Another DNS question.

[Erik P. Olsen]

Eric Donkersloot wrote:
> On Sat, 2006-08-05 at 20:17 +0200, Erik P. Olsen wrote:
>> I have several PCs/LapTops accessing the Internet through a wireless router 
>> (Linksys WRT54G). It also acts as a DHCP server presenting each connected PC 
>> with an IP-address. For Internet access it works flawlessly but I have other 
>> application which access the PCs on the LAN, such as back-up programs (Bacula).
>>
>> For the last sort of applications I need to have either a static IP-address or 
>> an allways correct association between workstation name and its IP-address 
>> (/etc/hosts). It so happens that if the configuration (in terms of connected 
>> PCs/LapTops) remains static then the boxes get the same IP-address each time 
>> they connect to the router. This is, however, not allways true if the 
>> configuration is dynamic (many different PCs and not allways the same).
>>
>> I feel that what I really need is a DSN on the LAN which is being updated each 
>> time a box connects to the router and gets an IP-address. I have noticed that 
>> some people disable the DHCP server in their router and establesh a DHCP server 
>> in one of connected PCs, but I don't see how that can be accomplished and what 
>> happens if that server is taken out of the network?
>>
>> Is there a way out of this problem?
> 
> I'm not sure I understand you correctly, but what about giving this
> (backup) host a static ip address outside the dhcp range but obviously
> in the same network ? Just narrow down the dhcp range on the router if
> necessary.

OK. Let me explain it more specific. In the back-up config files I can address 
the clients (the PCs to be backed up) by either their IP-addresses or their 
hostnames (I think Windoze calls it workstation names). IP-addresses are dynamic 
and may change, host names are static so I can enter their host names into the 
config files to keep them static provided I have a dynamic way of modifying 
/etc/hosts whenever a box connects to the LAN. /etc/hosts is in a sense a DNS I 
just don't know of any method to keep it current.


-- 
Erik P. Olsen, Civilingeniør, MSc
Solsortvej 30, DK-2000 Frederiksberg, Denmark
Phone: +45 38346480, Fax: +45 38346470, Mobil: +45 40765300