[Techtalk] Host names on a LAN

[David Sumbler]

On Wed, 2011-02-02 at 07:44 -0800, Meryll Larkin wrote:
> Hi David,
> 
> The question is:  what are you really trying to accomplish?
> 
> If you want a DNS server, you can set one up, or you can get a more
> expensive piece of hardware that does what you want.
> 
> If you just want your Windows computers to know each others names, then set
> up the Netbios names in each computer's local hosts file.  Just google
> localhosts Windows.  If you have 100 Windows computers and deploy with an
> image, you can set this up as part of your image.
> 
> Of course the downfall of any hard coded system (as opposed to a dynamically
> updating system) is that it all has to be changed (manually, but it can be
> scripted) when the systems change (new hardware added, old hardware
> retired).
> 
> Does that help?

Well, what I think you're saying is that using fixed IP addresses is the
only practicable way of doing it.  I can set that up easily (we're only
talking about 3 computers here!).  I just thought that there might be a
simple way of doing what I wanted whilst still using DHCP - but clearly
not!

Thanks, all, for your suggestions.

David