Hi everyone,

in former versions like MGA6, MGA7 it was possible to get the machine
registered in the local DNS, e.g. the DNS of the internet router like AVM
Fritzbox.

Every other device like HP or Brother printers, Debian based machines like
Raspbian PC or Ubuntu workstations ist still found, i.e.
forward and reverse NSlookup works.

But not so my MGA9 machines, both 32 and 64 bit.

First I installed DNS "out of the box" with dhclient selected in the
network center, then I switched to dhcpcd. Each connected via LAN cable,
with no effect.

For instance, at this time on MGA9x64 there's the following command set
automatically and active:

dhclient -1 -q -lf /var/lib/dhclient/dhclient--enp4s0.lease -pf /var/run/
dhclient-enp4s0.pid enp4s0

The MGA9 machines are only registered by IP in the form a-b-c-d, hence,
I cannot address those machines by their name:

https://www.dipl-ing-kessler.de/tmp/fritzbox.jpg

Any idea what to try next?

Thanks!

Best regards,

Markus

On Tue, 05 Mar 2024 17:03:50 -0500, Markus Robert Kessler <no_reply@dipl-ing-kessler.de> wrote:

> Hi everyone,
>
> in former versions like MGA6, MGA7 it was possible to get the machine
> registered in the local DNS, e.g. the DNS of the internet router like AVM
> Fritzbox.
>
> Every other device like HP or Brother printers, Debian based machines like
> Raspbian PC or Ubuntu workstations ist still found, i.e.
> forward and reverse NSlookup works.
>
> But not so my MGA9 machines, both 32 and 64 bit.
>
> First I installed DNS "out of the box" with dhclient selected in the
> network center, then I switched to dhcpcd. Each connected via LAN cable,
> with no effect.
>
> For instance, at this time on MGA9x64 there's the following command set
> automatically and active:
>
> dhclient -1 -q -lf /var/lib/dhclient/dhclient--enp4s0.lease -pf /var/run/
> dhclient-enp4s0.pid enp4s0
>
> The MGA9 machines are only registered by IP in the form a-b-c-d, hence,
> I cannot address those machines by their name:
>
> https://www.dipl-ing-kessler.de/tmp/fritzbox.jpg
>
> Any idea what to try next?

Different programs and scripts look in different places for the hostname.

[root@x3 ~]# cat /etc/hostname
x3.hodgins.homeip.net
[root@x3 ~]# cat /etc/sysconfig/network
HOSTNAME=x3.hodgins.homeip.net
NETWORKING=yes
GATEWAY=192.168.10.11
NOZEROCONF=yes
CRDA_DOMAIN=CA

Rather then looking into which one is used by which, I just make sure I have
them both set to the same name.

Regards, Dave Hodgins

On Tue, 05 Mar 2024 18:27:57 -0500 David W. Hodgins wrote:

> On Tue, 05 Mar 2024 17:03:50 -0500, Markus Robert Kessler
> <no_reply@dipl-ing-kessler.de> wrote:
>
>> Hi everyone,
>>
>> in former versions like MGA6, MGA7 it was possible to get the machine
>> registered in the local DNS, e.g. the DNS of the internet router like
>> AVM Fritzbox.
>>
>> Every other device like HP or Brother printers, Debian based machines
>> like Raspbian PC or Ubuntu workstations ist still found, i.e.
>> forward and reverse NSlookup works.
>>
>> But not so my MGA9 machines, both 32 and 64 bit.
>>
>> First I installed DNS "out of the box" with dhclient selected in the
>> network center, then I switched to dhcpcd. Each connected via LAN
>> cable, with no effect.
>>
>> For instance, at this time on MGA9x64 there's the following command set
>> automatically and active:
>>
>> dhclient -1 -q -lf /var/lib/dhclient/dhclient--enp4s0.lease -pf
>> /var/run/ dhclient-enp4s0.pid enp4s0
>>
>> The MGA9 machines are only registered by IP in the form a-b-c-d, hence,
>> I cannot address those machines by their name:
>>
>> https://www.dipl-ing-kessler.de/tmp/fritzbox.jpg
>>
>> Any idea what to try next?
>
> Different programs and scripts look in different places for the
> hostname.
>
> [root@x3 ~]# cat /etc/hostname x3.hodgins.homeip.net [root@x3 ~]# cat
> /etc/sysconfig/network HOSTNAME=x3.hodgins.homeip.net NETWORKING=yes
> GATEWAY=192.168.10.11 NOZEROCONF=yes CRDA_DOMAIN=CA
>
> Rather then looking into which one is used by which, I just make sure I
> have them both set to the same name.

Hi,

same here:

$ cat /etc/hostname
mga9bc-lb1
$ cat /etc/sysconfig/network
HOSTNAME=mga9-bc-lb1
NETWORKING=yes
CRDA_DOMAIN=DE

So, I made a wireshark trace from the network segment where all these
machines are connected to, and saw, that MGA9 did not even send a hostname
standard query record to the DNS. Of course, this would never work.

Finally I found out, that the hostname has to be added as 'DHCP_HOSTNAME='
in /etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ifcfg-... additionally. Or, set the
hostname in mcc, netcenter, 'dhcp hostname', too.
This was not necessary in MGA <= 7.

There has been something messed up in draknetcenter module.

And, at least, hostnamectl command has to assist here, if this setting is
really necessary. That's not the case in any other OS I use / know of.

Best regards,

Markus

On Wed, 6 Mar 2024 17:50:50 -0000 (UTC) Markus Robert Kessler wrote:

> On Tue, 05 Mar 2024 18:27:57 -0500 David W. Hodgins wrote:
>
>> On Tue, 05 Mar 2024 17:03:50 -0500, Markus Robert Kessler
>> <no_reply@dipl-ing-kessler.de> wrote:
>>
>>> Hi everyone,
>>>
>>> in former versions like MGA6, MGA7 it was possible to get the machine
>>> registered in the local DNS, e.g. the DNS of the internet router like
>>> AVM Fritzbox.
>>>
>>> Every other device like HP or Brother printers, Debian based machines
>>> like Raspbian PC or Ubuntu workstations ist still found, i.e.
>>> forward and reverse NSlookup works.
>>>
>>> But not so my MGA9 machines, both 32 and 64 bit.
>>>
>>> First I installed DNS "out of the box" with dhclient selected in the
>>> network center, then I switched to dhcpcd. Each connected via LAN
>>> cable, with no effect.
>>>
>>> For instance, at this time on MGA9x64 there's the following command
>>> set automatically and active:
>>>
>>> dhclient -1 -q -lf /var/lib/dhclient/dhclient--enp4s0.lease -pf
>>> /var/run/ dhclient-enp4s0.pid enp4s0
>>>
>>> The MGA9 machines are only registered by IP in the form a-b-c-d,
>>> hence,
>>> I cannot address those machines by their name:
>>>
>>> https://www.dipl-ing-kessler.de/tmp/fritzbox.jpg
>>>
>>> Any idea what to try next?
>>
>> Different programs and scripts look in different places for the
>> hostname.
>>
>> [root@x3 ~]# cat /etc/hostname x3.hodgins.homeip.net [root@x3 ~]# cat
>> /etc/sysconfig/network HOSTNAME=x3.hodgins.homeip.net NETWORKING=yes
>> GATEWAY=192.168.10.11 NOZEROCONF=yes CRDA_DOMAIN=CA
>>
>> Rather then looking into which one is used by which, I just make sure I
>> have them both set to the same name.
>
> Hi,
>
> same here:
>
> $ cat /etc/hostname mga9bc-lb1 $ cat /etc/sysconfig/network
> HOSTNAME=mga9-bc-lb1 NETWORKING=yes CRDA_DOMAIN=DE
>
> So, I made a wireshark trace from the network segment where all these
> machines are connected to, and saw, that MGA9 did not even send a
> hostname standard query record to the DNS. Of course, this would never
> work.
>
> Finally I found out, that the hostname has to be added as
> 'DHCP_HOSTNAME='
> in /etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ifcfg-... additionally. Or, set the
> hostname in mcc, netcenter, 'dhcp hostname', too.
> This was not necessary in MGA <= 7.
>
> There has been something messed up in draknetcenter module.
>
> And, at least, hostnamectl command has to assist here, if this setting
> is really necessary. That's not the case in any other OS I use / know
> of.

@ David H.:

Again, many thanks for your response.

Just one thought:

After making and comparing the network traces, I have also compared what
steps are necessary to change the hostname, locally and registered name in
DNS.

MGA demands for changing the name in
/etc/hostname
/etc/sysconfig/network
as well as in the ifup-file for every interface like LAN, WIFI etc.

This is a high contrast to Raspbian, where it is sufficient to only
change /etc/hostname and reboot. But, maybe there's a way to have a kind
of script to automatically change the hostname at every location needed,
and which is integrated in MCC? -- That would be a big step forward!

Unfortunately, I do not have any contact info, or package name to place a
bug report / suggestion against.

Can you perhaps please help here
(since you have the most experience and knowing MGA best)?

Many thanks!

Best regards,

Markus

On Thu, 07 Mar 2024 08:08:39 -0500, Markus Robert Kessler <no_reply@dipl-ing-kessler.de> wrote:

> After making and comparing the network traces, I have also compared what
> steps are necessary to change the hostname, locally and registered name in
> DNS.
>
> MGA demands for changing the name in
> /etc/hostname
> /etc/sysconfig/network
> as well as in the ifup-file for every interface like LAN, WIFI etc.
>
> This is a high contrast to Raspbian, where it is sufficient to only
> change /etc/hostname and reboot. But, maybe there's a way to have a kind
> of script to automatically change the hostname at every location needed,
> and which is integrated in MCC? -- That would be a big step forward!
>
> Unfortunately, I do not have any contact info, or package name to place a
> bug report / suggestion against.
>
> Can you perhaps please help here
> (since you have the most experience and knowing MGA best)?

As well as the above places, the hostname can also come from a dhcp server,
for each network interface. The dhcp assigned hostname is usually called
a transient hostname, as it can change, along with the ip address after
a lease is allowed to expire.

Part of it is due to history with different software looking in different
places, but mostly it's due to the way the hostname can be used.

The idea that a computer can have one, and only one hostname is false.

Traditionally, a computer doesn't even have a name.

The names are only used in networking, and only when using dns instead of a
MAC address (short for medium access control address) or ip (internet protocol)
address, to communicate with other systems.

Each hostname can have multiple ip addresses, and the same ip address can
have multiple hostnames.

One or more different hostnames can also be used for virtual lan, and there
can be multiple virtual lans, each with it's own hostname(s).

There are multiple ways networking can be setup, ifup scripts, networkmanager,
systemd, manually, and probably other ways I don't know about.

Then there are virtual machines running under the control of that installation,
each of which can use networking in various ways.

When application designers assume there can only be one hostname for a system,
(which many do), that can cause problems.

There's a trade off between making it simple, and allowing the complicated
setups to still work.

Mageia doesn't force the various "hostname" settings to all be the same, as
there are situations where that would cause problems.

While I understand the concepts used in the complicated networking setups and
have some experience with some more complicated setups, I leave the advanced
networking setups to those with much more experience in that area.

Forcing it to be consistent post installation would break the complicated
networking setups that can exist.

Most Mageia users only have one network interface and only want to use one
hostname, and Mageia handles that situation provided the name is assigned to
the nic during installation.

Mageia tries to make it easy for new users, while trying not to get in the way
of more advanced users.

Unfortunately it's a matter of education, for when things go wrong.

Regards, Dave Hodgins