How to Change a Hostname in RedHat Linux

Each computer or server in a network has an IP address (e.g. 195.17.23.0) that is a crucial part of the Internet protocol. In addition, a computer has a human assigned name (hostname) that is easier to memorize and use than a numeric IP address. Changing a hostname in RedHat Linux requires editing a system configuration file.

Instructions

1. Right-click on Desktop and click "Open [new] terminal" in the pop-up menu.

2. Type "su" (press "Enter"). Type "<root password>" followed by pressing "Enter" to get superuser (root) privileges.

3. Type "cd /etc/sysconfig" and press "Enter."

4. Type "nedit network" and press "'Enter" to open the file for editing.

5. Find the line in the file that starts with HOSTNAME and looks like
   "HOSTNAME=greenapple.phys.edu"
   In this example 'greenapple.phys.edu' is the current hostname. Delete it and type a desired new hostname instead. For example, "HOSTNAME=peach.phys.edu".

6. Click "File >Save" to save the file. Then click "File >Exit" to exit nedit.

7. Type "hostname <new_host_name>" (for example, "hostname peach.phys.edu") and press "Enter."

8. Type "reboot" and press "Enter" to reboot the computer.

References

• Hostname