[Techtalk] Host names on a LAN

[Kathryn Andersen]

On Wed, Feb 02, 2011 at 05:30:33PM +0000, John Sturdy wrote:
> I have a home router with wireless (BT HomeHub) which looks reasonably
> configurable (http://www.filesaveas.com/hubhelp.html).  On it I'm
> using a desktop machine and a netbook (both Debian) and an N900
> (Maemo, which is Debian-based).  I want to be able to refer to the
> machines by name (for convenient rsync, mostly, and maybe nfs mounts,
> and to ssh into the N900 when I want to hack on it).  However, the
> netbook might appear on other wifi networks when I use it away from
> home, and the N900 will both do that and also use GPRS/GSM modem, so I
> want to be able to switch quickly (and preferably automatically)
> between having static IP addresses and using /etc/hosts at home, and
> DHCP when outside.

What I've found useful in a similar situation where I have a netbook
which moves around is the "switchconf" program, which enables you to set
up different sets of configuration files (including things like
/etc/hosts) and dynamically switch between them.

Kathryn Andersen
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