24 2007,12:03

Hello!
I have a question concerning hostname resolving. My DSL box runs on a network with many windows workstations (windows domain) attached. Until now I always used the ip adress to access it (ping, httpd etc.).

But I discovered that my windows machine can also find it by using the hostname. How does windows do that? Does DSL register somewhere in the windows network during boot?

Regards
Bert

Posted by Juanito on Sep. 24 2007,12:12

The base dsl system has the samba (windows networking) configuration file, smb.conf, and a couple of other samba bits & pieces (eg smbtree?) - is the hostname you see in smb.conf?

Posted by bert on Sep. 24 2007,13:11

Here the first lines of /etc/samba/smb.conf:
[global]
workgroup = fake
server string = %h server (Samba %v)
; wins support = no
; wins server = w.x.y.z
dns proxy = no
; name resolve order = lmhosts host wins bcast

But I do not start samba explicitly. And the samba server is not installed (I think it is an extra package.)

B.t.w. I did not change the default hostname. It is still 'box'. An the domain name is obtained by dhcp.

Posted by Juanito on Sep. 24 2007,13:32

Ah - OK, I wasn't at a dsl machine so I couldn't check that. After checking, all I could see in the base system samba-wise was /usr/bin/smbclient & smbtree.

You're right, samba is a mydsl extension.

Posted by ^thehatsrule^ on Sep. 24 2007,14:59

Afaik this is part of a standard network... part of DHCP... so it would depend on your network setup/servers.

Posted by bert on Sep. 24 2007,16:12

For me it was a pleasant surprise that DSL can do this without additional setup.

For my slackware box which is also configured via dhcp is not accessible by hostname...

So I just wondered what the trick is. Maybe it has to do with different kinds of clients: pump (DSL) vs. dhcpclient (slackware)?

Posted by ^thehatsrule^ on Sep. 24 2007,17:47

Yes... I'd assume the client would also have to send the hostname to whichever DNS server(s).