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On Thursday 21 March 2002 20:37, you wrote:
Brian Durant wrote:
DHCP is a way to dynamically assign all the variables needed to connect to a network, such as IP, netmask, gateway, etc. DNS is the service that translates names that makes sense to people, to IP numbers that make sense to computers. The protocol and service doesn't vary between SuSE and anyone else on the internet. ;-) Maybe the programs used do, but that is the freedom of Linux, standards compliant software that works everywhere.
OK, but if DHCP is administered dynamically, then there is nothing to fill in, but you need to fill in something to get an Internet connection with SuSE.
You only need to install the Nic, assign it a number, enable it, and set it to dhclient. You can either go with the default config or you CAN modify it.
This is what I have done. This is also how I got my Internet connection to work.
In the Win or Mac world, if your access to the Internet is administered dynamically, then there is nothing to fill in or see, unless you want to enforce a static IP.
That is not entirely true, though dhcp client is the default config in Windows, and their defaults, which a lot of DHCP servers are configured for, will usually work (but not always).
In this case (and only this case), I find the DNS confusing for the following reasons:
I thought we were talking about DHCP. DNS is a separate service. It is usually configured on your computer by DHCP in that environment for name resolution (otherwise you would need to know all IP numbers for everything).
We were talking about DHCP, but I believe that the explanation I originally received for the necessity of filling out the host and domain names in YAST2 is that this is for DNS. Perhaps I am wrong. Maybe it was in connection with that some ISPs require a host name and domain name. In my case, it wasn't necessary. All I know is that I couldn't get a connection before I put something in those fields, regardless of what was put in those fields. I chose to interpret the host name as more or less = with the "computer name" in Win and domain with "workgroup". It may not be used by me for accessing the Internet, but I need to fill out those fields before I can get a connection. Why this is necessary, I have nary a clue, but that is the explanation that I received.
1) The dynamic administration of DHCP that I mentioned above, which usually includes not needing to include a domain, unless the individual is serving their own domain directly to the Internet. Albeit, there are some ISP's that require filling out this info such as cb.net.id.
The fact that some do and some don't is EXACTLY why things are configurable in Linux. It will work (maybe some configuring) everywhere. Microsoft tries to create a proprietary everything that they can control, so it is not surprising theirs usually works by default since most ISPs have to assume the majority of clients that connect to them will run M$.
This I understand and do to a large extent agree with your point of view. but does it bring me closer to understanding my configuration problem and how to solve?
2) The issue of hostname-computer name and domain-workgroup Linux-Win. Isn't there a clean cut way of applying this in SuSE? There are two options that I have spotted. One in KDE control center, which is called "user" and "workgroup". The other in YAST2, where "hostname" and "domain name" can be filled out. "User" is not necessarily "computer name". These are concepts that are hard to wrap my head around compared to past experience in other OS's
That is probably because you used a non networking OS. User is not the same as the computer name, even in Windows. The confusion in the terms is a result of M$ attempt to proprietize the computer software industry. User = user, the one using the computer at any given moment. Hostname=computer name, domain name is almost the same as workgroup.
Noted. Is Win or Mac a non networking OS in your definition?
3) Where does my LAN start and my WAN end? If I want to have a computer called "x" and a workgroup that I want to call "y", but log onto an ISP domain called cbn.net.id and have a "username" on that ISP of "z", where do the different blanks need to be filled in in SuSE to complete this?
This sounds like a dialup, so whatever program is used to interface with your ISP would take 'z' with the appropriate password. Remember, each server you connect to (not pass through) will authenticate you to make sure you are a valid user, so you may have many usernames/passwords, one each for each server. This is different than your computer name/domain name. This your ISP may be using to make an entry in their DNS server (maybe you are confusing the dynamic updating of DNS with DHCP), though I doubt it unless you are web hosting or something.
No, no. I did say cable modem and router. You still need to log on to the POP3 server for example. As far as I know, ISPs still use the same user name for POP3 as for a dial up connection, even if you don't have that dial up connection ;-) That is the way my ISP functions, anyway.
OK, I have an eth0 that connects to my router. I do have an eth1 that I haven't configured yet, but I haven't done that yet as it is not connected to anything at this time. The difference between your configuration and mine seems to be that my LAN is connected to a hardware router that is connected to the cable modem (i.e. WAN). Why would I add IPs of my LAN to "/etc/hosts AND /etc/lmhosts"? I am not hosting anything. I just want to be able to log on to the other computers. The other computers on my LAN do not have static IP addresses anyway. Everything is assigned automagically.
I can only assume your ISP does dynamic DNS updating through DHCP, which makes an entry in their DNS server that would be able to translate your hostnames to IP addresses. If that assumption is correct, you should be able to connect to them through their name assuming nothing is being blocked by a firewall. If your other machines are Win98 (if I remember), are you sharing your drives to the internet? What do you mean by 'log on to the other computers'.
OK, how do I connect through the computer name? All I see in the KDE control center (when logged on as "root") are IP addresses listed as examples. Can I just add names in LISa? Should they be in capital letters or small? Nothing is being shared to the Internet. By "logging on", I mean connecting to the other computers so that I can mount their hard drives. Cheers, Brian