IssueTracker

This issue does not reproduce with dev preview 4.

Closing this issue as per comment #2 from reporter.

This has changed slightly with 2.2.   Now it provides a name: "android_(Hex string)".  However, the underscore character is not a valid DNS character and will not be registered in some DNS systems.  

It is a little disappointing that an Internet giant the size of Google makes a DNS error of including a reserved character (_ underscore) in the hostname for 2.2.  Does anyone know a way to change the name used as it prevents systems checking for valid hostnames from giving DHCP addresses?

Would be even better if the user could define the hostname herself.

Now with android 2.2 it set hostname automatically based on its mac address. Which is progress compare to no hostname at all in pre-2.2 releases. But having mac-adress based hostname doesn't fully solve problem for user, now you can connect to device by this name instead of IP adress, but you still have to remember cryptic numbers. Lets not forget main purpose of hostname it is giving human-friendly names to machine so you can easily recognize device by these names.

I'm just fighting the same issue.  Do we have any updates on this?  Even with root I can't figure out which file to update to make it change the hostname given to the WIFI DHCP server.  All of the "linux" hostname commands change it in the OS but don't change what is handed off via DHCP.

This would make it easy to identify the device on my home network. It just seems natural that someone would want to give their Android phone a name.

Agreed.  Would love to be able to assign hostname for my device.

Agreed.  Would love to be able to assign hostname for my device.

This problem is also seen on Samsung Nexus S with Android 2.3.1.  Because of the underscore '_' in the hostname, some Access Points refuse to register this device.  Hence WiFi cannot be used.  When is google planning to fix it?

Same issue on LG Optimus One with Android 2.2, because of the underscore in the hostname I can't register the device. I can't for the life of me figure out how to change the hostname sent to the dhcp server.

While my wifi works fine, we have just run into a DNS/DHCP issue in which we needed to identify rogue DHCP clients. Of course, my Galaxy S 2.2 does not have a hostname - at least not one that our DNS or DHCP servers recognise.

+1 for custom hostname.

having connection issues with wireless router security settings due to hostname on HTC G2.

please add custom hostname option. gracias.

Also verified for the Dell Streak.
I suspect that this explains the problems I have recently experienced with multiple wifi access points whilst on a trip. Some access points worked, but others refused connection (My colleagues iPhone worked fine on all of them).
I'm pretty astounded that this has not been fixed, I cannot currently recommend Android devices as a viable alternative to the iPhone.

Count me as another vote for being able to assign a custom hostname to an Android phone.  My servers show the name as blank.

DNS resolution doesn't work on university Wi-Fi network because it cannot register a device that has no hostname (Galaxy S Captivate running 2.1), or because of the invalid DNS character "_" (Galaxy S Vibrant running 2.2). It'd be fantastic if custom hostnames were supported in an Android update!

EVO slide - ("android_(mac)") - I need to be able to assign hostname for office security scheme - I don't think I should need to root the device to do it....

What to assign hostname too.

I have verified that cyanogenmod.com versions starting late in 6.x and for sure 7.x RC's give you the option to set the hostname.
It correctly passes this option to the DHCP server via the option 81 and registers in DDNS on my system.

I want to specify one, too

Would love to be able to do this.  At present i can't add a DHCP reservation for my phone due to the underscore

Can't do a DHCP reservation to my phone due to the underscore!

@alan: no problem to use DHCP reservation, reservation is not based on hostname but MACaddress.
and I use DHCP reservation to force Android name (name is used only by DNS, and DHCP store this reservation to DNS with name specified)
I use DD-WRT router firmware, DHCP reservation for my Androphone with name I will.
When I connect my Androphone, it use IP reserved and DNS use name used in DHCP setting. (no problem to set name at home, but must use DHCP reservation and DHCP-DNS link, or add DNS entry)

I have about 60 android phones on my DHCP server.  I just noticed 2 of them now are reporting their name as android- instead of "_".  
 
I wonder if this is a 2.3 fix, 3.0 fix, or a vendor fix.

Its not a user specified host name but at least its finally a valid host name.

PLEASE!  Let me assign a host name to the multiple android devices on my lan.

A must in my view - hostname is intended for us, humans to give a device a nice name easy to remember. So it must be the user assigning the hostname, not the device itself!

This issue is fixed in Cyanogenmod 7. Hopefully it is in the upstream tree as well.

To set a custom hostname, try these terminal commands:

$ getprop net.hostname
$ setprop net.hostname whateveryouwant

Then reconnect to wifi. Worked for me on CM7.

Can confirm this on LeeDroid ROM 2.4 aswell. Thanks for that solution!

also works on the standard HTC Desire Z rom and Samsung Galaxy Tab rom.

have not tried to see if this survives a restart of the phone.

Does not work on unrooted HTC Thunderbolt.

Works with stock rooted Dell Streak 7

$ su
# setprop net.hostname whateveryouwant

setprop does not survive a reboot - it's overwritten by the logic here: http://android.git.kernel.org/?p=platform/frameworks/base.git;a=object;h=6d626d41e9db62a0eadb61ccb2aa4081a8b9f6d0

I would like to see the ability to set hostname for wireless as well. From what I can tell, you have the option of setting the device name when using Bluetooth, so why not wifi? It seems like it should be a relatively simple change, so why not implement it?

I need to join my Xoom to the corporate wireless network here at work, but we use RADIUS for authentication. It seems the easiest way to allow access would be to edit the rule to allow the tablet based on hostname, but I cant set my own name on the device.

I think I found a workaround.

Interesting Google violates common RFC practice.  Maybe someone should make an RFC violation bug, but there appears to be some debate about which RFC to use. (Not an expert on those RFCs)

Just FYI, I have two Android devices.  A Gtablet running CM7, which by default has a hostname of "android-5aaaaaaaaaaaaaae" (with a Dash), but my Droid OG  (rooted and running Stock 2.2) is "android_eaaaaaaaaaaaaaad"  with an underscore (DANGER!)

Here's how I resolved the situation on BIND 9.7 on CentOS 5  (may work on early versions too).

in /etc/named.conf  the default option is to enforce check-names rules. But you can turn it off!

options {
        check-names master warn;  
        ...
        }

Or use "ignore" instead of "warn"

After restarting the 'named' service my Droid was allowed to register forward and reverse DNS and verified with nslookup that the underscore was registered.

Is this issue (not having a hostname) related to reverse DNS lookup failing against an Android device LAN ip ?

I observe the following on my LAN with this simple setup

- a Wifi router (192.168.1.1) not connected to the Internet but with DHCP enabled
- an android phone getting its IP via DHCP (let's say it has ip 192.168.1.100)
- a PC getting its IP via DHCP (let's say it has ip 192.168.1.101)

Doing a nslookup against the android IP fails
Doing a nslookup against the PC IP succeed.

Why is this a problem ?

Consider and android app doing some http request using the LAN IP of the android device (instead of using 127.0.0.1).
If it is using InetSocketAddress in this way:

InetSocketAddress remoteAddress = new InetSocketAddress("192.168.1.100", somePort);

then this will take 10 seconds until it timeouts on failed reverse DNS resolution. Code above works if you substitute the ip with the PC ip.

This is utterly annoying, as at least Apache HttpClient create InetSocketAddress in this way to connect to the remote host. Each InetSocketAddress creation like above will take 10 seconds, as the Java DNS cache failed queries for only 10 seconds.



 

 

Why you should do lookup in your own address in first place, this is bad practice. Well I don't know how Android handle this, but in sane OS usually if there no PTR record it will not timeout but receive NXDOMAIN response from DNS server.
But I'm still with you hostname should be configurable that plain simple.

Agreed. Would love to be able to assign hostname for my device.

Agreed. Would love to be able to assign hostname for my device.

Agreed. Would love to be able to assign hostname for my device.

26-Jun-2011 14:28:21.010 general: error: zone private.home/IN: android_d4b2fc5fudgedmac.private.home/A: bad owner name (check-names)

this is what is in my bind9 /var/log/named/named.log

"_" is RFC FAIL in the host name

Have there been any updates or developments with this issue at all?
With a growing number of Android devices on our network, it is begining to cause us a few headaches!

Please add host name to theandoid os

I'm also missing this feature, please add it as soon as possible.

please add this important feature

Google, please add this feature. It is important for us, although not everyone but there are numbers of people need this feature. Come on google! :D

Well, in the Google's and Android's defence regarding BIND throwing 'bad owner name' it is DHCPD (Or similar) doing the ddns update, not the phone. So really it is the dhcp server that is at fault for trying to register the bogus name.

But yeah, Google take out the underscore, it's ugly.

And let me set the sent hostname easily, it would be nice if I had lots of these phones running around on the network to give them the username of the owner.

CHANGE THIS CRAP. PROVIDE AN UPDATE OR A SCRIPT OR I WILL MANIPULATE BUSYBOX TO DO IT FOR ME. This is rediculous. I have two phones and only one can be connected to WiFi or else I start dropping connections market place and internet but connection to router stays. I have a 2wire and I can see ur hex and android (unique identifier as you may call it). I'm betting my router fouls up between the similar name like devices. Google as big as you are, you did a piss poor job in certain areas of developing android. HATS OFF TO CYANOGENMOD. HIRE THEM THEY MAY KNOW SOMETHING YOU DON'T

I really need the ability to set hostnames for Android devices as well.  As more smart phones and tablets hit my DHCP server, it's getting very dificult to identify rogue devices - especially given the crazy generic device name for Android devices.  I'm an Android fan, but on this issue, Apple has it down.  It's very simple to adjust the hostname on iPhones and iPads.   Please make this a user configurable field!

Agreed, I need a REAL hostname to go with the MAC address so I can do a static ip via DHCP and also be able to use NAT......

Is there a valid reason why we're not able to do this? If not, please enable this functionality

Mega fail for Android. Not surprised.

You can change hostname in Gingerbread:
go to Settings -> Applications -> Development -> Device hostname

On my Nexus One, it survives a reboot.

> You can change hostname in Gingerbread:
> go to Settings -> Applications -> Development -> Device hostname

I recently upgraded my HTC Desire with HTC's official Gingerbread release, but for me there shows no such option here under Development (only USB debugging, Stay awake and Allow mock locations). Fragmentation? I'm on Android 2.3.3 build 3.14.405.1 CL96875.

I believe the option to set hostname via development settings is a CM7 feature, and not part of the main Android branch.

EPIC FAIL. Updated to 2.3.4 and still no fix for this? OMG, should we reconsider for WM then? That kind of indifference of Google DEV crew creates a fear that even more severe bugs are hidden in the system... Shocked...

seems like the hostname is hardcoded somewhere else, because based on standard linux, when you did hostname newhostname, it will change your hostname, temporarily. to change it permanently, edit /etc/hostname or /etc/sysconfig/network if it is standard linux. android_ui3yejh32e is totally UGLY!

Comment 29 by tro...@gmail.com, Apr 23, 2011
To set a custom hostname, try these terminal commands:

$ getprop net.hostname
$ setprop net.hostname whateveryouwant

Then reconnect to wifi. Worked for me on CM7.
^
|
This works, so long as you have a terminal emulator and root access:

Worked for me - hostname is changed (S5830, ver.2.3.4)
-------------------------------
$ getprop net.hostname
android_8957bdd628d6ec4b
$ su
# setprop net.hostname customhostname
# exit
$ getprop net.hostname
customhostname
-------------------------------
although my Linksys WRT54G (oem firmware) still showing blank hostname for this device ...

'setprop net.hostname' will not persist after reboot. In CM7, use Settings->Applications->Development->Device hostname.

[Comment deleted]

my workaround: make your dhcp server do the trick. In /etc/dhcpd/dhcpd.conf (or any other dhcp server configuration) add entries like:

  host HTC-DesireZ.my-domain.nl {
    hardware ethernet f8:db:7f:ed:5f:1e;
    option host-name "htc-desirez";
    option domain-name "my-domain.nl";
    ddns-hostname "htc-desirez";
  }

this tricks the DNS server to use the hostname as pushed by your dhcp server based on mac address

hope this work for you too
regards
Martin

please please allow was to change the hostname - I'm in net admin who can not root the androids in our company

Ditto!!!!!!!!!!! Google....

As more and more Androids hit network environments & are used & owned by businesses, being able to provide a standard naming scheme (just like what is done on a PC) without having to create DHCP reservations for every device, is a must.

Tech support personnel need to be able to look at a hostname and have a general idea of who's device this is and what it is (true, these are not definitive but provide basic "first glance" information).  Seeing "android" followed by a MAC address doesn't do this except for number savants.

Finally, in a corporate environment, the last thing we want is for people to be rooting corporate owned hardware.  In fact, it is against our acceptable use policy.

So, I hope the Powers that Be at Google, review this issue and decide that it is a high enough priority to fix this.

This is definitely a very important feature to have. Hope it can be fixed soon google!

Even Today, on a Samsung GALAXY S2. Only 603 Days later...
I am surprised. I thought Android wants to be "smarter" than ...

Yup, CM7 has this option as stated in comment 62, painless as you like. It's so fricken awesome. If your phone has this ROM available to it, I STRONGLY recommend flashing it. It's amazing.

As a workaround, I use the Samba Filesharing app to customize the netbios name of my devices instead.  I don't know how good of a workaround this is, but the names (of my choosing) show up on local networks (which is all I personally wanted).

Get this fixed please. There should be no excuse.

please fix

Have a HTC EVO 4G and being able to provide a standard naming scheme (just like what is done on a PC) without having to create DHCP reservations for or rooting every device, is a must.

Please address the host name issue and fix ASAP.

Yes please fix - have a Samsung tab and Nexus S

C'mon, google--illegal characters in a hostname???  What an embarrassment!  You'd think that the army of engineers there would have caught it, but I know that sometimes the engineers aren't empowered to make the right call.

Please, please, please fix this as it causes many problems, as noted above.  And it's just plain wrong.

To those who don't have CM but any other ROM with root or stock ROM with root-access:
There's an app called "Autostart" (http://www.appbrain.com/app/autostart-%28root%29/nk.bla.android.autostart) that runs the /data/opt/autostart.sh after booting.
Just create that file and enter the lines to modify your device's hostname:
"$ setprop net.hostname whateveryouwant"
Reboot. Allow root-access for that app.
"$ getprop net.hostname" to check the hostname.
Worked for me so far. Need to verify later. Haven't got access to WLAN-router right now.

When I log on an application by Citrix through the Android(Samsung Tablet) shows a name like "roid87 ...". Does anyone know where he get that name?

You need su (superuser) to run this but it won't survive a reboot.
However to make a shortcut to run the script you can go to
http://code.google.com/p/android-scripting/ and download SL4A to run the
script whenever needed. It's not quite boot at startup but closer to it.

[Comment deleted]

Another workaround for invalid hostname on dhcpd/ddns is to mangle invalid hostname in the global scope. It's also possible to create ddns-hostname for anonymous client.

See dhcp-eval(5) for more options.

if (not (option host-name ~~ "^[a-z0-9][a-z0-9\-]+[a-z0-9]$")) {
   set newName = concat("host-", binary-to-ascii(16, 8, "", substring(hardware, 1, 6)));
   log(concat("Invalid hostname: ", option host-name, " => ", newName));
   ddns-hostname = newName;
}

+++

I have a bunch of Android devices on our network.  When I look at the DHCP server on windows sbs 2003 they just show up as Android_MAC addres or Android-MAC Address.
I was surprised to find out the name could not be changed.  It was so easy to do on the iPhones.  For a non android or iphone user, it seems really silly to have to jump through a bunch of hoops just to change the hostname of an android device.  I guess I'll start collecting MAC addresses since google seems to have completely ignored this issue.

[Comment deleted]

Feels weird this simple feature is missing. And it's pretty annoying too with a lot DHCP assigned devices. And then the change from no-name to a standard violating, non-editable name... well thank you!

I would like to see this enhancement also.  Seeing on Samsung Epic 4G running on the Sprint Network.  Either this should be assigned by default or allow a utility to change this.  Knowing the hostname makes it easier to monitor your network and who is connected.

Really would appreciate the ability to manually change hostname of phone please!

Same here. It would be nice to change the hostname of my (now several) android devices (two Samsung Vibrant phones, and one Galaxy Tab).

Is android just going to ignore business needs? This is an obvious business requirement, to manage devices at the most basic network level. If android wants to take any MS Windows share, we will need to be able to share files over the network, without a "cloud" app. Device to device, over the network. This will require usable hostnames for any sanity.

This is so basic of an edit, as far as OS operations, that there must be some motive for not allowing this.

I want a smart phone, not stupid-phone, please add the possibility to change hostname!

RE 88: it is not ignoring, android has no support at all probably... bad choice from my side, WM has much better customer service...

I also confirm this issue. I'm in a workplace with a D-Link router. Hostnames for all connected Android phones (including my own, running GIngerbread 2.3.3) is specified with hostname 'android_<a long series of hex digits>'. Would be thrilling if you could just "name" your phone, which is what I assume this thread is all about.

There are workarounds, but are many people missing them with all the comments?  I use the samba fileshare app, which works nicely for my purposes.  Others have posted other more hands on ways to get the desired change.  Or are these workarounds not working?

But in any case, built-in support is at least still desired.  Should just be a field in the settings.

So far, I can not find any workarounds for this problem that do no require rooting the device.

Its annoying to see that i cannot change the hostname, it should be as simple as hell. Google! Please FIX it! Especially when you are planning to run android on desktops

I wonder if Google actually reads this forum because there have been
several releases in the last year and this issue has not been addressed.
 On Dec 19, 2011 3:48 AM, <android@googlecode.com> wrote:

Have same issue on my Galaxy SII that is all of 4 days old. (SAMSUNG-SGH-I777, Android vers 2.3.4)
Stinks to have a brand new phone and now I can't connect to work WiFi. Guess I'll be going back to Windows mobile unless Google gets this fixed! Aaaggh.

[Comment deleted]

Dear Android Devs,

Two years is plenty of time to fix this trivial oversight.  My faith in the Android ecosystem is all but non-existent at this point. As a free software developer myself, users not having root access goes against every fiber of my being.

I've allowed myself to make excuses for nebulous "security" reasons, however allowing TWO YEARS to pass and still not adding the LITERALLY 25 LINES of code it took me to add this FUNDAMENTAL feature on my own is inexcusable.

With the only recourse being a violation of warranty due to gaining root access, I consider your foul stance on this issue a form of entrapment.

The fact that the feature is available in your Google Nexus line, but not on many carriers is proof of your willful negligence. You have the capability to ensure such basic features survive into downstream ROMs.

I can understand that cellular carriers make more money if Wifi routers can't serve the devices, but that's no reason to include an INVALID SYMBOL in the hostname.  That's just plain maliciousness -- I seriously can't fathom the degree of incompetence required to make this mistake.

I apologize for the accusation of malice if you are indeed too ignorant to follow RFCs covering the technology you've implemented.

From these comments it's clear you don't care to listen to your users.  I'll be using a full blown version of GNU/Linux on my next mobile device, without your revenue generating MARKETPLACE.

Hell, even the non-POSIX abuse I get on MS/Windows platforms is better than the cold shoulder you've given us...

Heh. Status of this issue is "new", and we're into the third year soon. Don't be evil, Google. :D

Evil? Nah... Just don't give a fuсk.

[Comment deleted]

Did anyone bother to contribute a patch to AOSP when Gerrit was working? Obviously some people have actually figured out a fix, so why hasn't anyone submitted it to AOSP's Gerrit instance? Information on submitted patches is available at http://source.android.com/source/submit-patches.html

Even Apple (the most restrictive company ever) let's you set the device name for iOS devices; it is absurd that we cannot do the same on Android.  This causes all sorts of annoying problems for apps like Amazon's Kindle which relies on the device name for managing books in addition to countless other fun problems; bluetooth (silly that there is a way to change only the bluetooth id), wifi, etc...

Please fix this!

[Comment deleted]

I found 2 intersting links (language is German):

!!! of course you need root-access to your device !!!

- change WLAN-device-name:
http://www.usp-forum.de/samsung-galaxy-s2-root-flash-hack/81502-dhcp-wlan-ger-tename-hostname-einstellen.html
- ghost-commander and it's needed settings:
http://www.usp-forum.de/samsung-galaxy-s2-root-flash-hack/81491-bearbeiten-systemdateien.html

I modified the file "/system/etc/dhcpcd/dhcpcd.conf".
After a reboot of my Galaxy, i saw the new defined name of my Galaxy in my WiFi-access-point (Fritz!Box 7170)

I hope, this can help someone

I would like to see a option in the settings to change the hostname

As a network admin it very helpful to know what devices I have connected to my network. Please allow android devices to change their host name. Thank you.

i realy would like to give my phone and tablet a hostname because i want too give them a static ip adres in my server

This one gets my vote as well if only for validating what is connected.

it's pretty embarrassing that this easy-to-fix issue hasn't been addressed for so long.

[Comment deleted]

I would like to see a option in the settings to change the hostname - as expressed by the 111 comments before mine - it seems that a very simple feature has been over-looked. Seems amazing also to note that Google's Android people have fallen off their perch - for not one bit of comment is offered by them here.

Please do add an option to change hostname

it is disconcerting to find "unknown-92-xx-xxx-x" connected to your router then spend a half hour finding out " Oh it's me", trying to change the name, then finding this thread. Please add functionality, thanks

Most users don't have root.  This is not a cosmetic problem, this is a functional problem.  Unbelievable that android can't handle having a hostname.  Backup programs, access tools, my banks authorization methods, depend on identifying my device by its hostname.  If I can't identify which of my many android devices it is, I can't make effective use of their features.  Restricting functionality = restricting usefulness & marketability of android.

Fix It!

Please fix it!

I would like to give my android devices host names. I have a number of android devices in my household, each belonging to different family members. It would be very useful to be able to better distinguish them.

[Comment deleted]

LET'S SEE IF THIS WORKS....

FIX THIS AT ONCE, OR I'LL DEMAND THE COURTS TO STOP YOU AND ALL DOWNSTREAM MAKERS TO USE AND DISTRIBUTE SOFTWARE THAT DOESN'T COMPLY WITH THE CURRENT RFCS AND BRINGS RELIABILITY AND USABILITY PROBLEMS.

DO WE NEED TO BRING YOU TO COURT TO MAKE THIS LITTLE, TINY, MINUSCULE CHANGE HAPPEN????

AREN'T YOU ASHAMED OF YOURSELF?

Now that I've got your attention, I demand you assign this issue to a dev, upgrade its priority to HIGH, and deliver a solution downstream to all manufacturers in two weeks.

If you don't comply I'll personally take legal action to stop Android based devices that contain this issue from reaching the markets.

Other comments have been nicer, and asked gently. I'M DEMANDING IT.

WTF Google?

Hello $hit For Brains (=Google). How many people have to bring this issue to your attention before you get off your corporate butts and provide an app/script/update to fix this?

[Comment deleted]

Well, there were 122 comments in the last two years, out of millions of Andriod users so I think it will take a lot more to get their attention.  If you think otherwise you should buy something else.

I feel the change would be appreciated, especially by developers/IT Support staff, but there are workarounds mentioned on this site that do work as well.  We all know the code is very simple to add so hopefully it will come to fruition.

[Comment deleted]

If Apple can allow a device name change on their phones why can't Google? Apparently it's only Android devices that can't change their hostname. This is unacceptable.

I agree we need to be able to change our hostname.

Agreed.  Would love to be able to assign hostname for my device.

Boooooo for not being able to do this, boooooooooo

Thank you for nothing GOOGLE! My next phone will not have any kind of Android OS! Don't waste your time in the lawsuits ONLY, or the time android is superior to other mobile OS is gone faster than you think.....

This is full of fail.. how do you overlook something like this in a network/unix based OS?

plz2fix NAO

DROID X

ps..  this is the hackjob work around for anyone not aware
http://www.droidforums.net/forum/motorola-droid/49850-droid-attached-wi-fi-how-change-device-name.html

Try this with isc dhcpd on fedora 16
It requires dynamic updates enabled to named dns server

add to /etc/dhcp/dhcpd.conf

host droid {
  # change hardware ethernet to mac id of phone
  # change both domainname lines
  hardware ethernet 01:2a:41:56:ca:ef;
  ddns-hostname "droid";
  ddns-domainname "home";
  option host-name "droid";
  option domain-name "home";
}

it's working for me

Has this changed for Android 4.0?
I don't seem to have any hostname management options on my Galaxy Nexus.

If this is indeed still not part of the OS I think it should be.

[Comment deleted]

got it to work using this script:

[code]
#!/system/bin/sh
#change devName to whatever you want.
devName=NAME_YOU_WANT
devHostPath=$(which hostname)
devGetPath=$(which getprop)
devSetPath=$(which setprop)

if [ "$($devGetPath net.hostname)" = "$devName" ]
then
        echo "Device hostname does not need to be changed."
else
        echo "Device hostname is being changed to $devName."
        if [ "$devHostPath" != "which hostname" ]
        then
                $devHostPath $devName
        fi
        $devSetPath net.hostname $devName
        if [ "$($devGetPath net.hostname)" = "$devName" ]
        then
                echo "Device hostname has been successfully changed."
        else
                echo "Device hostname has not been changed."
        fi
fi
[/code]

and the app Script Manager ( https://market.android.com/details?id=os.tools.scriptmanager&feature=search_result#?t=W251bGwsMSwyLDEsIm9zLnRvb2xzLnNjcmlwdG1hbmFnZXIiXQ.. ) applying script to boot

some ppl only need to restart the wifi. i had to restart the phone to see the changes... im using htc desire s with coredroid rom running 2.3.5 android

just found out that when the phone reconnects to a network the hostname gets reseted using the process i described b4 on post 135

Related to Issue 36933444 (default hostname violates DNS RFC).

@tiagocon..: Thanks for that script, it works great via init.d (for supported roms) as well. Just one small point: do mention you only have to replace "NAME_YOU_WANT" with your new hostname. I went about changing all the hostname entries and broke it initially.

Android definitely should have an option to alter the hostname of the device. I came across the underscore issue with BIND & dynamic updates, and ended up using this for the dynamic zone in named.conf
  check-names ignore;

At least they've updated the OS to use a hyphen now. <sigh>

I would like to be able to change the hostname on my droid so that I can instantly identify it on my network at home, not to mention the networks at work. Just my 2 cents from an IT pro. You should not have to root, script or custom ROM to do something so simple and apparently trivial.

All my network devices have hostnames that I have created.  Even at my work environments we change our hostnames to make it easier for us to manage.  I also just really want to name my new phone 'Cpt Phacepalm'.

And yet another vote...

Come on...add the ability to change the host name!!!!!

And yet another vote...

Come on...add the ability to change the host name!!!!!

Setting host name for any network device is standard stuff. Please implement ASAP

please add this ability............

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This is crazy! I need to be able to quickly identify all devices on my work’s network. I do not have the time or inclination to manually go through all the Android devices to see who’s who. Time this was sorted!

Please implement the ability to change hostname. As mentioned above it's pretty standard stuff for local networks and makes identifying devices easier.

Add my vote for adding the capability to easily change the host name on stock android devices.

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WOW! So glad I found this ... add another vote for me!  
Since Jan 17, 2010 GOOGLE has yet to respond and make this simple change?!

I'm not even a developer, yet I was forced to post here as just an ordinary Android user.  

Hey GOOGLE heads, please create the ability to change the hostname on my Android so I can easily differentiate ownership of Andriod devices on my wireless home network.

The 4 Apple devices running on my network all have friendly names, why can't Andriod?????

Like many people, I would like to be able to give access to my wireless network only to chosen hostnames. Since I am limited due to the software I have to use because of my service provider, I cannot write the whole hostname of my phone, a.k.a android-xxxx (xxxx=some number). It'd be really great if I could just allow my devices with shorter hostnames and nothing more. This, of course, would be only possible if you allow me to change my hostname.

Plus one for this feature. It's very inconvenient to have default-named device in a network.

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And another vote...this is stopping our Android devices connecting to the Internet through our proxy server. The proxy server only works with hostnames.

I am deploying multiple android devices in my organisation and I want to be able make them conform to our naming convention so that we can keep track of them easier.

Well,I added the following line into /default.prop

net.hostname=my_hostname

And it survived reboot.

changed the default.prop on my IC4.0.3 Galaxy S2 but it reset on reboot :(
wonder why

I add net.hostname=my_decide_name into /system/build.prop

It's ok for me :) (ICS 4.0.3, Sony Xperia S)

I too would like to be able to specify the host name.  

Thanks.

Me too, I would like to be able to specify the host name.  

Please make this a user definable option.

I'll chip in too. Please make this a user definable option.

Another vote!  This would be a great feature!  

its a MUST HAVE without ROOT to match company naming policies like daimler, actually using blackberry and iphone...

Just confirming that editing my build.prop on my rooted devices running ICS works as stated above. Thanks guys.

@Google

Shame...These devices costs hundreds of dollars to buy and thousands to operate. This shouldn't be that hard to fix...

Its crazy we have to move away from android

No idea why a network device like a smartphone can't be choose a hostname. I don't get it. Thie feature is needed!

Hello,

Im a middle level user with a simple solution for rooted phones (this work on android 2.3.3 Galaxy S I9000b). Im not a developer so maybe somebody can take this and turn it into an App on Play Store

1) Create a file named autostart.sh (name of file isnt important anyway)
2) Put into that file "setprop net.hostname myhostname"
3) Check for file to have chmod = 755 permissions (Im not an expert so I changed permissions via Quickssd + sftp)
4) Install Script Manager (SManager)
5) Via SManager choose file autostart.sh and check "su" and "boot" to be on.
6) Reboot.
7) ???
8) Profit.

Ps: Users can test if this is working using "getprop net.hostname" on terminal or checking their DHCP list on routers.

It is indeed a shame that you would have to root your device for such functionality. It is quite painful having multiple Android devices on the network with no easy, discernible way to distinguish them; especially when you try and keep your devices organized to certain addresses to make identification easy and static.

I would not want something as crucial as this to be discarded in favor of other features; as a gamer that is the surest way to alienate your fanbase.

As a network admin/engineer when I wish to find a device using DNS, it is next to impossible to correctly identify a specific host via the generated/already set "ANDROID-??????????" hostname.  out of multiple users.  This should be changable in the settings area, or just the wireless area.  Please look into putting this functionality into one of the next upgrades.  Network and System Admins everywhere will thank you for it.

Would love to have the ability to change names.Our house has 5 droid phone.Yes...we hate Iphones.But can't distinguish who is who on the network,when home.