[NTLUG:Discuss] OT: helpdesk is no help can you help

[Chris Cox]

Fred James wrote:
> All
> I have a JPG that I can send to anyone who wants it, but being familiar
> with the average Linux desktop you may not need it.
> 
> In the title bar of the terminal window (on my laptop with the default
> settings) the title reads "fredjame at localhost:/home/fredjame" normally,
> and certainly when I am on my home network.
> 
> The other day when I was on site (on the work network) and the title
> read "fredjame at hom-lmazur.vertisinc.net".
> 
> lmazur is a valid email name in the corporate email system, belonging to
> one Lenny Mazur who also offices at our Irving site.
> 
> Can anyone here shed some light on this, please?

Sounds like lmazur dynamically registered himself inside of
DNS on your network with the name hom-lmazur.vertisinc.net and
you happened to get the same IP.

You prompt simply contains your hostname, which somehow
either IS hom-lmazur.vertisinc.net or at least is is
this value via a reverse lookup on your IP.

You'll find that Microsoft's poor DNS/DHCP implementation
tends to leave PTR records all over the place.  Just a guess.

So it's possible if you do:

host <insert-your-ip-address>

That you'll see more than one PTR record for you IP.

Again, this is just a guess... there are many
ways this could be happening.