Hi. I have set my mom up with a samba domain. Now I changed the network interface (like i have with every other ubuntu computer I use)to static ip and enter the information in /etc/network/interfaces after the initial install with dhcp. The thing is hers keeps on going back to dhcp. I have to actually tell her how to change it back using nano and it confuses the shit out of her every time. She somehow manages. I am going crazy with this. Any ideas what is happening. I just told her to turn off the dhcp on her wireless router to see if maybe it has something to do with router. It is a linksys 2rt54g. thanks in advance.

PS- the interfaces file even contains the right info i have to just restart the network and it all changes back to the static ip.

have you checked if a dhcp client is running?
run
#ps -AH
and look for dhcpcd or dhclient

What OS is your mother using? You imply Ubuntu, but since most mom's I know use "Winders" or MAC's, it would be helpful to state it explicitly & leave us w/ no doubts.

What is a "linksys 2rt54g"? I can't find that model on the Linksys website. Please provide a link to the manual, product description etc.

Assuming the router can do this, why not use fixed IP's, rather than static IP's?

(Forgive the repetition if you already understand this.) Tell the DHCP server on the router (if you can) to assign IP's by MAC address to all machines regularly connected to the LAN. You then get the best of both worlds: predictable IP's & central administration.

I have been running my home LAN this way for about 5 years. I can't remember why I switched: was it setting a static IP on the 4th member, or having to reprogram my laptop 2ce a day -- static @ home, DHCP at work?

If your router is capable of this, would you consider handling IP assignment this way?

BTW, if it's a WRT54G, page 31 (acroread 39 of 84) of the manual implies you are SOL as far as fixing IP's on its DHCP server. (From my perspective, what a bummer!)

it is ubuntu 6.06 dapper drake. She does not use it. She is using windows, but I have a samba domain setup. I administer it remotely through ssh, but since the ip keeps changing she has to constantly change it back. All the computers do use static ip's except for her laptop. it is a linksys wrt54g. I have solved the problem though. I had to reboot the machine and it quit pulling the dhco and stuck with the static. Thanks everyone