I'm using pdnsd on my Debian squeeze system. It lives on the lan side of OpenWrt. Everything works except my hostname does not appear inside OpenWRT. My hostname appears as * inside OpenWRT. My IP address appears fine. Why?

This also means that if I dig or nslookup my hostname on the OpenWRT server, it doesn't know my hostname. I also can't reference the hostname from any other box in my home. IP addressing works everywhere. But no hostname addressing.

I'm guessing its just a pdnsd.conf setting somewhere. How do I export my hostname to OpenWRT so it knows my box's name?

What do you mean by inside OpenWRT? Are you referring to the DHCP client list?
I assume your using DHCP to acquire an IP address so look at your dhclient.conf file to see if it has a send host-name directive.

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"Inside OpenWRT" means inside the OpenWRT html interface, sorry. Call the OpenWRT machine "Gracie". It lists current dhcp leases. That table has only * for ip addresses where a pdnsd is running.
This computer (where I'm typing now, call it george) is listed in that Gracie's OpenWRT table as having a * for george.
And yes, you assume correctly. The Gracie OpenWRT DHCP chooses the IP address for george.
So I'll look in both George and in Gracie for a dhclient.conf file.
yup, in George, the "send" directive is commented out. I'll fix.

Thanks loads michaelk. My firewall can now tell other machines my hostname.
aside: I wonder if I modify the equivalent in my firewall, I can cause my BIG-telecom ISP to do my bidding regarding my home when their dhcp gives my home an IP lease!?! (within reason).

Don't know if the ISPs will actually use the hostname if sent.