Alternatively, you could man each NIC's MAC address to an IP address so each machine always has the same IP/Hostname. This gives a more stable network but requires more setting up.
I'd recommend mapping all machiens anyway, and not allowing any dynamic setting. It means you have to "register" every new machine in your DHCP config file, but that gives you some control over the machines and you should anyway be registering your machines somewhere. The big advantage, however, of making your DHCP assignments static is that you know that machine number 45 is always the one in the corner and 72 is the one at the end of the Library, so when you detect naughty things you know immediately where to pounce. You can physically label machines with their IP number (or the last byte) and hostname. Makes management so much easier than if the addresses change every day. -- Christopher Dawkins, Felsted School, Dunmow, Essex CM6 3JG 01371-820527 or 07798 636725 cchd@felsted.essex.sch.uk