Re: Mldonkey hostname ??

On Sun, 2008-01-27 at 00:50 -0500, William Case wrote:
> My original attempt at configuration was 'case'.  CASE was only my
> last attempt.  I have also tried 'localhost'.
>
> 'host case' (or localhost, or CASE) returns:
> Host case not found: 3(NXDOMAIN)

This sounds like a name resolution problem.  However, not knowing the
program, I don't know if it's trying to resolve the name locally, or
externally on the internet.  Localhost, nor local machine names and
local LAN IP addresses aren't going to resolve externally.

Since you're talking about peer-to-peer software, it seems logical that
the program has to know its external public address, to advertise those
details to the rest of the peer group.  Others are going to connect to
you, and they have to be able to do so.  Part of being able to do so is
having the right address, that may involve hostname resolution, or
perhaps just directly making use of your numerical IP address (*).  And
firewalling is another part (the connection has to be able to get
through).

I'd suspect it just needs the external IP address.  Few people using
peer-to-peer would have a hostname that could be externally resolved,
certainly not the hostname that they expect (their machine name).
Generally, those on an ISP get assigned a random dynamic IP address, and
the ISP uses some of the numbers in generating a hostname that's
applicable for that connection.  e.g. dialup166.188.example.com

> I am somewhat confused by the warning. "change the 'hostname' option
> to the correct IP address of the host running mldonkey".

It would mean something like:  The hostname, i.e. "case", has to resolve
against the IP it's located at, e.g. 192.168.1.23, and probably in both
directions.  i.e. 192.168.1.23 referred back to case, too.

NB:  I don't know your IP, so I just made up a sample one.

> In this instance, is hostname the same as host?

It'd appear to be using it in the usual way (as you've asked about).

> And what does IP address have to do with it?

IP = Internet Protocol

IP address = the numerical IP network address for you (generally, it
means this, but it's sometimes used to refer to an address using names).

> Do they want my Internet Provider?  I thought that was 'ISP'.

No, and yes.

> I am assuming 'case' or localhost is the host that is running
> mldonkey.  That is where I downloaded and installed mldonkey.  And
> that is where I find it with the locate mldonkey command.

That would sound logical.