Recipe 24.4. Configuring dhcp Clients

24.4.1 Problem

You need to know how to connect both your Linux and Windows client PCs to your nice new dhcp server, so that they will pick up their network assignments without your lifting a finger.

24.4.2 Solution

In Windows, open Control Panel Networking, then open the Properties box for TCP/IP. Check "Obtain an IP address automatically."

It's just as easy in Linux; the only hard part is that every distribution puts the configuration file in a different place. In Red Hat and Fedora, edit /etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ifcfg-eth0 as follows:

TYPE=Ethernet DEVICE=eth0 BOOTPROTO=dhcp ONBOOT=yes DHCP_HOSTNAME=stinkpad

On Debian, edit /etc/network/interfaces as follows:

auto lo iface lo inet loopback auto eth0 iface eth0 inet dhcp

24.4.3 Discussion

You may wish to use a graphical configuration tool. On Red Hat and Fedora, use system-config-network. KDE and Gnome have their own GUI configuration tools (as does practically every Linux distribution), so you won't be short of choices. Another option is netGo, a system-independent network configuration utility that lets you create profiles for easily connecting to different networks

24.4.4 See Also

• Documentation for your Linux distribution or your favorite window manager/graphical enviroment