I have a network of 2 WinXP machines and one linux box. I have fiddled around with the settings as you do when learning. The network is working. The network neighbourhood on the WinXP machines recognise the linux box and vice versa, (the linux Places|Network recognises the 2 WinXP). I can Ping the linux box using its hostname from a WinXp. But I cannot do the reverse. I get an 'unknown host' response. I can ping the linux to itself using its hostname.

Can anyone suggest why this should be so.

did you enter the XPs hostname in the DNS or hosts file of the tux box?

I certainly haven't entered in the hosts file. As far as I understood each machine would be logged on the DHCP Allocation Table of the router and that ping would find the name there.

maybe the firewall is blocking the ICMP protocol

domainname and hostname are two different things if am correct, look if they are set on the good place, domainname is mostly the isp name unless u are running one box as an server if am correct, am not sure how it works in linux, hostname is mostly used for internal networks so check if they are set the same name, i could be easily wrong because long time ago i made an network.

p.s. Agazzaz Egypt could be wright, u could try disconnect internet, putoff firewalls on all machines and test it,when works ok than put on each firewall one at a time to see wich box is blocking.

Thanks for your replies. They give me more research to do (eg ICMP protocol). I am puzzled why the firewall could interfere. Are not host names resolved by the DHCP Allocation Table on the router?

millig,
each computer will either contact a DNS server or it will build it's own DNS internally. If it doesn't have something in it's own DNS then it tends to look for a DNS server to find it. This is a little weird in Linux. Yes your routers DHCP allocation Table should act as a DNS server, however if something is blocking the DNS communications between your router and your Linux box, then your Linux box is never getting a DNS reply back from your router. Check on your ICMP settings and see. That is a good place to start.

The suggestion to check my ICPM Settings is easier said than done. It is an area I know nothing about. My initial efforts to look at them have not been successful and I am wary of stepping in too deep.

I can live with the present arrangement and perhaps solve this little puzzle in due course.

Thanks for your advice.