Can I do without /etc/hosts?

BlueNoteMKVI · n00b Joined: 07 Jul 2004 Posts: 65

My home network has grown quite a bit and it's getting tedious to keep /etc/hosts updated everywhere. Is there a way to do without, by running some sort of DNS server on the network?

Here's a sketch of my setup:

Incoming DSL line goes to LinkSYS VOIP router.
VOIP router connects to two phone lines and a Linksys Wireless G router.
Wireless G router connects via cables to:
-Main desktop (Xandros)
-Secondary desktop (XP)
-Server in the closet (Gentoo)
There are also three laptops living here that connect wirelessly, and a Linksys wireless print server.

Is it possible to set up one of those computers to maintain the list of which computers are at which addresses, even if (in the case of the laptops) they acquire their addresses via DHCP and it's different each time? Could I do that somehow on the router?

NeddySeagoon · Posted: Fri Oct 14, 2005 9:31 pm Post subject:

BlueNoteMKVI,

You can't dump it altogether. It needs to contain the locakhost entry.
If you are using DHCP, then DHCP should run a nameserver for you.
_________________
Regards,

NeddySeagoon

Computer users fall into two groups:-
those that do backups
those that have never had a hard drive fail.

WhimpyPeon · Posted: Fri Oct 14, 2005 9:49 pm Post subject:

dnsmasq will handle dhcp and dns. It is quite easy to install/configure and you only need to maintain a hosts file on that computer (for local dns). Did I mention it is in portage!