Why is adding a new Ubuntu PC to an existing LAN such a pain?

[John R Cichy]

On Sun, 2007-01-21 at 19:01 +1100, ruscook wrote:
> > > >      
> > > Because I do not have a DHCP server and also because I want to use the
> > > same addresses as my Windows PC's.
> > > 
> > >     
> > I hope you mean the same subnet, or that the windows machines are
> > powered down when the Ubuntu machines are running (though still can't be
> > sure why you would do this except in a dual-boot situation). Two
> > computers can NOT share IP's on the network. That would be like you
> > sharing the same phone number with your neighbor.
> > 
> > John 
> >   
> However if you have dual-boot machines and you want each OS to have
> the same address then that's easier to do in DHCP than in each OS
> separately. You put the MAC address of the machine in the DHCP config
> file. So when it hands out leases it ALWAYS hands the same IP to the
> same machine irrespective of what OS it booted under. If you use bind
> or distribute your 'hosts' file around you can then use the same name
> for each PC and will all just 'work'.
> 
> Running a DHCP server has virtually no overhead other than learning
> the config file. So if you have a machine that is  always on and it
> runs Ubuntu then you can put DHCP on this fairly easily.

I agree, although I remember being hesitant when I did make the the
switch, "what's so difficult about static's, I have a peice of
paper...'. Once I set it up and started adding and removing pc's on my
network, I never looked back. I have mine running on my IPcop firewall
and it works great.

John