OpenWrt Not Providing Hostname

Installing and Using OpenWrt Network and Wireless Configuration
1

I currently have two device running OpenWRT. The first one is acting as a wireless AP. The second device is in client mode and connected to first devices wireless network. For some reason the client device is not providing it's hostname. All I see is in LUCI is a question mark. If I connect other non-openwrt devices (laptop and phone) to the AP, the hostnames shows up. I can't figure out why the OpenWRT install on the client device is not providing it's hostname.

Thanks in advance!

2

If the second OpenWrt box isn't a DHCP client of the first, you're not going to have an entry for it unless you add it yourself to either DNS or a MAC database of some sort.

/etc/ethers is one way to have it show up with "any" hostname you want on the machine that you enter the host's MAC address and hostname.

3

Thanks for the reply,

The second box has been configured to be in "client mode." Shouldn't it provide it's hostname to the first box when requesting an IP address?

4

Does it actually make a DHCP request or it is configured with a static address?

Hostnames, both reporting to using when suggested by a DHCP server are completely optional. There's good security reasons not to trust a client, though it is convenient when a benign client announces themselves in a way that is easily recognized by a human.

1 Like
5

The first box's dhcp server is set to dynamic assignment. I haven't configured any static IP addresses.

6

Have you removed the static LAN address configuration from the client mode openwrt device????

7

The client device is not configured with a static LAN. Another question that came to mind, all the client devices on the network will be controlled. I had orginally planned to reference them by there hostname, which was going to be a unique ID assigned to that device. Do you think it would be better to use their MAC addresses as UIDs? I'm thinking that might be more reliable.

8

You have to specify a hostname in the network config. It does not automatically use the system hostname.

/etc/config/network

config interface lan
   option proto dhcp
   option hostname 'OpenWrt-37cf'
   ...

You could use part of the MAC address as the hostname. It may be more logical to use the router's model number and / or physical location.

1 Like
9

That did it! Thanks a bunch! I did not realize the hostname had to be set on the LAN interface as well.

10

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