Changing the Hostname

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Requirements

So you like to name your computers, and you would rather see 'meanmachine' than 'box' at a command prompt?

  • You will need root access to make the required changes
  • You need to know how to use a text editor
  • You need to know how to use a file manager (Emelfm)
  • You'll probably have to use the command line (terminal/bash)

What to do

Open the following files in your favorite text editor:

/etc/hostname

Change box to your new hostname. Save the file.

/etc/hosts

On the very first line, you should see: 

       127.0.0.1        box localhost

Change box to your new hostname. Save the file.

/etc/mailname

Change box to your new hostname. Save the file.

/etc/init.d/knoppix-autoconfig

Scroll down to line 363 (or line 328 on more recent versions). It should look like: 

       hostname box

Change box to your new hostname. Save the file.

/opt/ethn.sh

If you want to use this hostname also for your DHCP requests so that the DHCP will recognize it, you'll need to change the ethn.sh script where n stands for the interface number, for example eth0.sh. You need to have root privileges to do so.


The dhcp client of DSL is pump and the following line overwrites what ever was set before in knoppix-aitoconfig and dsl-functions. Line 2: 

pump -h newname -i ethn # where n stands for the interface number, i. e. 0 for eth0.


Cheat Code

You may have to change a boot line cheat code (host=). Add the following cheat code in your boot loader config file: 

       host=newname

Where newname is your new hostname.

Read cheat codes if you need help doing this for your boot loader (LILO/GRUB).

For LILO, follow these steps:

1. Edit the file /etc/lilo.conf. Scroll down to line 99, and find the line append=. Add: 

       host=newname

For example, you might end up with a long list of boot arguments, like: 

       append="hda=scsi hdb=scsi hdc=scsi hdd=scsi hde=scsi hdf=scsi hdg=scsi hdh=scsi apm=power-off nomce noapic host=meanmachine

2. Save the file (/etc/lilo.conf)

3. Install the new configuration to the MBR with the following command. 

       sudo lilo -C /etc/lilo.conf

Reboot

Reboot your computer; your system will now have the Hostname you wanted.

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