Loosing IP address

[Padiyath Sreekumaran]

  Hello,
  I have a Linux (RedHat 4.0)installed machine having 2 network card. 
  The netwotk configuration is DHCP. I have noticed that now and then 
  I get for the "echo $HOSTNAME" output as 129.(This is our starting
  ip: 129.xxx.xxx.xxx) instead of machine name. When I execute 
  "ping machinename" from other machine I get correct IP address.
  I can logon to this machine from other machines with machinename 
  as well as with IP address.
  After logging if I execute "echo $HOSTNAME" I get the correct name. It
seems
  that Iam loosing the name after certain time(no idea when).From DNS
server
  I can always reach the machine with name and IP. Problem seems to be 
  internal since Iam not getting correct name with "echo $HOSTNAME"
command.

  I have a second question regarding the netstat output:
   
   I have number of TIME_WAIT situation with netstat command:

   Ex: tcp        0      0 xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx:43288
xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx:37925        TIME_WAIT   -
                                  ^                            ^
                                  I----------------------------I
                                              ^
                                              I
                                       Same IP address always(IP address
of the machine itself)

   How can I get rid of TIME_WAIT entries from netstat output without
restarting the machine?
   (restart network or with arp command?)

  Regards,
  Kumar
------------------------------------------------------------------
Padiyath Sreekumar       |   Tel: +41.56.310.3643
Paul Scherrer Institut   |   email: kumar.padiyath at psi.ch
AIT                      |   Office: WHGA/U132 
WHGA/U132                |   Fax: +41.56.310.3649
CH-5232 Villigen PSI     | 
Switzerland              |
-----------------------------------------------------------------