host name

[Hai Tao]

you have not answer my main question:
   for the same computer, the hostname (the hostname of the computer 
itselft) is the same, be either laptop1a or laptop1b, or whatever 
something else. when this computer send a request, which statement will apply?

   
  
Simon Hobson <dhcp1 at thehobsons.co.uk> wrote:
  Hai Tao wrote:

>but I still don't understand what is the hostname. for your example, 
>laptop1a and laptop1b are actually the same computer, right? becuase 
>they have the same mac address.

Near enough for this discussion - yes

> for the same computer, the hostname (the hostname of the computer 
>itselft) is the same, be either laptop1a or laptop1b, or whatever 
>something else. when this computer send a request, which statement 
>will apply?

The client will use whatever it's configured to use.

> can you explain clearly what hostname is? is it the hostname of 
>the requestor? no matter it is a windows, unix, printer or router? 
>or it only has a meaning in the dhcpd.conf file?

It is the internal identifier used by the dhcp server - it does not 
necessarily have any connection to the host name the client is known 
as (or might use in any requests). It can be sent to the client if 
required by using the (IIRC) use-host-decl-names statement.