question about hostname
All,
I'm a bit embarrassed to be asking this question (more properly
question-series), since I've been enjoying Linux since late '98 and ya'd
think I'd know the answer to this by now ... however ...
I'm wondering about hostname(s). What is -affected- by the name one
chooses to give one's box?
The contents of my /etc/hostname file is simply the string "debian". I've
noticed that when firing up certain apps (Netscape for one), I briefly see
a "host not known" message, but the application then seems to go ahead
and work anyway.
I'm asking specifically, I guess, because I don't understand networking
very well, and am sure I'm doing many things wrong. I'm on a DSL
connection with a static IP. I purchased a domain name recently and
normally check my email by ssh-ing into that account and firing up Pine.
If say I rename my machine (implicit therein is the question "should I
...?") to
soandso.mydomain.com
... is that, uh, a -valid- thing to do? Is it the -better- thing to do? Or
should the hostname of my DSL-connected box remain a single, that is
undotted name (apparently something other than "debian")? I have to admit
that the point in setup where I'm asked to in essence name the machine has
always been something I've bluffed through: the mere fact that I -own- the
domain "mydomain.com" doesn't in itself mean I should name this box as if
it were a subset of that domain ... or does it?
After all, it (the box) seems to work -okay- ... I just get messages
sometimes that indicate to me that things aren't set up quite right. For
instance, when I try to run eximconfig, I get this:
hostname: Unknown host
hostname --fqdn gave non-zero exit code 256
I'm guessing it's because of the sloppy naming. I'd like to set up my
machine to directly receive mail. Is there more here that I am not
addressing?
Apologies for the question snowstorm and thanks in advance for any help.
Thx,
Glenn
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