Change Device Name for network

[Zhopa]

Hi guys!

I'm newbie and my Iconia A500 is the first non-Windows device for me

I have a quick question. It's not really important but I'm more curious:
how can I change my tablet's network name?

i.e. in my home router I can see all connected devices (computers) as I named them in Network settings.
My tablet is shown as ip_address + ANDROID_9B27FC15C17AA1E4 + MAC address.

Is there any way to change this name to something like my_tablet?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Icebike]

What are you running on your windows machine that can let you see the tablet at all?

Normally the tablet does not open any ports, and about all you can do is ping it if you happen to know its IP.

Your router really doesn't need to know a name. All it uses is mac address.

 

[itsallaboutmike]

What are you running on your windows machine that can let you see the tablet at all?

Normally the tablet does not open any ports, and about all you can do is ping it if you happen to know its IP.

Your router really doesn't need to know a name. All it uses is mac address.

This is an epic fail... First off as the person said it was INSIDE his router... meaning it wasn't an app on his computer. As for the not needing to change the name of the device, any networker will tell you its alot easier to run a safe and secure network if you name your devices properly so that you can see what each device is at a glance. Please Please if you don't know what you are talking about stay away from answering questions. the blind leading the blind makes things that much harder. As for the answer to this question its diffrent for all devices and some don't even have a setting for it, but I know in cyanogenmod its in the dev section under host name. Menu>Settings>Applications>Development>Device hostname

 

[Greg_E]

I do not find a way to set the host name with the stock OS.

 

[Batchman]

Try looking at all your router options. Mine lets me edit the names of all the connected devices.

Sent from my A500 using Android Tablet Forum

 

[Icebike]

Try looking at all your router options. Mine lets me edit the names of all the connected devices.

You might be able to assign "friendly names" in the router, but this is not standard in all routers and the
actual device name sent by the tablet when it makes a dhcp request is likely to be set by the device whenever it requests an IP.
can't be changed with the stock Android app. Cyanogenmod, yes. With Stock You always get something like "android_3e7d209878428166".

The only problem here is that the Underscore is not recognized by some dhcp servers. (The RFC says underscore is invalid),
but most DHCP servers ignore this portion of the RFC, as did Google (their bad).

Now any place where this really matters won't be using an wifi accesspoint to serve dhcp IPs anyway, and will have a REAL
dhcp server.

Only home users or amateurs, or very small operations serve IPs from the wifi routers. Everybody who is big enough to
have a a problem remembering which IP is assigned to any given device uses a real DHCP server running under Linux or Windows.

Relying on hostnames, which are under user control, is silly, easily hacked, and unreliable. The only thing you can trust is mac addresses,
and even those can be spoofed.

With a real dhcp server, you can make an entry like the following to dhcpd.conf

host ACER-BILL.my-domain.nl {
hardware ethernet f8:db:7f:ed:5f:1e;
option host-name "Bills-Acer-a500";
option domain-name "my-domain.nl";
ddns-hostname "Bills-acer-a500";
}

The hardware ethernet must match the acer. This hardware mac address can be accessed via Settings /About Tablet/ Status
and it ins unique. This entry can also give specific fixed IPs to each client, which has some merit.

 

[Douvie]

This is an epic fail... First off as the person said it was INSIDE his router... meaning it wasn't an app on his computer. As for the not needing to change the name of the device, any networker will tell you its alot easier to run a safe and secure network if you name your devices properly so that you can see what each device is at a glance. Please Please if you don't know what you are talking about stay away from answering questions. the blind leading the blind makes things that much harder. As for the answer to this question its diffrent for all devices and some don't even have a setting for it, but I know in cyanogenmod its in the dev section under host name. Menu>Settings>Applications>Development>Device hostname

You're brave. But we all make mistakes - Icebike may have read it wrong.

Besides any IT person worth his salt would recognize instantly if there was a foreign invador on his network. Secondly, using conventional names are a sign the IT don't know what they are doing. I see this all the time. The really secure networks usually have a naming like - PC+ MAC - where the users really don't know the name of their PC. A name like Daves-PC usually indicates a novice or a SOHO set up.

 

[diiorio]

How fast you recognize devices, authorized devices, and manage them really depends on how large a group you have accessing your network. Now for home use, it can be nice to name a device so you know which one is what, especially with many android devices.

If using an Asus or Cisco based router, there are advanced settings to rename devices. It makes it easier to manage bandwith use, especially if you want to manage wireless devices, and friends who commonly come over. I find it handy when I want to limit the amount of bandwith they can use, or the priority they take, setting them to the 2.4 or 5 gighertz bandd range so they are either connected at 150mbps while I connect on the 300mbps bands.

Knowing whose device is whose allows you to set devices for primarly media streaming as well. IF your router allows a WPS trigger, it will prmpt that device, then you can rename it. Another way is, if your router allows, such as Asus barands and higher end cisco based do, is set up multiple SSID's. One for your primary use, and another with seperate settings, such as a main Admin SSID, then A Guest, or ANDROID DEV SSID and have them connect to that.

Now as far as the IT statement. IF you manage a business with 500+ people, and you see only random android ID's, you won't know who is who from squat. Only the device used. You can however block traffic till a forced MAC change is made, or you request specific Identification based on provided security ID code that they msut use to identify the device and person.

 

[Douvie]

Most IT specialists that are worth their salt usually have an active list. As you say simple name conventions are great for quick ID but the downside is that it makes it easy for someone to intrude.

 

[diiorio]

Well I maintain a network for Johnson Space Center (Clear Lake City-Houston) if that gives you a clue. No connections on the main network are allowed without keycode Identification of the employee. Anythign wireless is on a seperate sub system.

However you will also rename all connections and dvies and require a network lock on the OS and device which was pre-set up, which isn't going to use a standard Mac: All devices are renamed by employee name and employee ID#

It is viable to be able to rename devices properly, and true It tech wants complete listing. WHen you are dealign with 2400+ eployess per sub net, the more information provided per connection makes life much easier.

android_97ee968f0d211ceE0: B9:A5:09:FA:4D256.124.1.78
isn't as helpful as seeing it on the log as

Paula ANderson. EMP ID# 3XXXX-b Secton 4b Dev Assi# JSC:4b:34:X:X:X

Which tells me their name, employee ID, level of security, sections they and subnets they are authorized for at a glance while traffic is monitored.

 

[Tom6]

... No connections on the main network are allowed without keycode Identification of the employee. Anything wireless is on a separate sub-system.

However you will also rename all connections and devices and require a network lock on the OS and device which was pre-set up, which isn't going to use a standard Mac: All devices are renamed by employee name and employee ID#

It is viable to be able to rename devices properly, and true It tech wants complete listing. When you are dealing with 2400+ employees per sub net, the more information provided per connection makes life much easier.

android_97ee968f0d211ceE0: B9:A5:09:FA:4D256.124.1.78
isn't as helpful as seeing it on the log as

Paula Anderson. EMP ID# 3XXXX-b Section 4b Dev Assi# JSC:4b:34:X:X:X

Which tells me their name, employee ID, level of security, sections they and subnets they are authorized for at a glance while traffic is monitored.

Hi
Going off-topic a bit. Data-protection policy would probably prevent me having employees names along with their emp number. I could probably do 1st or last name or emp id but given the nature of my organisation it would be better to just stick with last names because they are less well known. I would want to make it difficult for unauthorised people to figure out who was on which machine but at the same time make it easier for me.

There is often a conflict between security and easy-use. The trick is getting the right balance for you and your organisation. Local conditions vary wildly imo.
Regards from
Tom

 

[Douvie]

Tom,

You are correct. But I think it is a case of diiorio missing the point Icebike was saying. Security can be a bit of a 2 edged sword. I find the more secretive the network the harder it makes it for hackers to crack it. An IT person who "knows" his system well, knows what devices are connected, knows the setup up of the system, will know what IP addresses belong to what. They generally have fixed devices like MFDs, printers & etc in a particular range of IPs, servers on another range or separate network, mobile devices on a separate network, workstations on their own range and so forth.

John.